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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSEOPW OMNI CRA 2007-12-12 MinutesCity of Miami City Hall 3500 Pan American Drive Miami, FL 33133 www.miamigov.com CPI • IN Q9P 99 1i? ▪ I1JYD Meeting Minutes Wednesday, December 12, 2007 2:00 PM CITY OF MIAMI CITY HALL 3500 PAN AMERICAN DRIVE MIAMI, FLORIDA SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Michelle Spence -Jones, Chair Marc David Sarnoff, Vice Chair Angel Gonzalez, Commissioner Joe Sanchez, Commissioner Tomas Regalado, Commissioner CRA OFFICE ADDRESS: 49 NW 5th ST, SUITE 100, Miami, FL 33128 Phone: (305) 679-6800, Fax: (305) 679-6835 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes December 12, 2007 Minutes are transcribed verbatim. Periodically, agenda items are revisited during a meeting. "[Later...]" refers to discussions that were interrupted and later continued. Present: Commissioner Sanchez, Commissioner Regalado, Chair Spence -Jones and Vice Chair Sarnoff Absent: Commissioner Gonzalez On the 12th day of December 2007, the Board of Directors of the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) for the Southeast Overtown/Park West and Omni Districts of the City of Miami met in regular session at Miami City Hall, 3500 Pan American Drive, Miami, Florida. The meeting was called to order by Chair Michelle Spence -Jones at 2:23 p. m. and was adjourned at 4: 40 p.m. ALSO PRESENT: James H. Villacorta, Interim Executive Director, CRA Clarence Woods, Assistant Executive Director, CRA Gail A. Dotson, Assistant General Counsel, CRA Priscilla A. Thompson, Clerk of the Board Pamela E. Burns, Assistant Clerk of the Board FINANCIALS 1. 07-01492 CRA REPORT FINANCIAL SUMMARY THROUGH MONTH ENDING NOVEMBER 30, 2007 Financial Summary.pdf DISCUSSED Chair Spence -Jones: (INAUDIBLE) for the CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency). We're going to go ahead and get started with the -- we're going to skip around (INAUDIBLE). Priscilla A. Thompson (Clerk of the Board): Can you turn on your mike? Chair Spence -Jones: There we go. Thank you, ma'am. You want me to repeat all of that again? Okay. We're going to go ahead and officially get started, and as -- we'll skip around a little bit on the agenda just to make sure that Commissioner Sarnoff can participate in some of the key items, but I do want to keep the meeting moving. Tomorrow we have a pretty large agenda tomorrow for the Commission meeting, so I know that my Commissioners definitely need to be finished with this and be prepared for tomorrow, so I want to go ahead and get started if we can, so let's start with the first item, and I'd like to at least turn over the CRA report, the financial summary. Mr. Executive Director, Miguel. Pamela E. Burns (Assistant Clerk of the Board): Excuse me. We need your name -- Chair Spence -Jones: Go 'head [sic]. Miguel Valentin: Miguel Valentin, CRA financial officer. On the first page, you have the combined statement of financial position as of November 30, 2007. For Southeast Overtown/Park West, we have as unrestricted cash, 115, 000, and for Omni, we have 92,414. I wanted to state for the record there is no reportable condition, and also, regarding the footnote number two, I would like to say that in January, we're going to be presenting the status report that you requested last time. We're working on that, and we're going to be presenting that in January. Also, I wanted to state for the record the auditors already finalized the audit, and we're going to be presenting the audit report at that time. City of Miami Paget Printed on 1/3/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes December 12, 2007 Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. How are we doing with the audit so far, Miguel? Mr. Valentin: The audit report? Well, everything -- according to what they told me, everything is fine. James H. Villacorta (Interim Executive Director, Community Redevelopment Agency): We're currently -- we've received the audit letter from our attorneys, Holland & Knight, but we have not received the audit letter from the Law Department. I spoke with them today. They said they'll be issuing the letter shortly, but that is what the auditor is waiting for. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Madam City Attorney, is that something that we're pushing hard to make sure that we get? Gail A. Dotson (Assistant General Counsel): Yes, it is. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay, so we should have it within the next what, 48 hours? Ms. Dotson: I think so, before the end of the week. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay, so by the end of the week, we should have it by then? Ms. Dotson: Yes. Chair Spence -Jones: All right. Thank you. Thank you, Miguel. Commissioner Sarnoff is now joining us. Commissioner Sanchez: Miguel. Chair Spence -Jones: We kind of just jumped around a little bit until you got here, so -- Vice Chair Sarnoff Sorry. Chair Spence -Jones: It's okay. I know we have a very big day tomorrow. Commissioner Sanchez: As always on the financial summary, I always ask these two questions. Are there any reported conditions that the Chair and this legislative body should be made aware of? Mr. Valentin: No, sir. Commissioner Sanchez: Are there anything out of the norm that may be brought to our attention? Mr. Valentin: No, sir. Commissioner Sanchez: Thank you. Chair Spence -Jones: All right. Any other questions at all? We're -- Commissioner Sarnoff, we just went over the financial summary, Miguel did. Any questions on your end? Commissioner Sarnoff No. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. All right. Thank you so much, Miguel. RESOLUTIONS City of Miami Page 3 Printed on 1/3/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes December 12, 2007 2. 07-01493 CRA RESOLUTION A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF THE SOUTHEAST OVERTOWN/PARK WEST COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY AUTHORIZING GRANTS, IN A TOTAL AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $240,000, TO KING OF POULTRY, INC., DA CANDY SHOP, INC., JAMES FORBES, DERRICK COLEMAN, AND MILANO PASTA & PIZZA, CORP. FOR INTERIOR BUILD -OUT OF SIX RETAIL BAYS AT NEW ARENA SQUARE, 268 NW 11 STREET, MIAMI, FL, UNDER THE RENOVATION/TENANT IMPROVEMENT GRANT INITIATIVE AUTHORIZED BY RESOLUTION NO. CRA-R-07-0034; AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, AT HIS DISCRETION, TO DISBURSE THE GRANT FUNDS ON A REIMBURSEMENT BASIS, OR DIRECTLY TO SUB -GRANTEES AND VENDORS, UPON PRESENTATION OF INVOICES AND SATISFACTORY DOCUMENTATION; FUNDS TO BE ALLOCATED FROM SEOPW TAX INCREMENT FUND, "OTHER GRANTS AND AIDS," ACCOUNT CODE NO. 10050.920101.883000.0000.00000. Cover Memo.pdf Financial Form.pdf Back-up.pdf Legislation.pdf Motion by Commissioner Sanchez, seconded by Vice Chair Sarnoff, that this matter be ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote. Votes: Ayes: 4 - Vice Chair Sarnoff, Chair Spence -Jones, Commissioner Regalado and Commissioner Sanchez Absent: 1 - Commissioner Gonzalez CRA-R-07-0051 Chair Spence -Jones: We're going to move on to the next item on the agenda. Again, as I stated earlier, I do know we have a pretty busy day tomorrow, so we want to kind of get through some of these items. We're going to go ahead and start with item number 2. Mr. Executive Director. James H Villacorta (Interim Executive Director, Community Redevelopment Agency): Item number 2 is a resolution authorizing the issuance of grants, in a total amount of $240,000, to five different businesses to fund the build -out of six retail bays at New Arena Square, at 268 Northwest 11 th Street. In July 2007, the Board authorized funding for renovations and tenant improvements for businesses in the vicinity of the 3rd Avenue Business Corridor and allocated $500, 000 towards this program. This grant is the first drawdown of that and will go to six businesses -- the -- or five businesses. The CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency) advertised the availability of the grants and has identified these five as the first recipients. The program fulfills the redevelopment objective of maintaining existing businesses, attracting new businesses, and providing better employment opportunities for residents. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Are there any questions on this? I do have some comments. Just -- first of all, I want to commend staff on the excellent job -- Jessica, James Villacorta, Clarence -- for really making sure that we did all the necessary things or put all the necessary things in place to make sure that these businesses, once they do go into these locations, that they'll be there for a while, and it's been a long struggle. We've been working on this for almost a year and a half, but it's finally moving, and it's great to see that we have some wonderful businesses going in that strip plaza, and I think we do have some of the businesses here, if they could at least stand where they are. Some of them are long-standing businesses from Overtown that are City of Miami Page 4 Printed on 1/3, 2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes December 12, 2007 now expanding into different areas, so we're glad to see that that's happening, but I'm going to -- if there's any questions, then the Commissioners will ask, but I'm going to turn it over to Commissioner Sanchez. Commissioner Sanchez: Madam Chair, my question is why have those vacant spaces been there so long? Why haven't we been able to get these incoming businesses -- these incoming commercial tenants in? Why has it been vacant so long? Mr. Villacorta: The landlord was unwilling to fund the build -out of that retail space along 3rd Avenue. That's a requirement he requires of the tenants as they move in; that they pay for the build -out of the tenant space. Commissioner Sanchez: But my -- once again, my question, how long was it there, those commercial vacant spots vacant? How long? This project's been up for quite some time now. Mr. Villacorta: Yeah. Chair Spence -Jones: No. Actually, the vacant spaces been for -- I mean, for a long time, and one of the things after getting in office, you know, when we start talking about 3rd Avenue -- and you see that we just start -- I think your office came out for the groundbreaking for 3rd Avenue, the rehab of the streets. The issue for us was we didn't want to have these ten bays sitting here and not have businesses going into those facilities, so you know, with all of the resources that we're now doing to do the streetscape and street improvements, we needed to make sure that we had viable businesses, and I think one of the biggest issues is -- whatever the dollars, you know, that were needed -- in many other communities, a lot of times, a lot of these small businesses that you just saw now just don't have the ability to do a full build -out to move into the space, and I think that that's been a big part of the problem is not having the resources to really build it out so that those businesses can move in, so I just wanted to make sure that something moved on the project and that some of those businesses actually had the opportunity to be on 3rd Avenue and be there for a minute. Commissioner Sanchez: I'm all in favor of that. The only concern that I have for us here at the CRA that this project has been built, and for the longest time, it stayed vacant. It's just, you know, any time that people question something on the CRA, they question us as a Board. Chair Spence -Jones: Right. Commissioner Sanchez: What I want to make sure that this doesn't happen again because there's going to be many, many other projects coming on board, so we should have a system in place that once those projects are put out, we do everything we can to promote businesses to quickly get in there and open up shop. After all, if you read the CRA, that is one of our objectives; to get businesses up and running, to employ people from the neighborhood and bring revitalization. That's the only concern that I have. Maybe next time when another project comes like this, we don't have to wait so long and we have something in place where you have the businesses already lining up, meeting the requirements to turn key and start a business. I understand. I understand the small businesses may have a hard time in starting up costs because, you know, when you rent a space, you're just renting a space. You got to pay for everything inside that space to establish your business. I understand that. The only question I have that that project has been completed for quite some time, and it's been vacant and vacant and vacant, and as people drive by and they see it vacant, it's another failure for the CRA, and we can't allow that. Chair Spence -Jones: Right. Mr. Villacorta: I think -- City of Miami Page 5 Printed on 1/3/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes December 12, 2007 Vice Chair Sarnoff Can I get a little background? I mean, this is a building that we rehabbed some time ago, right? Mr. Villacorta: Actually, the rehab was funded through CD, Community Development Block Grants. The -- at the time, there were some businesses in some of these spaces, and they were told they had to move out, but they would be allowed to move back in. That was never put in writing in an agreement that was enforceable. Vice Chair Sarnoff So just to put some meat on the bones, you're telling me that -- can you tell me the year that this was rehabbed? Mr. Villacorta: I want to say 2002, 2003. Vice Chair Sarnoff Okay, so to build on what Commissioner Sanchez said, so in 2002 or 2000 - - let's just say 2002 -- Community Development spends how much of the City's allocated money? Mr. Villacorta: Millions. Vice Chair Sarnoff Okay, and we do this for a landlord correct? Mr. Villacorta: Yeah. He had some sort of tax credit arrangement where he rehabbed the apartment -- Chair Spence -Jones: Yeah. Mr. Villacorta: -- section of the building. Chair Spence -Jones: Be clear that it's not just for the businesses -- Mr. Villacorta: Yeah -- yes. Chair Spence -Jones: -- downstairs. It's for how many units? 'Cause you're not really explaining that, Jim; that the rehab was for the units -- the affordable units that are in the building. You need to communicate that to the Commissioner so he's clear. Vice Chair Sarnoff Right. Chair Spence -Jones: How many units in that building? Commissioner Sanchez: A hundred and ten. Mr. Villacorta: In the -- I think it's in the three hundreds. Commissioner Sanchez: Three hundred and -- Chair Spence -Jones: Yes. It's a lot of units. The building was in bad -- Mr. Villacorta: And they received CD funds for some of the facade work. They had received tax credit financing, and as part of the rehab of the building, they had the retail tenants move out, and there were verbal promises made that they would be able to move back. That was never something in writing, and the financing that the landlord had was for those residential units, not for the retail units. Chair Spence -Jones: So basically, the outside, Commissioner Sarnoff, of the building itself got City of Miami Page 6 Printed on 1/3/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes December 12, 2007 rehabbed for the residential part of it, and there was never really a plan put in place for the units on the bottom. Mr. Villacorta: For the retail space. Vice Chair Sarnoff Well, but you said something that kind of springs something -- or brings something to my mind that we've been talking about for some time, which is we do things verbally up here and it doesn't get reduced to writing, which it doesn't matter that it doesn't get reduced to writing, unless there's -- and I don't want to get like a lawyer on you -- a merger clause in there, all the verbal representations are still agreements, binding upon the City and binding upon the person we loaned the money to, and all I'm trying to do is build on what Commissioner Sanchez says, which is that if there was an agreement to put these people back in place -- and you're saying, over the years, we just lost the people who came out of these retail establishments because they've move on, I guess -- Mr. Villacorta: Yes. Vice Chair Sarnoff -- so this money is going to put the new owners in, and what then guarantees us that the City is protected in the investment its making, just at the CRA level? Mr. Villacorta: Sure. What we've required of the landlord is a restrictive covenant that will require him to hold these rents to no more than $500 a month for five years. In the event -- and these are all business people that have been in business in one form or another in the area, so we feel pretty good about their ability to open a shop and stay in business, but should they move -- go out of business or move out of the space, the clock stops on that five-year affordability period, and the landlord is required to get another tenant in there to start that clock running again, so we will have five years of occupied space at a reduced rent in exchange for us advancing these funds. Chair Spence -Jones: And I think one of the things -- just adding on Sarnoff -- Commissioner Sarnoff and Commissioner Sanchez. I think in the past -- and I can't speak for anything that happened two years prior to me getting here -- there's never really been a program or project that's put in place that had any accountability built into it, and I think what the -- this particular team at the CRA has done, which is awesome, is they -- that they've actually put together a solid program that has teeth in it, so not only just for us building out the businesses on 3rd Avenue as a part of us supporting them, but also making sure that the landlord is accountable to the tenants that move in, and there's some form of agreement that's put in place that both parties sign off on. Before, that was never really the case. There was never really a program put in place that could address that kind of issue. Is that not correct too? Mr. Villacorta: That's correct, and another feature of that restrictive covenant is that should he violate those provisions, we are entitled to be repaid the funds that we are advancing for this interior build -out of the commercial space. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Any --? Mr. Villacorta: It took a lot of negotiating and drafting and hammering out, but -- Commissioner Sanchez: So move the item. Chair Spence -Jones: So I have a motion on the item. I don't -- Do I have a second on the item? Vice Chair Sarnoff Second. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. All in favor? City of Miami Pagel Printed on 1/3/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes December 12, 2007 The Commissioners (Collectively): Aye. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Thank you so very much. Well done, team, on making sure that gets done, and special thanks to those businesses that have worked hard. Now we have -- the real work begins now. 3. 07-01495 CRA RESOLUTION A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF THE SOUTHEAST OVERTOWN/PARK WEST COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY AUTHORIZING A GRANT, IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $100,000, TO ROOTS IN THE CITY, INC. FOR LANDSCAPING, SIGNAGE, AND ONE YEAR OF LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE AT VARIOUS LOCATIONS WITHIN THE REDEVELOPMENT AREA; AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, AT HIS DISCRETION, TO DISBURSE THE GRANT FUNDS ON A REIMBURSEMENT BASIS, OR DIRECTLY TO SUB -GRANTEES AND VENDORS, UPON PRESENTATION OF INVOICES AND SATISFACTORY DOCUMENTATION; AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO EXECUTE ALL DOCUMENTS NECESSARY FOR SAID PURPOSE; FUNDS IN THE AMOUNT OF $100,000 TO BE ALLOCATED FROM SEOPW TAX INCREMENT FUND, "OTHER GRANTS AND AIDS," ACCOUNT CODE NO. 10050.920101.883000.0000.00000. Cover Memo.pdf Financial Form.pdf Back-up.pdf Legislation.pdf Motion by Commissioner Sanchez, seconded by Vice Chair Sarnoff, that this matter be ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote. Votes: Ayes: 4 - Vice Chair Sarnoff, Chair Spence -Jones, Commissioner Regalado and Commissioner Sanchez Absent: 1 - Commissioner Gonzalez CRA-R-07-0052 Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. We're going to move to number 3 on the agenda. Commissioner Sanchez: So move, Item 3. Chair Spence -Jones: Any questions? This is -- do you want to --? James H. Villacorta (Interim Executive Director, Community Redevelopment Agency): Yeah. Item 3 is a issuance of a grant, in an amount not to exceed $100, 000, to Roots in the City, for landscaping, signage, and landscape maintenance for one year. This is a continuation of the current program that's been quite successful on 3rd Avenue, beautifying 14 locations. Chair Spence -Jones: Beautifying and feeding people. Mr. Villacorta: And feeding people -- Chair Spence -Jones: Let's try that. City of Miami Page 8 Printed on 1/3, 2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes December 12, 2007 Mr. Villacorta: -- and employing people from -- Chair Spence -Jones: We have collard greens -- Mr. Villacorta: -- the neighborhood. Chair Spence -Jones: -- growing on our lots now. Vice Chair Sarnoff. Oh, that's right. I've seen that. Mr. Villacorta: We -- you know, we have a impromptu -- Chair Spence -Jones: Dr. Dunn is here. Mr. Villacorta: -- farmers' market. Chair Spence -Jones: You can just raise your hand. He's been doing an excellent job hiring people from the neighborhood. Applause. Chair Spence -Jones: It's been awesome. For those that have not had our collard greens or our fresh tomatoes, please, we urge for you to come out on a Saturday to get those, but we're also not only just putting collard greens on lots because we know we need to do more than that. We're trying to at least make sure if we have these vacant lots sitting in the neighborhoods, that at least they look clean, at least they look -- they're -- Mr. Villacorta: Landscaped, yes. Chair Spence -Jones: -- desirable, and at least they're helping the community until we can actually put these lots out for bid, so -- and they're also hiring people from the neighborhood, which is awesome. People are now working, so we definitely appreciate everything that they've done, so I had a motion. Vice Chair Sarnoff. Second. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. All in favor? The Commissioners (Collectively): Aye. Chair Spence -Jones: All right. This item passes. 4. 07-01496 CRA RESOLUTION A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF THE SOUTHEAST OVERTOWN/PARK WEST COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY AUTHORIZING ISSUANCE OF A WORK ORDER, IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $18,300, TO DEMOLITION MASTERS, INC. FOR DEMOLITION AND REMOVAL OF THE BUILDING, AT 910 NORTHWEST 2nd COURT, MIAMI, FLORIDA; FUNDS IN THE AMOUNT OF $18,300 TO BE ALLOCATED FROM SEOPW TAX INCREMENT FUND, "OTHER CONTRACTUAL SERVICES," ACCOUNT CODE NO. 10050.920101.534000.0000.00000. City of Miami Page 9 Printed on 1/3, 2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes December 12, 2007 Cover Memo.pdf Financial Form.pdf Back-up.pdf Legislation.pdf Motion by Commissioner Sanchez, seconded by Vice Chair Sarnoff, that this matter be ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote. Votes: Ayes: 4 - Vice Chair Sarnoff, Chair Spence -Jones, Commissioner Regalado and Commissioner Sanchez Absent: 1 - Commissioner Gonzalez CRA-R-07-0053 Direction by Chair Spence -Jones to the Interim Executive Director to draft an Request for Proposals (RFP) with the Collins Center for the lot located at 910 Northwest 2nd Court. Chair Spence -Jones: We move to number 4. James H. Villacorta (Interim Executive Director, Community Redevelopment Agency): Item number 4 is a resolution authorizing issuance of a work order, in an amount not to exceed $18,300, to Demolition Masters, Inc. for the demolition and removal of the Divine Mission building at 910 Northwest 2nd Avenue. The CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency) acquired this building in December of 2001. In February of 2006, the Capital Improvements Department gave us an estimate of $2.2 million to put this building back into operation. It's a ten -unit apartment building -- or twelve -unit apartment building. It's in severe disrepair. The roof has started to fall in. The second floor is falling in. It will be a hazard to health and welfare. This is the -- Commissioner Sanchez: So move, Item 4. Vice Chair Sarnoff This will be for the demolition, right? Mr. Villacorta: Demolition. Vice Chair Sarnoff Okay. Second. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. All in favor? The Commissioners (Collectively): Aye. Chair Spence -Jones: Just want to just make a comment on this quick -- building to Jim. I know that this has had some sentimental values from a historic standpoint. We have tried everything, Commissioner Sarnoff and Commissioner Sanchez and Regalado. I know we toured this building, Regalado, ourselves to see if we could put it back on the market so that at least we could provide some sort of supplemental housing or low, low, low-income housing, but by the time we finished getting the quotes back on it -- if you think, Commissioner Sarnoff and I had a problem with the Ward Rooming House and how much money had gone into that building, we say two million, but at the end of the day, I think that this would have been -- Vice Chair Sarnoff As much. Chair Spence -Jones: -- really more -- Vice Chair Sarnoff Correct. City of Miami Page 10 Printed on 1/3/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes December 12, 2007 Chair Spence -Jones: -- so only thing that I would ask is -- I know that one of the things that staff is going to prepare to do now -- that lot really abuts some property owners in the area. I think one of the largest one is the Collins Center, and they're here today. I really would like to instruct the staff to get with the solid -- with the Collins Center to at least begin to draft some sort of I guess, RFP (Request for Proposals), or something to that effect, because, quite frankly, we don't own enough land -- I think they own more, and we'd like for it to be in line with the Overtown Folklife Village District Association. It needs to be in compliance to what that group has put in place, but I want to move that almost immediately, so I would ask that staff begin to work on that, Ms. City Attorney, so that we can get it moving. Mr. Villacorta: Okay. 5. 07-01497 CRA RESOLUTION A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF THE SOUTHEAST OVERTOWN/PARK WEST COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY AUTHORIZING A GRANT, IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $25,000, TO THE WOMEN'S ALLIANCE, INC. D/B/A CHAPTER 2 CLOTHING FOR INVENTORY, FIXTURES, FITTINGS, SIGNAGE, AND WARDROBE VOUCHERS, AT THE DORSEY HOUSE IN OVERTOWN, 250 NW 9TH STREET, MIAMI, FLORIDA; AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, AT HIS DISCRETION, TO DISBURSE THE GRANT FUNDS ON A REIMBURSEMENT BASIS, OR DIRECTLY TO SUB -GRANTEES AND VENDORS, UPON PRESENTATION OF INVOICES AND SATISFACTORY DOCUMENTATION; AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO EXECUTE ALL NECESSARY DOCUMENTS FOR SAID PURPOSE; FUNDS IN THE AMOUNT OF $25,000 TO BE ALLOCATED FROM SEOPW TAX INCREMENT FUND, "OTHER GRANTS AND AIDS," ACCOUNT CODE NO. 10050.920101.883000.0000.00000. Cover Memo.pdf Financial Form.pdf Back-up.pdf Legislation.pdf Motion by Vice Chair Sarnoff, seconded by Commissioner Sanchez, that this matter be ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote. Votes: Ayes: 4 - Vice Chair Sarnoff, Chair Spence -Jones, Commissioner Regalado and Commissioner Sanchez Absent: 1 - Commissioner Gonzalez CRA-R-07-0054 Chair Spence -Jones: All right. We're going to move on to number 5. James H Villacorta (Interim Executive Director, Community Redevelopment Agency): Number 5 is a resolution authorizing a grant, in an amount not to exceed 25,000, to the Women [sic] Alliance, Inc., doing business as Chapter 2, a clothing store in the Overtown area. The grant is for inventory, fixtures, fitting, signage, and wardrobe vouchers. The business has been operating since February 2006, and it's a retail clothing store in the Dorsey House, immediately across from the Ward Rooming House. They cater to men and women seeking to reenter the workforce, and recently, they've received an increased number of requests for wardrobe support for homeless and low-income residents in transition to work. This grant will allow them to obtain additional inventory and -- as well as store fixtures, fitting, signage, and -- City of Miami Page 11 Printed on 1/3, 2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes December 12, 2007 Chair Spence -Jones: Great. Vice Chair Sarnoff So move. Mr. Villacorta: -- I believe we have -- Commissioner Sanchez: Second. Mr. Villacorta: -- somebody here. Chair Spence -Jones: All in favor? Vice Chair Sarnoff.- This is a great program, by the way. This is -- Chair Spence -Jones: I think -- if she's here, can -- she can -- Mr. Villacorta: Yes. Chair Spence -Jones: -- stand up too. She's doing an awesome job -- Vice Chair Sarnoff Awesome. Chair Spence -Jones: -- for many of the women in Overtown -- Applause. Chair Spence -Jones: -- and that's what it's about. It's about getting people like Nicole to come back -- come into those neighborhoods to work along with the folks in the neighborhood and to provide real support services. She's been outstanding to all of the homeless women in our area working with -- by providing them free clothing, so to me, this was not a hard ask, so I'm glad that my colleagues support her 100 percent. I believe Sarnoff -- Commissioner Sarnoff, did you get a chance to go by her facility? Vice Chair Sarnoff.- I did, and I am the consumer of the household, and I just want you to know that I absolutely enjoyed going to your store as much as any store that I frequent, and I thought it was absolutely tremendous. It was like an island oasis. I want to see some really nice stuff with this money now, but that was -- you had great stuff in there. You run a tremendous operation. Commissioner Sanchez: All right. Chair Spence -Jones: You want to go shopping there, too? I just want to say -- Commissioner Sanchez: I'll see you next week. Chair Spence -Jones: Christmastime, please support them. Also, I want to thank the Black Archives because the house itself is the Dorsey House -- Mr. Villacorta: Yes. Chair Spence -Jones: -- and these dollars not only got to making sure that they have the programs that she needs, but also to help keep the Dorsey House a historic site in the heart of the historic village, so that is also a wonderful contribution, so we're going to move on to item number -- City of Miami Page 12 Printed on 1/3/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes December 12, 2007 Priscilla A. Thompson (City Clerk): Madam Chair -- Vice Chair Sarnoff. We -- I don't think -- Ms. Thompson: -- we have a mover -- Vice Chair Sarnoff. -- we took a vote. Chair Spence -Jones: Oh, I said -- Ms. Thompson: -- a seconder; you need a vote, please. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. All in favor? The Commissioners (Collectively): Aye. Chair Spence -Jones: This item passes. Thank you, Madam Clerk. Mr. Villacorta: And maybe you just want to say they're at 250 Northwest 9th Street -- Chair Spence -Jones: Yes. Mr. Villacorta: -- and they have a lot of very nice clothing, very inexpensive. Chair Spence -Jones: Yes. Thank you, Jim, and you're going to shop there, too, right? Mr. Villacorta: Yes. I've been there. 6. 07-01501 CRA RESOLUTION A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF THE SOUTHEAST OVERTOWN/PARK WEST COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY RATIFYING THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S ISSUANCE OF THE FOLLOWING GRANTS IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE 2007 ART BASEL EVENT: A GRANT, IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $30,000, TO MR. GEORGE SANCHEZ-CALDERON FOR HIS ART BASEL LISTED EVENT, "OFF ISLAND AT THE BAKERY" EXHIBITION; AND A GRANT, IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $7,500, TO MR. MARVIN WEEKS FOR HIS LOCAL GLOBAL ARTIST DIASPORA ("LOGLO") CLOSING RECEPTION AT THE HISTORIC LYRIC THEATER; FUNDS, IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $37,500, ARE TO BE ALLOCATED FROM SEOPW TAX INCREMENT FUND, "OTHER GRANTS AND AIDS," ACCOUNT CODE NO. 10050.920101.883000.0000.00000. Cover Memo.pdf Financial Form.pdf Back-up.pdf Legislation.pdf Motion by Vice Chair Sarnoff, seconded by Commissioner Regalado, that this matter be ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote. Votes: Ayes: 3 - Vice Chair Sarnoff, Commissioner Regalado and Commissioner Sanchez Abstained: 1 - Chair Spence -Jones Absent: 1 - Commissioner Gonzalez City of Miami Page 13 Printed on 1/3, 2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes December 12, 2007 CRA-R-07-0055 Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Number 6 on the agenda. James H. Villacorta (Interim Executive Director, Community Redevelopment Agency): Number 6 is a resolution ratifying grants issued in conjunction with Art Basel. On October 29, 2007, the Board authorized funding, in an amount not to exceed thirty-seven five, for grants in connection with 2007 Art Basel events, provided that any grant over 4,500 would be brought before the Board for ratification. The attached resolution ratifies the issuance of the following grants: a grant, in an amount not to exceed 30,000, to Mr. George Sanchez -Calderon for his Art Basel -listed exhibition "Off Island at the Bakery," and a grant, in an amount not to exceed 7,500, to Mr. Marvin Weeks for his Local Global Artist Diaspora closing reception at the historic Lyric Theater. Chair Spence -Jones: I just want to officially put on the record just so that I can recuse myself from the vote because I do have a personal relationship with Marvin Weeks, and I don't want it to be seen as anything else, but you guys know I'm 100 percent supportive of any arts happening within any part of our district, but I at least wanted to put that on the record. Commissioner Sanchez: Madam Chair, ifI -- I would make a motion on this item and would like to -- not discuss the item, just elaborate on the item. I make a motion. Vice Chairman Sarnoff Second. Commissioner Sanchez: Am I chairing? Chair Spence -Jones: You may have to chair if I'm recusing myself. Commissioner Sanchez: Okay. I'll tell you what. I can't make the motion. Can --? Vice Chairman Sarnoff I'll make the motion. Commissioner Sanchez: The motion is made by Commissioner Sarnoff -- Commissioner Regalado: Second. Commissioner Sanchez: -- second by Commissioner Regalado. IfI could just address the issue here. Ladies and gentlemen, what we are experiencing in Miami with the Art Basel -- and I know Commissioner Sarnoff will follow up on this. People don't realize the positive impact that Art Basel has for this community, and if you have not seen it or experienced it -- I was amazed at the grand opening at the Designer [sic] District, where every year this event continues to grow and grow and attract people from all over the world, and at one time, this was an event that did not come over the bridge. I say now it is over the bridge, and we are benet [sic] from it incredibly. The economic impact that Art Basel has for this city, I think it's like six times -- maybe ten times of one of a Super Bowl -- Vice Chairman Sarnoff Right. Commissioner Sanchez: -- and the amount of people that it brings and the amount of prestige that it gives our city, especially areas that did not have that prestige years ago, such as Overtown, Wynwood, when it cames [sic] to the arts aspect of our community, so I just wanted to elaborate on that, and I'll tell you, I would love for you to speak on the issue 'cause I know that you are very involved in it, and it's just an incredible, incredible event for our community. George Sanchez -Calderon: Thank you. George Sanchez -Calderon, 75 Northwest 12th Street. I'm in downtown, in Park West. I want to thank you all for supporting the events that have been City of Miami Page 14 Printed on 1/3/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes December 12, 2007 occurring in the City of Miami for the past six years that Basel's been coming. The first year that they came, actually, it was with Commissioner Teele really pushing it forward We did an event underneath the highway that they sponsored, where we had about 2,000 people, including the director of the fair, who's always come out, so the one event that they've always sponsored officially as part of the Art Basel VIP (Very Important Person) list events that's ever been off the Beach has been in the CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency) district, and that's been since the year that they cancelled in '01, so now -- that, in effect, throughout these past six years, the year Basel cancelled, there was no fair. Year one, there was one fair, which was on the Beach, and we still had 3,000 people the second year underneath the highway party. Year three, we did another event with -- in Midtown Miami, which we had over 5,000 people attend, and then because of that, we started seeing the other ancillary fairs taking root in Wynwood, and I would -- you know, I -- you have to mention the (UNINTELLIGIBLE), Marty Margolis, Dennis and -- Commissioner Sanchez: Absolutely. Mr. Sanchez -Calderon: -- and Deborah (UNINTELLIGIBLE). The collectors that have invested in that neighborhood have really been catalysts for bringing people, long-term investments into that community, which is why so many artists are living there, so I couldn't -- I think an interesting thing this year and one of the reasons we hosted something a little smaller with the fair is that it's the last year that Sam Keller, the director of the fair who actually brought this cultural -- I don't even know how to describe it. I don't think he's conscious of the fact that what he's done has had an international and global effect in the manner that people appreciate contemporary art, and one person did that, which is extraordinary to think that you could put something like that into motion, so thank you for all of the continued support, and it's -- I think due in help -- in great part to the grant that I received this year, we'll have events occurring throughout -- all year long, we'll be having exhibits inside of my studio at 75 Northwest 12th Street, so thank you -- Commissioner Sanchez: Commissioner -- Mr. Sanchez -Calderon: -- very much -- Commissioner Sanchez: -- Sarnoff. Mr. Sanchez -Calderon: -- for the continuous support throughout the years. Vice Chairman Sarnoff Oh, I -- you know what? This is an economic engine in the City of Miami. This is good, clean commerce that puts us on the map, and we need to encourage this. I think we are encouraging it. Maybe we don't need to get in the way of it. I think we're doing a good job of not getting in the way of it 'cause if -- I guess if you let a government get too involved, it can sometimes get in the way. I saw Commissioner Sanchez a number of times at a number of different events. I didn't know he had so many clothes, so many outfits, but it was just -- it's just extraordinary. It's extraordinary to see that many artists, that many people coming to Miami. They said the better part of 40, 000 people spending -- I think that's the number I read in the Herald. No? Mr. Sanchez -Calderon: Pretty sure it's higher. Vice Chairman Sarnoff More than that? Mr. Sanchez -Calderon: Yeah. Vice Chairman Sarnoff Okay. Commissioner Regalado: Forty-three thousand, they said. City of Miami Page 15 Printed on 1/3/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes December 12, 2007 Commissioner Sanchez: Yeah, it was -- I forget it. Vice Chairman Sarnoff But it was packed. I mean, if you were in the -- Mr. Sanchez -Calderon: Well, yeah. I think the specificity of the market that they were bringing to the neighborhood -- I mean, you know, the first year underneath the highway, we had Carl Lagerfeld show up -- Vice Chairman Sarnoff Right. Mr. Sanchez -Calderon: -- and the directors of the fair, and we had -- this past week for the event that you all sponsored in my studio, you know, people were showing up in private limos, and -- we're bringing -- and I don't think it's necessarily the best thing to always encourage is the type of long-term investment dollars or people that might be holding on to land and not actually doing something with it in an immediate manner, but you're getting the ancillary effects from the artists and galleries that are in the neighborhoods, which is really the short-term immediate, which is what feeds the community, and you're getting some more long-term investment dollars from deeper pockets -- Vice Chairman Sarnoff Right. Mr. Sanchez -Calderon: -- and it's -- you know, you've got -- I think it's something that -- one event that you all sponsored years ago was done through FIU (Florida International University), and it was a Omni art project, and that's probably the largest event you've had in the Omni Park West district that -- you know, if you sponsored something like that again, I would encourage you. The -- Vice Chairman Sarnoff Okay. Mr. Sanchez -Calderon: -- government can get involved in that kind of -- Commissioner Sanchez: Yeah. Vice Chairman Sarnoff So we would -- you could -- Mr. Sanchez -Calderon: -- help all the time. It's -- Vice Chairman Sarnoff -- help us refine what we do. Mr. Sanchez -Calderon: Well, it's -- in the end, the arts will always run in the red, so whenever the government helps, it's incredibly beneficial because the nature of -- in itself, doesn't run in the black. Ballet companies -- there isn't a single performing arts company or visual arts company that does well. That's why museums and institutions have to have -- Commissioner Sanchez: Are all subsidized. Mr. Sanchez -Calderon: -- such strong -- well, you have to have strong boards. In the sense of what Marvin's doing, what I'm doing, we don't have a board because we're individuals, so this assistance goes a long way in creating the proper foundation. Commissioner Sanchez: Commissioner Regalado. Commissioner Regalado: What can I say? I congratulate you for -- I mean, you've been doing this a lot of years, and -- City of Miami Page 16 Printed on 1/3/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes December 12, 2007 Mr. Sanchez -Calderon: Seven years. Commissioner Regalado: -- yeah -- it's been an uphill battle, but it's getting on. Mr. Sanchez -Calderon: Oh, yeah. Commissioner Regalado: I've been reading the media throughout the world that we get at the TV (Television) station and the radio station, and Art Basel, this year, the coverage from Miami was much better than last year. The only thing that I feel sorry about is the fire with the art gallery in Wynwood, and the balloon, you know -- Mr. Sanchez -Calderon: It's happened. Commissioner Regalado: -- that -- but they do have insurance, I'm sure. Mr. Sanchez -Calderon: Most -- yeah, most artwork, once you go in over a five -figure range, people -- it's just responsible. I mean, you have to have insurance, but yeah, I'm sure they do. Commissioner Regalado: Well, it became more news because it was part of Art Basel. Mr. Sanchez -Calderon: Yeah, and I -- being that the CRA Board has the firehouse in its district, I would suggest, if you guys want to do something long-term with the firehouse, that there -- you have extraordinary potential because you don't have a visual arts catalyst. Remember, we had the Performing Arts Center, which is performing arts, but we really don't have a strong visual arts catalyst in the center of the Arts and Entertainment District, aside from Museum Park, which is going to take a few years -- Commissioner Sanchez: All right. Mr. Sanchez -Calderon: -- and I think you -- the opportunity exists with the firehouse for something in the possible future that -- Commissioner Sanchez: All right. As Commissioner Sarnoffstated, I ran into him in a couple of events, but I try to make as many events as possible just to get a better understanding of the whole concept, and if it's one thing that I was a bit disappointed was that we did not have, I think, the proper participation from the Afro-American community as to artists. Minorities need to participate more, especially when such a local event, such as this, in a such diversified community as Miami, you really need to have a lot of presentations. That was the one thing that I didn't see -- Applause. Commissioner Sanchez: -- at the -- so to encourage Afro-American participation because I really didn't see too many Afro-American artists in the events, so having said that, there's a motion and a second. Vice Chair Sarnoff Second. Commissioner Sanchez: All in favor, say "aye." The Commissioners (Collectively): Aye. Commissioner Sanchez: Anyone in opposition, having the same right, say "nay." Motion carries, and the gavel is turned over to the Chair again. City of Miami Page 17 Printed on 1/3/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes December 12, 2007 Mr. Villacorta: Actually, we had -- Commissioner Sanchez: And for the record, the Chair did not vote, nor was she in the dais. Chair Spence -Jones: I just -- I do want to just add on it, which Commissioner Sanchez mentioned about African -American participation. At -- earlier, as you saw, Marvin Weeks was one of the individuals, along with the Black Archives, that was very much involved in the issue of having some presentation, but I think what Commissioner Sanchez is saying that he'd like to see more participation and more involvement so it becomes a bigger part of the festival, so I think that that was really his comment. I cannot have any other comments because then I'm going to have to recuse myself again, Mr. Weeks, so please bear with me, but I think that the Commission definitely has it. Mr. Villacorta: And this is the second year we've supported Mr. Weeks and his Art Basel events. This year part of it was in the Overtown, part of it was in Wynwood, so we could only support a portion of what -- Commissioner Sanchez: I thought there was more. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Mr. Villacorta: -- he did. 7. 07-01507 CRA RESOLUTION A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF THE OMNI REDEVELOPMENT DISTRICT COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY AUTHORIZING THE CONTRIBUTION OF FUNDS, IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $5,000,000, TO THE CITY OF MIAMI ("CITY") FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT B-50658, CONSISTING OF IMPROVEMENTS ALONG NORTH BAYSHORE DRIVE FROM N.E. 17th TERRACE TO N.E. 19th STREET AND ALONG N.E. 18th STREET FROM N.E. 4th AVENUE TO NORTH BAYSHORE DRIVE, WITH ALL WORK TO BE PERFORMED THROUGH THE CITY'S DEPARTMENT OF CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS AND TRANSPORTATION; AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, AT HIS DISCRETION, TO DISBURSE SAID FUNDS ON A REIMBURSEMENT BASIS, OR DIRECTLY TO VENDORS, UPON PRESENTATION OF INVOICES AND SATISFACTORY DOCUMENTATION; AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO EXECUTE ALL DOCUMENTS NECESSARY FOR SAID PURPOSE; FUNDS IN THE AMOUNT OF $5,000,000 TO BE ALLOCATED FROM OMNI TAX INCREMENT FUND, "CONSTRUCTION IN PROGRESS," ACCOUNT CODE NO. 10040.920101.670000.0000.00000. Cover Memo.pdf Financial Form.pdf Legislation.pdf Motion by Commissioner Sanchez, seconded by Vice Chair Sarnoff, that this matter be ADOPTED WITH MODIFICATIONS PASSED by the following vote. Votes: Ayes: 4 - Vice Chair Sarnoff, Chair Spence -Jones, Commissioner Regalado and Commissioner Sanchez Absent: 1 - Commissioner Gonzalez CRA-R-07-0056 City of Miami Page 18 Printed on 1/3/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes December 12, 2007 Chair Spence -Jones: All nighty, so we're going to -- Commissioner Sanchez: All right. Chair Spence -Jones: -- move on to number 7 on the agenda, and this -- James H. Villacorta (Interim Executive Director, Community Redevelopment Agency): Item number 7 is a resolution authorizing contribution of funds for roadway improvements to North Bayshore Drive. This resolution authorizes a contribution of $5 million to the City of Miami -- up to 5 million -- for roadway improvements to North Bayshore Drive in the vicinity of Margaret Pace Park, roughly from Northeast 17th Terrace to Northeast 19th Street, and along Northeast 18th Street from Northeast 4th Avenue to North Bayshore Drive. This area currently experiences severe flooding. We have previously authorized funding to -- for roadway improvements from 15th Street to 17th Street, and this will carry those improvements further along to 19th Street and alleviate this flooding problem. Commissioner Sanchez: So move, Madam Chair. Vice Chairman Sarnoff Second. Chair Spence -Jones: All in favor? Commissioner Regalado: Question. Chair Spence -Jones: Sure. Commissioner Regalado: Jim, where is this coming from, Omni CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency) TIF (Tax Increment Fund)? Mr. Villacorta: Yes. This is Omni CRA TIF that's funding -- we've been asked by the City if we could fund this project, and this would be paid out of Omni CRA's TIF. Commissioner Regalado: And it's like a one check, or is it year after year? Mr. Villacorta: It's -- the way we usually operate is the CIP (Capital Improvements Program) Department okays the invoice, inspects the work, and then funds it -- sends the invoice to the CRA, and we allow it -- allow them to drawdown on our accounts. We don't actually transfer five million to CIP. It's drawn down as the invoices come in, and it would be done over the course of one year, yes. Commissioner Regalado: And would the outreach be done to inform the residents in that area by CIP or by the CRA? Mr. Villacorta: It would be part of the CIP Department. Actually, we have Ola Aluka [sic] from CIP here to -- maybe he'd be best to answer those questions. Ola Aluko: Ola Aluko, director, City of Miami CIP Department. Commissioner, generally, on all typical CIP projects, we do do the outreach, and in this particular project, we will do the outreach to the homeowners' association and other associated neighbors. Vice Chairman Sarnoff Just so you know, Commissioner, this is -- this was a situation that was brought to my attention. It's in my district. This is around the -- right around the Margaret Pace Park, and it is -- I wish we put photographs in here. We had them available to us, but we have people paying hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of dollars for some of those condominiums right there, and even on a moderate rainfall, the water goes up to the doors in their cars, and City of Miami Page 19 Printed on 1/3/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes December 12, 2007 this is how they make ingress and egress out of their parking structures in the respective places. I want you to know that we're requesting a CBIRs (Community Budget Issue Request) for this, so we're trying to get reimbursement for the money back from the State, based upon their water projects that they have. We're actually taking two different ventures; one is the CBIRs and one is a grant, I think, from their flood -- Mr. Villacorta: We're working with the South Florida Water Management District to support our CBIRs request -- Vice Chairman Sarnoff Right. Mr. Villacorta: -- for funding of this project, and we -- Commissioner Sarnoff and Senator Larcenia Bullard toured this area a day after a moderate rain, and there was still 12 to 18 inches of water standing in the street. It was almost impassable. Vice Chairman Sarnoff And I also want you to know that with Public Works, sewer and -- our sewer and water, we're going to look into whether any of the developers in that neighborhood caused the sewers to become crusted, if you will, from the runoff of the concrete. If that is, in fact, the case, which we believe it is -- Commissioner Sanchez: Let them pay for it. Vice Chairman Sarnoff Correct. We're going to actually do what's called a market share approach and approach all the developers that have developed in the past two years and demand that they step up to the plate, either voluntarily or with a lawsuit, so -- this is a big chunk of money. I think it's something that the CRA is there to do, but I don't want anybody to think that I hope not to replace 50, 60, 70, maybe a hundred cents on the dollar with coming together with a number of different elements, hopefully, from the developers, hopefully, from the CBIRs, and replace this money because it would be great for the CRA not to have to fund this. Commissioner Regalado: Just -- Chair Spence -Jones: Commissioner Regalado. Commissioner Regalado: -- to -- thank you, Madam Chair -- clam. I think this is the most needed, urgent work because thank God that sometimes when we meet at the Grand and it has just drizzle, we need to walk in between potholes. My question was sort of a two fold question. Number one, I believe that although different streets and avenues are the responsibility of the City, infrastructure is what the CRA should and must be done because it's all about the surrounding area, and the second question that I ask is one of my concern. Bayshore is a very narrow street. We all know -- and I'm sure that all of us know that Ola is trying to do the best. He has found problems. He has a department with very few people. The Manager just sent a memo he is trying to recruit people, the consultants, so my concern is that you have a massive apartment condo building with hundreds of residents, and then a hotel, and then you're going to do a major reconstruction. You need an outreach, which will be beyond and above what CIP can do. CIP sends a letter, and they send it to Fred Joseph, said, "Mr. Joseph, construction will start tomorrow morning, " and you know, you need to have people from the CRA, either the people we contract or whoever, meeting with the people say, well, at what time most likely people leave to work? What is a --? You know, do you have -- how about Sunday? How about Saturday? How about if we work on Saturday afternoon? You know, I'm telling you because it's going to be like a nightmare, which you won't be able to get out of the nightmare once you start it, so I think that this is more than a letter and a follow-up. I think that this has to do -- because it's so many people compacted in a short distance that these people need special attention, and that's my only concern. The job is fine. I think it's well deserved, the money spent. City of Miami Page20 Printed on 1/3/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes December 12, 2007 Mr. Aluko: Thank you, Commissioner. We are currently working with associations in the area. For instance, we're taking in consideration the boat show that will be forthcoming, so the items like that needs to be taken into consideration before we do start our construction. I have worked with the residents before in a previous project. The City of Miami actually has worked with the residents and those associations in previous projects, so your advice will definitely be taken under consideration and implemented. Chair Spence -Jones: Mr. Ola, I would -- Mr. Joseph is here tonight -- this afternoon, and I would suggest that you also connect with him because he does have his finger on the pulse of what's happening in that area, so I would suggest that at least you guys -- Fred Joseph: I think we have a scheduled meeting this week with you and Hollo and I. Mr. Aluko: It's on my calendar, Mr. -- Mr. Joseph: Okay. Mr. Aluko: -- Joseph, and I've worked also with Mr. Joseph. Chair Spence -Jones: So I would suggest that it's definitely -- it's coordinated with you guys. Mr. Joseph: I appreciate it very much, and we do need it very badly. What the Commissioner said in regards to reimbursement, I hope you make that part of this resolution because we do like to fund these, and we have in the past, upon reimbursement with the CIP, but -- Vice Chair Sarnoff Well, I will tell you this, Mr. Joseph. There are two avenues we're pursuing. The first avenue, we have to first establish that it is -- the reason for it is crusted over or concreted over sewers. The other is, obviously, if we can get some State help, we're going to take that help. I promise you that -- I think it's a big chunk of money, and I'd love to see somebody else help pay for it because it's the right thing to do, and it's necessary to do, but nonetheless, it may be that we can have -- help -- somebody else could shoulder the burden, and certainly, if the developers -- and I stretch -- I stress "if' -- I don't know that they did, but if the developers played a role in this, 10 percent, 100 percent, they should pay that percentage role. Mr. Joseph: Thank you. Chair Spence -Jones: Commissioner Sarnoff, also, I just want to just add on to -- I know the last two CRA meetings, you guys also agreed -- and I'm sure that's why I almost know what Charles Cutler is going to come and say at the mike. Already -- I already know it, but in the last two Commission meetings, you -- CRA meetings, you mentioned the importance of making sure that local participation takes place. Do you want to officially put that on the record for this particular project, too? Vice Chair Sarnoff Oh, absolutely. It's a City project. This should have -- well, this should have local participation where and whenever possible. Mr. Joseph: Well, what we asked for in this -- and we were going to discuss it -- is signage that the Omni is supporting it and funding it, and the other is participation of our local residents of the Omni who are paying for it, and we want their -- even our menial jobs, standing with a stop sign, are very important to our people in the area if we could get that help for them if you will put that in there and put a caveat, it would be very much felt. Vice Chair Sarnoff So amended. Mr. Aluko: We shall -- as we've done in the past and as we're doing right now on 3rd, we shall City of Miami Page21 Printed on 1/3/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes December 12, 2007 include that provision in our contracts. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Any -- did we have a --? Commissioner Sanchez: Call the question. Chair Spence -Jones: Call the question, but did we have a -- somebody move? Commissioner Sanchez: There's a motion and a second, as amended. Chair Spence -Jones: All in favor? The Commissioners (Collectively): Aye. Chair Spence -Jones: This item passes. Thank you so much. We're going to move on to number 8. Mr. Villacorta: If I could, I'd just thank CIP Department and the Manager's office. They've been really helpful to us on our projects. Chair Spence -Jones: Ola, you guys are getting a "thank you, "so -- from Jim. You know, it's pretty tough to get a "thank you" from him. Mr. Aluko: Thank you, Jim, and we appreciate our continued partnership. Vice Chair Sarnoff Ola, let me put on the record for you, too. I mean, your response of this -- in this was like lightning, and to be truthful with you, your response in this in general, regardless of CRA, to my office has been fantastic, and I just want to thank you. Mr. Aluko: Thank you. That's part of the new CIP Department that we have. Thank you. Mr. Villacorta: And they're working with us on the old fire station, and to rebuild 14th Street, which will be a $6 million project coming up shortly. Chair Spence -Jones: When is the start date on this one we just voted on, the one we just --? When is the start date on that? Mr. Aluko: The design is completed. I would -- Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Mr. Aluko: -- like to solicit this project in order to get competition. We have two means of delivery, either through our JOC (Job Order Contract) program or a traditional bid. Again, in the effort and spirit of competition, I'd like to have a solicitation out no later than the middle to end of January, with anticipation of start no later than -- at least to get the contractor on board, no later than April, but the actual groundbreaking will have to be after the boat show, which is somewhere around 16th Avenue? Chair Spence -Jones: Sixteenth -- Mr. Aluko: Sixteen, okay -- Chair Spence -Jones: -- February 16. Mr. Aluko: -- so after the boat show is over with, then we'd like to actually break ground. City of Miami Page22 Printed on 1/3/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes December 12, 2007 Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Mr. Villacorta: And they're also considering combining this contract with the contract that we have for the work from 15 to 17, so it'll be one contractor -- Mr. Aluko: That's correct. Mr. Villacorta: -- to go the whole distance. Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you, Mr. Ola. Mr. Aluko: Thank you. You're welcome. 8. 07-01498 CRA RESOLUTION A JOINT RESOLUTION OF THE BOARDS OF COMMISSIONERS OF THE SOUTHEAST OVERTOWN/PARK WEST AND OMNI REDEVELOPMENT DISTRICT COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCIES ("CRAS") AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO RENEW THE CRAS' GROUP HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE WITH NEIGHBORHOOD HEALTH PARTNERSHIP, INC. FOR CALENDAR YEAR 2008, AT AN ANNUAL COST NOT TO EXCEED $45,000; FUNDS TO BE ALLOCATED FROM GENERAL OPERATING FUND, "LIFE, HEALTH, AND DENTAL INSURANCE," ACCOUNT CODE NO. 10030.920101.523000.0000.00000. Cover Memo.pdf Financial Form.pdf Back-up.pdf Legislation.pdf Motion by Commissioner Sanchez, seconded by Vice Chair Sarnoff, that this matter be ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote. Votes: Ayes: 4 - Vice Chair Sarnoff, Chair Spence -Jones, Commissioner Regalado and Commissioner Sanchez Absent: 1 - Commissioner Gonzalez CRA-R-07-0057 Chair Spence -Jones: Number 8 -- we're going to move on the agenda. We're moving right along. Commissioner Sanchez: So move. Vice Chair Sarnoff. Second. Chair Spence -Jones: All in favor? The Commissioners (Collectively): Aye. Chair Spence -Jones: All right. This item -- James H. Villacorta (Interim Executive Director, Community Redevelopment Agency): Thank you. Chair Spence -Jones: -- passes. City of Miami Page 23 Printed on 1/3, 2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes December 12, 2007 9. 07-01508 CRA RESOLUTION A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF THE SOUTHEAST OVERTOWN/PARK WEST COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY ACCEPTING THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE COMMITTEE FORMED TO REVIEW THE RESPONSES TO THE PROPOSALS RECEIVED FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF BLOCKS 25 AND 36; DIRECTING THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO ATTEMPT TO NEGOTIATE A DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT; FURTHER DIRECTING THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO PRESENT ANY PROPOSED AGREEMENT TO THE BOARD FOR ITS CONSIDERATION AND, IF SATISFACTORY, APPROVAL AND AWARD; CLARIFYING THAT THIS RESOLUTION IS NOT INTENDED TO BE AN AWARD OF DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS OR TO OTHERWISE CREATE ANY RIGHTS WHATSOEVER IN THE RECOMMENDED PROPOSER. Cover Memo.pdf Back-up.pdf Legislation.pdf Motion by Commissioner Sanchez, seconded by Commissioner Regalado, that this matter be ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote. Votes: Ayes: 3 - Chair Spence -Jones, Commissioner Regalado and Commissioner Sanchez Noes: 1 - Vice Chair Sarnoff Absent: 1 - Commissioner Gonzalez CRA-R-07-0058 Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. This is the final item, item number 9, and I'm going to ask for the director to just chime in, but I do want to say this to my fellow colleagues. As you know, there are several lots that are left in the Overtown area, vacant, abandoned lots that we've been trying to move quickly to get some sort of development happening. Commissioner Gonzalez has taken the lead on all of the redevelopment kind of activities to make sure these lots actually get out to the public so that we can get some or accept some bids in on them. I also have Larry Springs [sic] here, that has headed up -- no, I don't have it -- Larry Springs [sic] here? James H. Villacorta (Interim Executive Director, Community Redevelopment Agency): He was here. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Huh? Mr. Villacorta: Yeah. Chair Spence -Jones: Larry Springs [sic] here to also give us an update on it, but I think we have probably about maybe four lots left to actually put out in the Overtown area so that we can redevelop those, but for the most part, this is probably the two largest parcels that we do have left that we're trying to move to make sure that we get some things done in the Overtown area, so I want to thank staff for really working hard to get that done, and I'm going to turn it over to you, Jim, for you to give us an update, and then we're going to ask -- I guess, Commissioner Regalado has requested that we at least allow for each individual that has actually put in for -- put a proposal in -- Mr. Villacorta: Yes. Chair Spence -Jones: -- to at least do three minutes, so we're going to allow them three minutes so that at least you'll get a chance to see all the proposals that did come in, and then we'll take it City of Miami Page 24 Printed on 1/3, 2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes December 12, 2007 from there. Mr. Villacorta: Okay. By way of background, on October 16, 2007, the Southeast Overtown/Park West Community Redevelopment Agency issued RFPs, Requests for Proposals, for development of Blocks 25 and 36 in Overtown. On November 16, 2007, seven responses to the RFPs were received by the Clerk of the Board and forwarded to the CRA for its consideration. The CRA formed a committee to evaluate the responses and to make a recommendation to the Board of Commissioners. The proposers are here today to speak to their proposals, but the attached resolution authorizes the CRA to negotiate an agreement with the recommended proposer, if approved by the Board of Commissioners, and directs that any agreement be brought back before the Board for its consideration, so this is just authority to negotiate. It doesn't create any development rights, and the final agreement would be brought back before the Board for the Board's consideration, and -- Chair Spence -Jones: So, Jim, do you want to start with the winning proposal first, or how do you want to (INAUDIBLE) --? Mr. Villacorta: Or the -- Vice Chair Sarnof Put your mike on. Mr. Villacorta: -- first -ranked proposal. Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you. Do you want to start with the first -ranked proposal, or how do you want to do it? Mr. Villacorta: Sure. Maybe we could just go in order, the ranking order. The first -- the number -one ranked proposal was submitted by Gatehouse Companies. David Canepari: Good afternoon, Commissioners. My name is David Canepari, Mansfield, Massachusetts. I'm a principal of the Gatehouse Companies. My partner, Mark Plonskier, who would normally be here today, is recuperating from surgery, so I'm going to try to fill in as best as possible. Chair Spence -Jones: Nick, it's a little far. I mean, I -- can you -- can we just -- can you bring the two pictures, or whatever you have, so at least we can move it down? Mr. Canepari: We, at the Gatehouse Companies, are an industry leader in developing, owning, and managing high -quality apartment homes for working singles, families, and seniors. We currently own and manage over 5,000 units in three states. We're committed to the City of Miami and its citizens. We have developed four residential communities in the City, and our fifth community, Lafayette Square, in Little Haiti, will open in early 2008. The second phase of the Lafayette community will accept residency in late 2008. I think it's important to note that three of these communities, Miami River Park, Tuscan Place, and Tuscan View, were built and remain a vibrant part of the Overtown area, where Lyric Place, as we call it, will also be built. We should also note in those three communities, and as in every one of our communities in the City of Miami, we have done it with local participation, as is the case on our proposed Lyric Place. We believe that Lyric Place is an important economic catalyst for Overtown, and particularly, the southeastern neighborhood. This development will be a place for people to shop, people to play and have recreational areas, and obviously, a place for people to live, for both for rental and for sale housing. We are extremely fortunate to have the support and enduring involvement of the -- of Dorothy Fields, in the Black Archives Research Foundation, and Mr. Clarence Pittman, in the International Longshoremen, Local 1416. I'd like to turn this over to my colleague, Nick Inamdar, to talk about the specifics of Lyric. City of Miami Page 25 Printed on 1/3/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes December 12, 2007 Nick Inamdar: Thank you, David. My name is Nick Inamdar, 445 Northwest 4th Street, Suite 108, Miami. Thank you, Commissioners, and thank you, interested members of the community and stakeholders. This is an excited opportunity, and we're honored to be here. Since 1973, there have been at least 22 studies done, as listed in the latest study, the Southeast Overtown/Park West Community Redevelopment Plan of November 2004; 22 studies. These previous planning studies have provided a wealth of opinions and suggestions over the years as to what should be built on this important site. It's time for action. We have looked at the recent studies. We have looked at the demographics. We have studied what would be feasible. We have listened to what is needed, and we have spoken and collaborated with neighborhood groups. Specifically, Lyric Place has the support of both the neighborhood groups that would be directly affected by the development of these two blocks, the Black Archives and Research Foundation of South Florida and the International Longshoremen Association, Local 1416. I would like to take this opportunity to personally thank both these organizations that are well represented here today for their continued insight, thoughtfulness and concern about the community and this important revitalization project. We pledge to continue to work with these important community partners and others to make sure that, from the very beginning, every stakeholder is involved in the process and has ample opportunity to offer suggestions and insight. There are 11 objectives that we feel will be achieved through this public -- Chair Spence -Jones: Excuse me. Are we three minutes? Pamela E. Burns (Assistant Clerk of the Board: He has another minute. Chair Spence -Jones: Oh, okay. Minute. Mr. Inamdar: -- private partnership. These include creating a livable community and a neighborhood center, affordable housing, housing variety and options, job variety and growth, economic development, retail, parking for the community, educational opportunities, walkable, attractable -- attractive streets and green spaces, appropriate architecture, and restoring the community by highlighting historic preservation. We sincerely appreciate your time and consideration. We also would like to thank the CRA staff and the CRA evaluation committee for its thoughtfulness and its recommendation of this public private partnership. Thank you for your time. Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you, Gatehouse. Commissioners, do you have any questions? I mean, these are the two boards that they have. Any questions about these boards? Any questions? Commissioner Regalado: No. Vice Chair Sarnoff.- No. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. None at all? Okay. I just wanted to be clear on something, and I'm glad -- so Black Archives, longshoremen, everybody was involved in this process, correct? Okay. The area where you see grocery store -- 'cause that's one of the things I've been pushing for Overtown for God knows how long. We need a grocery store. The one that we had is gone now. Is there a proposed tenant for that now? Mr. Inamdar: We've had discussions with Publix, but they won't formally negotiate until some -- the person they're speaking with has site control -- Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Mr. Inamdar: -- but we have had conversations with them, yes. City of Miami Page26 Printed on 1/3/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes December 12, 2007 Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. All right•. Thank you so much. We're going to move on to the next one. Clarence Woods (Assistant Executive Director, Community Redevelopment Agency): The next proposer, Commissioners, will be the Biscayne Housing Group. They were ranked number two. Commissioner Sanchez: They arrived as number two? Chair Spence -Jones: Are we ready? You guys -- Commissioners, you guy -- ready? Unidentified Speaker: Yes. Chair Spence -Jones: Go ahead. Gonzalo De Ramon: Hi. Good afternoon, Commissioners, Madam Chair. Gonzalo De Ramon, with Biscayne Housing Group, 150 Southeast 2nd Avenue, City of Miami. Thank you for the opportunity of presenting our proposed development for Block 25. We call it Folk Art Square. As you know, the RFP we are responding to was open and was requesting separate responses for the two City blocks, 25 and 36, which were separate RFPs. We selected to respond to Block 25 only because we felt that we could better address the specific requirement on the RFP that we should follow the CRA Community Redevelopment Plan. This plan (UNINTELLIGIBLE) the vision of the CRA, the community stakeholders, the current residents, and the City of Miami, and we are confident in that when you scored the other applications for Block 25, you will find that our mixed -use proposal, the quality of design, the quality and variety of retailers, and the arts and services that we will be providing to the community at -large, makes our team the best respondent. The development consists of 188 rental units, providing housing to working families and the elderly, along with retail and office space. In addition, we created the Folk Art Center, which will be an artist haven. We provide art -- we will provide an art gallery and art studios all on the pedestrian promenade, where artists will have free art studio space in exchange for teaching free classes to the community on nights and weekends. Also included in our design are a hundred parking spaces to serve the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) community parking needs or the Lyric Theater and the Folklife Village. In order to best address the CRA Community Redevelopment Plan, Biscayne Housing reached out in order to complement our housing development expertise. Today we have with us our partners. We have Mr. Quintin Taylor and Rhonda Gadsden, which -- principals of Next Level Development. Next Level Development has a successful track record on bringing businesses to redevelopment neighborhoods, and Mr. Taylor will elaborate (UNINTELLIGIBLE) have a chance. We also have representatives from the 100 Black Men of South Florida, which is a volunteer, nonprofit group that provides mentoring, civic opportunities, and educational grants to underprivileged young men, and it's currently serving about 130 young men a month in the Overtown neighborhood. Finally, in order to adopt and design our proposed development following your CRA Community Redevelopment Plan, we engaged with Alberto (UNINTELLIGIBLE) of (UNINTELLIGIBLE) Architects. As you can see, we already (UNINTELLIGIBLE) your plan. On a final note, in addition to our commitment to outreach to the community with jobs during the construction period, our proposal will be generating 133 permanent jobs in the community, so I'm open to any questions. Vice Chair Sarnoff Do you mind? Chair Spence -Jones: Yes. Are you finished, Gonzalo? Mr. De Ramon: I had three minutes, yes. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. No, you had nine seconds, but that's fine. Mr. De Ramon: Okay. City of Miami Page27 Printed on 1/3/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes December 12, 2007 Chair Spence -Jones: Any comments from my colleagues? Vice Chair Sarnoff Yeah. How does your plan differ from Gatehouse? Mr. De Ramon: Well, basically -- and probably the architect can elaborate better than me. When you follow your own community redevelopment plan -- Vice Chair Sarnoff Right. Mr. De Ramon: -- it asks for a low-rise -- at fronting 2nd Avenue. Pamela E. Burns (Assistant Clerk of the Boarc,l: I'm sorry. We need you on the microphone, please. Mr. De Ramon: I'm sorry. When you look at your CRA plan, this design pretty much reflects your design criteria that you have for this particular Block 25. It requests lower high-rise, which is five stories, fronting 2nd Avenue. We have what we call the promenade, which is where we have the jazz and blues club. We have the art center. We have some retail also on the -- what will be the Sawyer's Walk, the promenade on 9th Street, and then the high-rise, up to seven stories, on the back fronting the railroad. This is exactly what your design calls for. Vice Chair Sarnoff And I hear you say Block 25, but does that include Block 36, as well? Mr. De Ramon: No. We did not submit for Block 36. Vice Chair Sarnoff So you only submitted for Block 25? Mr. De Ramon: That is correct. I mean, the RFA [sic] was opened about submitting for each one of them. Vice Chair Sarnoff No. I -- and I heard you say that, and I just -- Mr. De Ramon: Yeah. Vice Chair Sarnoff -- based on what I'm reading here, it appeared to me that the rankings are for both Block 25 and -- Chair Spence -Jones: And 36. Vice Chair Sarnoff -- 36, but you're only submitted for 25? Mr. De Ramon: That is correct. Vice Chair Sarnoff And you don't want to submit for 36? Mr. De Ramon: We thought that each block would be scored differently -- Vice Chair Sarnoff Okay. Mr. De Ramon: -- independently -- Vice Chair Sarnoff Right -- Mr. De Ramon: -- so -- City of Miami Page28 Printed on 1/3/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes December 12, 2007 Vice Chair Sarnoff -- and you think you've tailored yours for Block 25? Mr. De Ramon: Yeah. Vice Chair Sarnoff Does your submission have any component as a rental that takes any percentage and holds it for the rentee, so the -- I guess that would be the person who's renting it, that allows them to, say, for -- to purchase either your unit or another unit? Mr. De Ramon: Absolutely. I mean, we have (UNINTELLIGIBLE) section on our proposal that elaborates on the program that we provide to our tenants for homeownership opportunities. We have a match grant, compared with the savings, if they're good tenants. We have educational training classes, budgeting, financing. We have a whole section on the RFA [sic] addressing that concern. Vice Chair Sarnoff Now, just to help me along -- Mr. De Ramon: Sure. Vice Chair Sarnoff -- does equally Gatehouse have that same program? Mr. De Ramon: Not necessarily because those are commitments that we do at the State level. Those are optional. We have precommit to those commitments. Vice Chair Sarnoff Okay. Thank you. Mr. De Ramon: Sure. Chair Spence -Jones: Any questions, Commissioner Regalado, Sanchez? Commissioner Sanchez: No questions. Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you, guys. We're going -- Mr. De Ramon: Thank you. Chair Spence -Jones: -- to move on to our number three proposer. Mr. Woods: Commissioners, the third -ranked proposer has asked that they be given an opportunity to be the last in this presentation. They're waiting on some other members of their group. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Is there anybody else then? Because we're going to -- Mr. Woods: Yes. We do have one other proposer, and that's Carrfour Supportive Housing. Almartha Forbes: Good afternoon. My name is Almartha Forbes, from Carrfour Supportive Housing, at 155 South Miami Avenue, Suite number 850, and Doug Mayer is here with me, as well. I'd just like to take a couple of minutes to discuss our proposal for the development of Block 25 in Overtown. We're proposing a development of Sir John Apartments, which would consist of 111 units of affordable rental housing for current residents of Overtown. We know that Carrfour has a longstanding relationship for building residents [sic] for formerly homeless individuals. However, this particular development would be affordable apartments. It would serve residents who are between 33 percent to 60 percent of area median income. Rents would be approximately from $260 to $750 a month, and if you look at the proposed site plan there, City of Miami Page29 Printed on 1/3/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes December 12, 2007 we're proposing 50 one -bedroom, one -bath units; 36 two -bedroom, two -bath units, and 25 three -bedroom, two -bathroom units. If you take a closer look, you'll see that the units are located on the perimeter of the property, and what this does is it affords eyes to the street, which is a crime prevention by design technique. It's also a low-rise, three-story development, which blends into the current scale of the existing neighborhood. The parking lot would be located in the center of the site, making it invisible from the surrounding streets, and we propose on -site amenities, which would include a large multipurpose community room, a computer room, and fully -equipped exercise room. Financing is estimated at about $15 million for the Sir John Apartments, and we propose to apply for tax-exempt bonds and sale financing, and also, Miami -Dade County surtax funding. We believe that an award could be made as early as October of 2008 for the development, which would allow construction to begin around the fourth quarter of 2009. This is a proposed design, and we want you to know that Carrfour is prepared to embrace input from the local community and stakeholders before we would finalize any design of the project. We're also committed to meeting the Section III requirements for hiring local residents, and also willing to work with community groups to determine residents that would be potential tenants. That's it. Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you. Ms. Forbes: Thank you for your time. Chair Spence -Jones: Any -- Vice Chair Sarnoff I -- yeah, I do. Chair Spence -Jones: -- questions? Sure. Vice Chair Sarnoff I -- you said that you were going to be using surtax. You know, I don't know if this is true, but somebody had referenced to me that surtax comes to an end this year at the Legislature. Is that true? Doug Mayer: Doug Mayer, from Carrfour Supportive Housing. Actually, the surtax program runs through the end of next year, and then it's up for renewal, and there is an effort underway to renew the surtax program. Vice Chair Sarnoff If it does not get renewed, how would you be able to finance it then? Mr. Mayer: Well, one of the things that's different from our proposal versus all the other ones that you see, most of them are going to go after competitive nine percent tax credits. Last year, there were over a hundred and fifty of those applicants statewide, which means your chances on any one site of winning -- because what they do is they have a lottery -- are about one out of twelve or thirteen, depending on how many applicants they have and how much money they have to distribute. What we were doing is doing a low-rise development, less dense, about 111 units, with the idea that we could do it with tax-exempt bond financing, which is much less competitive. We'd have a much better chance of assuring that we could get funding quicker and get something going there right away. That was the whole tenet of our proposal, and again, we were only proposing on Block 25. Vice Chair Sarnoff Apples to apples, what are your chances of getting tax-exempt bonds versus the tax-exempt -- Mr. Mayer: It's probably -- on a single site, it's probably three or four times more likely that tax-exempt bond financing would be funded versus -- what it means is, if you award this to one of the other competitors, they might have to apply three or four times before they are successful in getting funding. City of Miami Page 30 Printed on 1/3/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes December 12, 2007 Vice Chair Sarnoff.. And does that mean it's done every year? Or how often can you go for this tax --? Mr. Mayer: It's an annual allocation. Vice Chair Sarnoff So you're saying we could be waiting three or four years until we hit the lottery. Mr. Mayer: Until you hit a lottery number that's going to fund it. That's the reality of that type of development. That's the reason we took the approach we did. We thought that if the Commission really wanted to see something happen quicker, this type of approach will get you there much faster than -- again, you lose some of the density that you have, but you're much more assured of having something built. Vice Chair Sarnoff.. And do you have a program that takes some of the renters' money and --? Mr. Mayer: Yes. We have several homeownership -- rental to homeownership programs. We do that in almost all of our facilities; that includes things like homebuyer training, opportunities to save, matching funds for people that are interested in becoming homebuyers; those kinds of things. Vice Chair Sarnof Okay. Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you, Carrfour. Mr. Mayer: Thank you. Ms. Forbes: Thank you. Mr. Woods: Commissioners, there was a question asked relative to some of the programs and amenities of the Gatehouse proposal, and I don't know if you guys would like to hear from them with respect -- Chair Spence -Jones: No. I want to -- first of all, I want to complete all of the proposers, so has all that been completed as of yet? Mr. Woods: Well, we do have Lofty Ideas still here -- Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Mr. Woods: -- and I guess they will have to go ahead and go on the record. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Derek Cole: Derek Cole, 1010 Northwest 11 th Street. I thank the CRA Board for giving me the opportunity to tell you a little bit about what we're trying to put together here. I'm a native Miami -- I was -- Miamian, and I was born in Miami in 1949, at Victoria Hospital. I've been an ad photographer for 30 years. I've been living in studios and turning my residences into studios, and always living and working in the same place because when you're passionate about what you do, you don't mind living where you work. It's not work anymore, and it's just a much better way to live your life, if you're a small businessman from my -- like myself. I've been designing studio lofts beginning in the '80s, in my early photography years, and I've been living a successful lofi entrepreneur's life. Because it's not work, it's (UNINTELLIGIBLE), and I'm seeing some light at the end of the tunnel, being a small business entrepreneur. If you look at the City of Miami Page 31 Printed on 1/3/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes December 12, 2007 page that you opened to that's got the site plan for the -- both lots -- it's about the third page in -- what we've tried to do here is create a lot of open space and allow for art festivals, music festivals, entertainment venue on the outdoors, along with creating a traffic flow going from east to west on the 9th Street Pedestrian Mall, and positioning all of the buildings so it will be advantageous, and the parking garage that we have on Block 36 will be outdoor dining also, which will be part of the outdoor space. This project was designed for current and past Overtown residents. Our focus is in that community, along with some people in Liberty City. This is really not a housing project or a housing development. This is a small business development center to empower people with small businesses to thrive. We're planning on creating about 500 jobs on that site, permanent jobs, and that would be with 325 loft units. Each one of those lofts is a small business; that's one job. If we get Publix, we -- there's a letter there from Publix too that I've included, and we did this book for Publix several years ago that was sent to them, and they know about us very well. We've been talking to them for several years, and the same thing is they need site control before they'll continue any further. We're looking at about a 40 percent affordable factor, with the -- the most -- all the units on Block 25 are for sale. There's affordable units, and there's open market units on Block 25. Block 36, in the garage area, we're going to line the garage with very low-income rental units to create housing for the people. There will be a hundred employees at Publix; for those kind of people, or the people that work in -- that were working at Office Depot or Staples, one of those for -- to help support the businesses, and that's more jobs. Chair Spence -Jones: Mr. Cole, your time is up? Mr. Woods: Commissioners -- Chair Spence -Jones: Is there any other questions from the dais? Vice Chair Sarnoff Derek, have you ever built anything like this before? Mr. Cole: No, but my partners have. George McCartell (phonetic), who got stuck in Broward, he's an attorney. I don't know if you know him, but he's on our board. Vice Chair Sarnoff No, but I'd hate to be stuck in Broward. Mr. Cole: He's done a lot of large-scale developments, and one -- oh, I'm sorry. Courtney Thompson's on my board, and -- Courtney Thompson: Commissioners, how are you? To answer that question, I'm a partner, and you are all very well acquainted with Miami Green. That's the reason I'm in the garb today -- I've just come from a site inspection over there -- and not in my coat and tie. I have built a number of buildings in town. I am on the board of directors with Derek, and Derek brought this project to me several years ago. I've also bicycled this by numerous banks in town, who are very interested not only in the financial aspects of helping us finance the building, but there's also a CRA community reinvestment aspect to this that is very important to the banks because they need to make those kinds of loans to people who are lower income and also to people who are lower income entrepreneurs, so keep in mind also that the mixed -use and the entrepreneurial CRA aspect of this -- Northern Trust Bank of New York, Mellon, Bank United; all three have given us green lights, and I have interest from several of the other bankers in town I know. Vice Chair Sarnoff But you've built something this size before? Mr. Thompson: Well, you see what's happening at Miami Green right now. I'm one of the major partners in that, and so you see that, and I've built other buildings both here, Chicago, and in Los Angeles, so we also have advisors who are willing to step forward. I had lunch with Tom Murphy the other day. He's no stranger to the Commission, I'm quite sure. He's indicated a City of Miami Page 32 Printed on 1/3/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes December 12, 2007 willingness to sit down and talk about this from Coastal Construction's involvement. Vice Chair Sarnoff.- Now if I saw your proposal correctly, you'd be seeking money from the CRA? Mr. Thompson: Yes. Vice Chair Sarnoff And the other developers would not be seeking money from the CRA; is that correct? Mr. Thompson: I believe that's correct, yeah. Mr. Cole: I'm not certain on that, but what we requested was money for the garage that we're building on Block 36 to help -- Vice Chair Sarnoff Was it ten -- Mr. Cole: -- create the 250 parking places that they want us to give away -- Mr. Thompson: Right. Vice Chair Sarnoff -- yeah, ten million -- Mr. Cole: -- and if we've got to give away 250 parking places, we can't afford to just -- Vice Chair Sarnoff No, I got that. I just want to know what you -- you want $10 million from the CRA? Is that right? What other public financing money do you want? Mr. Cole: You know, I'm not real up-to-date on the numbers, but I have a numbers guy. James Culmer (phonetic) prepared all our numbers for us, and he's a banker, and he's got a lot of history in the community and doing numbers, and he's the one that prepared all the numbers and knows all the answers to that. Mr. Thompson: I think the other part of that, Commissioner Sarnoff is it depends on whether or not we're going to get both 25 and 36 because if we only got 25, the plan changes, and the discussion -- this has been a bit amoebic in terms of the way this has moved forward We've been in discussions with the Commission on this, and with different Commissioners, for about three years, and it's been back and forth as to whether it was going to be 25 and 36; 25 or 36, and so on, so -- Vice Chair Sarnoff Well, you're bidding on 25 and 36. Mr. Cole: Right -- Mr. Thompson: At this point, yes. Mr. Cole: -- but we also put a proposal in for just Block 25, which is -- Mr. Woods: Yes. Mr. Cole: -- different than this. The Block 25 proposal has 50 low-income rental units, along with 325 loft units, which 44 percent of those are affordable, and they're all 1,500 square feet. They're very large units; all are units in the tower -- both proposals are 1,500 square foot businesses, and secondarily, you can live in them. We're going to make them one -bedroom, and this is not a project to create a family place for children to grow up. This is for single people City of Miami Page 33 Printed on 1/3/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes December 12, 2007 and young couples who are trying to thrive in a business. Vice Chair Sarnoff You guys are obviously out of the box. You're not the typical cookie -cutter - Mr. Thompson: Right. Vice Chair Sarnoff -- affordable housing -- Mr. Cole: Correct. Vice Chair Sarnoff -- scenario, and I mean, I'm somewhat attracted by that, but on the other hand, I want to make sure that the numbers you're showing are feasible numbers, and I don't know that yet. I don't know that they are or they're not. Mr. Cole: We were hoping that -- we respectfully request that you might take this further and take everybody in a room and let's sit down and talk about each project with the experts there, where we have time to spend and go over each project individually, with everybody in front of everybody else, and maybe we'll -- can do something large enough that's going to have a big impact on the community because small developments are only going to create small impact. The larger the development, the larger the impact on the community. Chair Spence -Jones: Any more comments on this issue? Any -- do you have any more comments on --? Vice Chair Sarnoff No. Mr. Thompson: One last, tiny comment. Chair Spence -Jones: Yes. Mr. Thompson: This is -- because it is as out of the box that it is, it takes some time to really read through it, but most businesses in Miami are small businesses, and this is about feeding that trend of small businesses for people in this particular area of our market. Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you, sir. Mr. Thompson: Thank you very much. Mr. Woods: For the record, Commissioners, Lofty Ideas did submit two proposals; one for Block 25 alone and one for both Block 25 and 36, and I think that's the one he just talked to you about. Mr. Cole: With the combination -- in both of them, we'll have at least 500 permanent jobs associated with them. Most of the jobs are on the Block 25 facility. Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you, Derek. Ms. -- are you -- you're back with us? Okay. No. Any other proposers, Citadel, anybody else, before we officially close out on that? Mr. Woods: Well, they're not here. We had two other proposers, but they elect -- well, one was deemed nonresponsive, and the other chose not to show up here today. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay, and just want to make sure, from a staff perspective, my executive director, Mr. Villacorta, and Clarence, any comments you have -- are you making a recommendation? Any comments on the proposals that have gone in? Larry Spring, is there any City of Miami Page 34 Printed on 1/3/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes December 12, 2007 comments? I know that you head up the effort to -- Mr. Woods: We do have two members from the review committee here that sat in judgment over these proposals. Larry Spring is here, as well as Chelsa Arscott. I don't know if they would like to put something on the record. Chair Spence -Jones: Larry, do you like to put a comment on the record so that we could bring it back to --? Larry Spring: Larry Spring, chief financial officer, City of Miami. Commissioner, just put on the record that I was a member of the evaluation committee. We sat down, I guess, a week or two ago; went through each of the proposals. The proposal that we scored to be the highest had -- contained all of the elements that were consistent with the development plan for the CRA, but also provided for a great mixed -use opportunity for the community, while utilizing both properties. I think the second-rate -- second highest rated property was also very strong. I think it was the issue of not using, you know, both lots, and the additional impact that would have on further solicitations that the CRA would have to go through in order to put another development adjacent to it. Chelsa's here also, if she wants to put comments from her perspective. Chelsa Arscott: Good afternoon, Commissioners. As Larry said, we -- Chair Spence -Jones: Put your name on the record, Chelsa. Ms. Arscott: I'm so sorry. Chelsa Arscott -- Chair Spence -Jones: Address. Ms. Arscott: -- 200 South Pine Island Road, Plantation, Florida 33324. As Larry said, we were on the review committee, and we were looking over the proposals, and the Gatehouse proposal was the best in terms of consistency with the existing CRA plan and the proposed new plan, in terms of touching upon the landscaping, the architectural design, in terms of the design specs of the units and the type of housing that will be available, and the mixture of commercial and retail and housing that was also included in the proposal, and just a little comment on the financing. We did have Jose Cintron, who is on the committee, and of course, he's much more familiar with a lot of the financing that was recommended in these proposals, and I just don't want it to be seen as if one proposal had more of an advantage on the financing because the financing is pretty much the same, and so the opportunity to go after those funds are pretty much -- you may have one or two developers who are little bit more experienced putting the packages together, but overall, it's the same chances of capturing those funds, and that's it. Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you, Chelsea [sic]. We're going to -- Mr. Bacon, from the Collins Center, do you have any comments? You're standing -- what -- first of all, do you have a proposal in? You don't. Philip Bacon: No, ma'am. I signed up for a public comment on this issue. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Was there any other public comments we had too? Ms. Burns: We have quite a few. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay, so let's -- I think we should take those. Okay, so let's line up for the public comments, please. For those that have public comments, please line up behind Mr. Bacon on this -- oh. No, that's fine. Either side would work, and Madam Clerk, we're going to give each person two minutes 'cause we want to get through this. Okay. Go. City of Miami Page 35 Printed on 1/3/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes December 12, 2007 Mr. Bacon: Okay. Madam Chair, I just wanted to say that for those of us who worked on the 204 [sic] redevelopment plan, along with the CRA and Dover Kohl, we felt that the -- we thought that the underlying reason for the CRA itself was to promote economic revitalization in Overtown, and in short, to create jobs and increase tax base. We noticed that most of the projects that have been presented here today are tax credit projects, which will bracket the residents of those projects between 60 and 30 percent of the area median income. While we don't think that there's anything inherently wrong with that, we know that this may not be the highest and best use or the highest and best opportunity that the CRA could spend these resources on at this time. If -- we have recommended in the past that if market conditions do not exist at this time to raise these properties to the highest and best use, that you wait, noting that the CRA has a project area from 5th Street to 11 th Street, the railroad tracks, and 3rd Avenue, in which you have at least two projects started, and that in this project area, you have phased in at least those two projects, but the -- what we want to point out is that because of the role of the CRA, that the CRA could inadvertently, by using its best resources, become what is tantamount to a public housing authority, as opposed to a CRA, and that is our concern with the timing of these proposals and the character of these proposals; that what you are about to vote on may, in fact, cast Overtown, for the next 50 years, as a low-income neighborhood. Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you so much, Mr. Bacon. Charles Cutler: Yes. That's one of my concerns also. In terms of affordability, I've listened -- Ms. Burns: Excuse -- Mr. Cutler: -- to the proposals that was presented -- Charles Cutler, 706 Northwest 4th Avenue. Thank you, ma'am. -- and as a long-time Overtown resident, you know, I'm concerned about two things. They talked -- they spoke about the rentals, but I didn't hear any numbers, and they spoke about the housing, and I didn't hear any numbers in terms of affordability, and I'm concerned about that, and I'm also concerned about -- in terms of the jobs and the training. You know, that's just something nebulous to me because unless it's something that's going to be complied with, where you have somebody that's going to have oversight to make sure that we got a recruitment mechanism and that somebody's going to follow up to make sure that it's actually happening, then I don't see it because we've been down this road before, and I think that, you know, by the Commission being the leadership, I think you should be advised on that, and we have to be very careful about that. Thank you. Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you, Mr. Cutler. Rayfield McGee: Hi. My name is Rayfield McGee. I'm appearing -- at 19 West Flagler Street, Suite 620. I'm an attorney, but I'm here today in my capacity as chair of the board for the 100 Black Men. We're in partnership with the Biscayne Housing Group, which was the number -two contender. I had the opportunity to attend the committee's vetting of the applications, and there was an interesting point that was brought up earlier about how one particular applicant submitted for both lots, and one only one lot; we submitted for 25. That, in fact, was a question raised by one of the committee members because there was no clear guidance on how much weight to give to one or the other or both, so what I do know is that the top two ranked firms, there was a very small gap between the point totals, whereas there was a tremendous gap between the top two and the remaining. Here's a wonderful opportunity for the City to avail themselves of two excellent proposals. Because, I believe, Gatehouse's had proposed the Publix for lot 36, why not award them lot 36 and Biscayne Group lot 25? Thank you very much. Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you, sir. Next. Dorothy Jenkins Fields: Dr. Dorothy Jenkins Fields, 5400 Northwest 22nd Avenue, the Black Archives. Commissioners, I'm here today to say people first. Put the people first. We're here in City of Miami Page 36 Printed on 1/3/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes December 12, 2007 support of the Gatehouse proposal, which offers low- and moderate -income housing, specifically 220 rentals for people making as low as $10,000 annually. We actually went to the Tuscan Place and saw where people live who make a very -- a little amount of money, and we were very much impressed with the amenities that are there and the way that it is managed. They're also suggesting -- or proposing 75 condos for people who can afford to purchase moderate housing. We are most excited about the major retail store, specifically if it is to be a Publix because it can provide jobs for current residents. The next -- myself and the other two ladies who are coming up are former residents of Overtown who have contributed to this community for more than 50 years, and we believe that the current residents of Overtown deserve the same opportunity. We know that the management for Gatehouse is very, very important, and they do it all over the country, and they do it well. We know, for instance, that Father John Culmer, who was a priest at St. Agnes and started the Liberty Square housing project, and Captain James E. Scott managed those projects at Liberty Square, so that people coming from that area had a chance to live and to play and to work and to contribute greatly to the community. The grocery store, affordable rental, parking for the International Longshoremen is something that's very, very important, and we have worked many hours with Gatehouse on that. We encourage you to support Gatehouse. Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you, Dr. Fields. Madam. Gwendolyn H. Welters: Good afternoon, Commissioners. My name is Gwendolyn H. Welters. I was born in Miami. I'm a native Miamian. I was born in 1924, in Overtown. I grew up in Overtown. I lived in Overtown for over 27 years, and worked in Overtown. You know, I -- even today, I would drive down 2nd Avenue and 3rd Avenue, and I remember so very well the very rigid community and a beautiful community. As children and teenagers, we had no locks on our homes. It was safe. We had businesses, thriving communities, and after I got married, my husband and I, on Sunday nights, could certainly go to the jazz clubs. I just truly hope, sincerely hope, and deeply hope that the Gatehouse is able to do this; that I could see some of this again because when I go down -- when I ride 2nd Avenue, 3rd Avenue, just a little tear would drop because I remember the good days. I remember the vibrant committee -- community, and I do want to see it excel again. Thank you very much. Quintin Taylor: Good afternoon, Commission, Madam Chairperson. My name is Quintin Taylor, for the record. My address is 3550 Northwest 87th Terrace, Miami. Much like Mrs. Fields and the other woman that just spoke, I am Miami -- a native Miamian, and I'm also -- for the record I'm also a part of the Biscayne Housing Group, Next Level Development, and the 100 Black Men proposal for Block number 25. The development of the Folk Art Square Project, which is our project, is more than the obvious. It means more than the obvious. It is opportunity; it is hope. It is what that community needs, my commun -- I consider that my community as well -- needs, but more importantly, it needs a commitment. It needs a committed group of people that are going to come together and make a difference in that community. Commissioner Sanchez, Commissioner Sarnoff, you made mention earlier about the -- one of the earlier resolutions. Why has it taken so long to get people in these places? Why weren't there enough representation from the African -American community in Art Basel? The reason being is it's been time after time broken promises; in some cases, poor politics, and for once, there's a group, a committed group of people, a group of people that represent this community, just like you all represent our Commission because you are Miami; I am Miami. Our project is a group - - the 100 Black Men of South Florida, they already help and continue to help the young people of Overtown. That's part of our deal with the Folk Art Square. My group, as far as retail and the relationships and doing some of the other things that we've done in the past, we can make that development work, for once, and stop breaking promises, and to make that 3rd Avenue corridor special again. Our proposal also has in it a Jazziz -- a letter of intent from Jazziz, which is the awesome jazz club in the Hard Rock Seminole -- Seminole Hard Rock development in Hollywood. That's my time? City of Miami Page 37 Printed on 1/3/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes December 12, 2007 Chair Spence -Jones: Yeah. Mr. Taylor: Oh. Thank you much. Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you, Q. Mr. Taylor: All right. Commissioner Sanchez: Thank you. Chair Spence -Jones: Madam. Is this our last comment? Okay. Just one more comment, and then that'll be it. Georgiana Bethel: My name is -- Chair Spence -Jones: I mean -- Ms. Bethel: -- Georgiana Bethel. I live at 8024 Northwest 16th Avenue, but before that time, for 45 years, I lived in Overtown, a very dear community to me, and would be there now, if it were not for the fact that the property -- we released our prop -- had to release our property so that the expressway could come through. Now my eloquent speech is going to be short because you see I have this, but I still attend Historic Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church, the church of my childhood the church I was born in, and that alone can let you know how dear Overtown is to me, so they have already said many things in which I concur, and I can't stand on my feet that long, but I do heartily support the Gatehouse proposal. Thank you. Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you, ma'am. Last comment. Ellis Canty: Good evening. My name is Ellis Canty. I represent the International Longshoremen, Local 1416, at 816 Northwest 2nd Avenue. I tried to wait to be last just because if you can look on the map, one of the last building that's standing in the Overtown area -- in 1936, the organization of longshoremen came to Overtown, but that building was built in 1954. I sit here about two meetings ago, and Commissioner Sarnoff said -- was talking about diversity. Diversity is something I cannot stop, nor I cannot change, and I praise, but better yet, within the word of diversity, don't walk nor crumble or nor stop an individual because they might be a blue collar, and yet, that blue collar that staying there in Overtown -- and look within the history that we had, that we build, and yet, we know the land is going to leave us, but better yet, the only thing we cry to this community and to this Commissioner, let's give us some parks -- parking, and Gatehouse is giving us some parking, and the Commissioner probably down the line, she's going to give us some parking, but better yet, tomorrow, we looking at 20 years down the line 'cause we shall stand, and our dream is to bring other young men in the Overtown area, but better yet, for an individual to come to get his job, it's a shame if he got to get a ticket, but yet, Gatehouse is giving us a vehicle to that. This is all I have to say, and thank you. Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you. We've gotten -- taken all the comments. We thank everyone for putting their comments on the record. This comes back to the Commission at this point, and I'm going to save my comments for last, but does any of my colleagues have any questions -- Commissioner Sanchez: Madam Chair. Chair Spence -Jones: -- or comments? Sure. Commissioner Sanchez: Madam Chair, based on the testimony heard here and based on the committee's recommendation, the support of the neighbors' organization and also the executive director's recommendation on this, I would proffer a motion authorizing the executive director to City of Miami Page 38 Printed on 1/3/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes December 12, 2007 negotiate with the top -ranked proposal, which is Gateway [sic], and if somehow there is no agreement between the CRA and Gateway [sic] -- Chair Spence -Jones: Is it --? Commissioner Sanchez: -- to negotiate -- Chair Spence -Jones: Is Gate --? Commissioner Sanchez: Gatehouse, I'm -- Vice Chair Sarnoff Gatehouse. Commissioner Sanchez: -- sorry, Gatehouse. Chair Spence -Jones: Gateway. Vice Chair Sarnoff Gatehouse. Commissioner Sanchez: Gatehouse -- to negotiate with the second runner up, which was Biscayne, so that's my motion at this time. Chair Spence -Jones: I have a motion on the floor. Commissioner Regalado: Second. Chair Spence -Jones: All in favor? Vice Chair Sarnoff Well, I'd like to make some comments. Chair Spence -Jones: Sure. I'd like to make some comments too, but I would like to save mine -- Commissioner Regalado: If I -- Chair Spence -Jones: -- for last. Commissioner Regalado: -- may? I -- Chair Spence -Jones: Sure. Commissioner Regalado: -- think that now more than ever we need to show that there is a will to do housing in Overtown, especially now that we have so many controversies surrounding all the downtown core, Park West, Overtown, Omni, and I think that all the companies do have experience, and hopefully, the companies that were not selected will come back to the City for this and other lots because there are many, and I just hope that if they finalize the agreement, if the Board supports what the executive director has recommended, that they do start soon, and that they show that they can perform because, like the gentleman said, you know, Overtown has been an area of deferred hopes and postponed dreams, and it is a shame that at least we don't see anything right away, so that is why I second it, and I will support the executive director's recommendation. Thank you. Chair Spence -Jones: Commissioner Sarnoff. Vice Chair Sarnoff.- I sit here and I wonder what does the word "community redevelopment" really mean. It means to redevelop a community, and I often wonder if housing people is the City of Miami Page 39 Printed on 1/3/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes December 12, 2007 redevelopment of a community, if that's the primary purpose of the CRA, and from my own view and my own way of thinking, it's truly not. I believe that you've got to create jobs. I believe jobs create affordable housing because without a job, there is not affordable housing. I've heard three proposals that I find interesting; yet, I find none of them acceptable, and that's why I think what we should do is take the top three people, put them back in that room with the idea that they create jobs. Number three proposal, Lofty Ideas, has in it what is commonly referred to as incubator businesses. Incubator businesses, whether it be for artists or whether it be for a lawyer who can run his office out of his own house, his own condominium, or whether it's a person that has an Internet business; that is what I believe the primary purpose of the CRA is to do; is to create jobs, and at the same time, it has the ability to create the affordable housing unit attached to it. I listened to the lawyer talk about splitting 25 and 36, and I was somewhat intrigued by that concept as well because I think that Biscayne Housing has a good proposal and Gatehouse has a good proposal. I suggest to this body that we ask numbers one, two, and three to come back to us with a new proposal that incorporates in it jobs; that incorporates a housing project that takes into consideration jobs, and not a few, a lot, and if this CRA is going to give out money, it should give out money with the primary purpose to create jobs. I don't know a man that can sit at home and claim his house is affordable or unaffordable if he's not going to work, and I believe that all too often this Commission -- and I mean this with all due respect -- has thought about the end of the cart and put the cart before the horse, and the horse has got to be a job. I don't care who you are or what -- every morning you need to get up with a sense of self and a sense of purpose, and that sense of self -purpose is to work, and that work will create a better attitude and a better commitment to not only you, but to your community, and if we're just going to house people and we forget the most major component and the most honorable thing a man -- and I use this metaphorically because it's a woman, as well -- can do is to be a productive member of a community, and the way you form a community is by producing, and I ask that we consider this and ask numbers one, two, and three maybe to create together, maybe so they come back together with all three ideas created in one, so that we have jobs, and a lot of them, whether it includes a Publix, great; if it doesn't include a Publix, well, fine as well. My concern with number three is their ability to execute. Numbers one and two, we know them; we know they're going to build whatever it is they're going to build, but we also know they're going to be applying for -- Commissioner Sanchez: Tax credits. Vice Chair Sarnoff -- tax credits. We know that their chances are probably going to be three to four years out. We're not in a -- I don't want to rush right now to a judgment, and I understand that people have put a lot of time and effort into this, and I have to respect that. I respect Larry Spring. I respect what he has to say, but I just wonder if today couldn't be a new page. I just wonder if today couldn't be a new attitude of the CRA, where our primary purpose and function is to look for jobs; jobs for everyone, for the community that's there; to integrate people to create a more diverse community, a community that is not segregated, but a community that is together. Tomorrow we have a very important function, and I believe the tunnel is a creation of an integrated community, so I think it's a great opportunity here today to take a deep breath and a somber look at what we do at the CRA and say to ourselves, give the time-honored -- give it a time-honored thought process and say to ourselves, a job is just as important or more important than a roof over your house because that job will create that roof a whole lot faster than sitting in that house. That's what I have to say. Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you, Commissioner Sarnoff, and I guess I am last, my comments on it. We've had a motion and a second on the item already, so the item has officially passed, but I do want to make a comment. I know all the individuals that actually applied for this proposal, and -- for Block 25, 36, or either one of them, so all of the groups that applied to me, are all worthy, every single last one of them. I have respect for 100 Black Men and all of the great work that they do throughout the Dade -- throughout Dade and Broward County. I have great respect for the longshoremen that has been there from -- through thick and thin; great respect for Dr. City of Miami Page 40 Printed on 1/3/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes December 12, 2007 Fields and what they've tried to do in the area with the Black Archives and now the Overtown Folklife District. The reality is that it is within my district, and while I do understand my colleague's point on the CRA's function should really be focused more on jobs, I have to say that would be the case if most of the housing that was in the Overtown CRA, most of the individuals that were living there at one particular time were not displaced because of everything that's happened in the Overtown area, so my primary mission, as not only the CRA Chair, but as the Commissioner -- or the district Commissioner in the area, from day one, when I got in the chair, was housing, housing, housing. Many of my residents in Overtown are already living in inadequate housing already as it is, and as we start talking about this word "mixed -use housing, " and we talked about -- oh, I heard Mr. Bacon, which I agree with him wholeheartedly -- he's a part of the district association. We have a balance of housing that is going into the area now so that not only do we have market -rate housing happening, but we also have supportive housing happening and affordable housing, so that at least we have the balance that's necessary in order for us to have a balanced community. Now as far as the units are concerned, personally, I had a chance to at least look at all of the proposals, and I like the idea of the first proposal, understanding the importance of working along with the people that are in the district that have been there for a very long time. I like the idea of seeing Gatehouse work along with the Black Archives, work along with the longshoremen to at least develop a project that included those folks that have been there and that have been a part of it, and I'd like to see how it was -- how both things were engaged, not that the 100 Black Men did not do that -- and again, once again, we truly appreciate everything that 100 Black Men do, but what I'm really trying to do in -- at least within my district, is make sure that we respect the people that have been there for God knows how long, and I think this particular project looks at that. As I stated earlier, we don't have a grocery store in the area, and I'm hoping that this will give us the opportunity to at least have fresh produce, like every other neighborhood, and have a decent, clean grocery store within the area for the residents. I think that's extremely important. The only grocery store we had in the Overtown area -- actually, it's closed -- which was really not a great grocery store. I have been working in my district for the last two years doing this campaign called Wake Up Miami, and part of this whole campaign wasn't about just having a fancy, little slogan and getting people excited or empowered to want to do something. It was really about also changing the mind -set of how people view my district and how they view every area of my district, and Overtown was one of them. While it's so easy -- and I'm sure the folks that are doing the development or have put proposals in know how difficult it is to get companies and corporations to come to urban communities like Overtown, Liberty City, and other areas in which I represent. It's not easy to get them to come into those areas, and they're not going to come there unless they have people there. That is the reality, so for me, it has been a long, long struggle. It was mentioned to me, you know, "Commissioner Spence -Jones, you have a really tough job." You're right. I have an extremely tough job because I have to find balance between both groups and trying to make sure that, you know, everybody's happy, and it's not easy. I think this particular program -- or project that has been presented and has been vetted out, and we've made sure that the process has been transparent, has at least included looking at retail space so that we can provide neighborhood jobs to the area, and of course, having the grocery store. I think having the mixed -use part of the housing -- having homeownership plus rentals is important when you're talking about doing a development, so as far as I'm concerned, as the district Commissioner in the area, I support this project 100 percent. I support what the staff has done. I continue to push hard for housing in my district because I know my people in my community truly, truly need it. Yes, we do need jobs, but at this point, they're living in conditions that are unbearable, and we have to find a way to replace the terrible housing that's there, so at this point, I've had a motion, and I had a second. All in favor? Commissioner Sanchez: Aye. Chair Spence -Jones: Aye. Commissioner Regalado: Aye. City of Miami Page 41 Printed on 1/3/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes December 12, 2007 Commissioner Sarnoff. No. Chair Spence -Jones: This item passes. We're going to move on to the last two things. Applause. Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you so much for definitely coming out. DISCUSSIONS 10. 07-01341 CRA DISCUSSION PRESENTATION BY POINCIANA VILLAGE. Cover Memo 07-01341.pdf Cover Memo.pdf DISCUSSED (10) 07-01341a CRA RESOLUTION A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF THE SOUTHEAST OVERTOWN/PARK WEST COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY AUTHORIZING A GRANT, IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED (subject matter: grant to Poinciana Village Homeowner's Association for additional security, lighting, awnings, etc. provided that the association presents a balanced budget to the Executive Director.) Motion by Commissioner Sanchez, seconded by Commissioner Regalado, that this matter be ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote. Votes: Ayes: 4 - Vice Chair Sarnoff, Chair Spence -Jones, Commissioner Regalado and Commissioner Sanchez Absent: 1 - Commissioner Gonzalez CRA-R-07-0059 Chair Spence -Jones: We have two more discussion items. Poinciana Village. Stephanie van Vark: Hello. [Later... Commissioner Sanchez: Well, how about the Poinciana --? Chair Spence -Jones: We're doing that now. James H. Villacorta (Interim Executive Director, Community Redevelopment Agency): Poinciana. Chair Spence -Jones: Poinciana -- Commissioner Sanchez: Oh. Chair Spence -Jones: -- and we have our Poinciana Neighborhood Association. Thank you for corning out. City of Miami Page 42 Printed on 1/3, 2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes December 12, 2007 Ms. van Vark: Hello. I'm Stephanie van Vark, the president of the homeowners' association for Poinciana Village, located at 201 Northwest 7th Street and 269 Northwest 7th Street, and we are here to talk to you briefly about the grant that was allocated to us for facade improvements. Mr. Villacorta: Poinciana Village had previously received a grant; it listed specific categories for the funds to be used. Right now, there's $43, 000 remaining, and that's for awnings on the exterior of the building. Poinciana Village has been informed of some life safety issues, and during the summer, there's been an increased need for security. I've noticed it around our buildings that there's been a lot of drug -addicted people. I think, Poinciana Village, in the same area, suffered from some of that. They've had increased security costs, and also to combat that, they've had recommendations to increase the lighting. They're asking to reallocate the 43,000 that was to be used for awnings to lighting upgrades, fire safety, and life safety issues, pointed out by the Miami Fire Department, and to compensate for the some of the increased security costs they've had Chair Spence -Jones: So this is money that they already have? Okay. Ms. van Vark: Yes. Chair Spence -Jones: Commissioner Sanchez. Commissioner Sanchez: Madam Chair, ifI may, andl'll be very brief. Poinciana Village is the pioneer of housing in Overtown. I mean, they have crawled through the lowest valleys to the top of the mountain in Overtown. They have gone through problems with the developers. They have overcome many, many hurdles. I mean, this is -- by far, we cannot allow them to fail 'cause if we do, we are definitely sending the wrong message to all those who want to come to Overtown and invest money in Overtown, so this money that was already granted to them for repairs, I could honestly tell you that, as the DDA (Downtown Development Authority) chairman of downtown, I am constantly now -- and downtown, as a matter of fact, I would say, 70 percent of my time is in downtown. When I drive out of downtown, I usually pass by that area, and let me tell you. If we don't apply the necessary resources to reduce the bad element that's out there, we're going to fail, and when they fail, we fail at the CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency), so this is good money being put to a good cause to make sure that they have the proper security, especially when they're the ones that have been there for quite some time, and if I'm not mistaken, a lot of their residents are elderly residents, or they've been there for quite some time, so I support this 150 percent. Ms. van Vark: Thank you. Chair Spence -Jones: Any other comments on this? Do I have a motion on the item? Mr. Villacorta: Well, Commissioners -- Chair Spence -Jones: Yes. Mr. Villacorta: -- the facade of that building -- I mean, you've really noticed the upgrades. They've stuccoed the building -- done stucco repairs to the cracks. They've painted the building. They've put new barrel tile on the roof and it's really made a difference. These awnings are the last -- Commissioner Sanchez: The only thing that they're asking for is to switch the 35,000 [sic] to be used for security and fire and other life-saving upgrades, correct? Mr. Villacorta: What -- 43, 000 from the awnings to the security issues. What I think you might want to consider is to make an additional grant to -- for these fire, safety, light, and security City of Miami Page 43 Printed on 1/3/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes December 12, 2007 issues. The CRA has grant funds available, and it will finish off that building. To have those awnings in place -- right now you have the skeleton -- Commissioner Sanchez: So what's the total? I mean, let's just -- Mr. Villacorta: It would be a grant of $49, 000. Commissioner Sanchez: Forty-nine thousand, and that will include the awnings and the security Mr. Villacorta: The awnings, the security, life -- Commissioner Sanchez: -- and the safety issues? Mr. Villacorta: -- safety, and lighting for the area. Commissioner Sanchez: Well, I will make -- Mr. Villacorta: I know we've had a problem, and what appears to be happening is that other cities are dumping some of their homeless or some of their drug -addicted on 14th Street, and they're wandering into this area. I know that -- Commissioner Regalado: What other cities? Commissioner Sanchez: Miami Beach -- Ms. van Vark: Miami Beach. Commissioner Sanchez: -- for one. Ms. van Vark: Yeah. Mr. Villacorta: I've understood Karen -- Ms. Cartwright has told me that she's seen Miami Beach bring people and attempt to unload them on 14th. Ms. van Vark: And I've also -- just to add to that, I've also heard that there are cities up north that are also sending people on one-way tickets, and Greyhound -- Mr. Villacorta: One-way tickets -- Ms. van Vark: -- is right there in Overtown. Mr. Villacorta: -- to the Grey -- on Greyhound bus station. Commissioner Sanchez: Let me tell you something. That's -- Chair Spence -Jones: In the heart of Overtown. Ms. van Vark: Right. Commissioner Sanchez: -- been going on since I was a state trooper ten years ago, okay? Miami Beach will get them; drop them off at Watson Island, and tell them, head west, and you see them crossing over the bridge coming into downtown Miami. Mr. Villacorta: You could see -- City of Miami Page 44 Printed on 1/3/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes December 12, 2007 Commissioner Sanchez: The other problem is you're having a lot of other municipalities making arrests, and they all end up at the main County jail Ms. van Vark: That's true. Vice Chair Sarnoff Right, and then they get -- Commissioner Sanchez: I know there's a program right now that's being funded where some of them are being transported back to where they originally were arrested, but a lot of them are staying there, and a lot of them are wandering down to downtown, and therefore, to your area. That's an issue that we have to address. That's an issue that has existed for quite some time. It will not go away in days; it will not go away in weeks, but it will go away if we apply the proper resource to get those people back to where they came from and out of our city. Mr. Villacorta: And I think as they pass Poinciana Village, it looks like a target of opportunity. They -- even around the CRA offices, you really noticed a change in the character of the homeless that were there. Now there were drug -addicted -- Chair Spence -Jones: The homeless situation is really increasing. Commissioner Sanchez: And it's going to get worse. Commissioner Regalado: Oh, yeah. Commissioner Sanchez: It's going to get -- Commissioner Regalado: Oh, yeah. Commissioner Sanchez: -- worse because -- Mr. Villacorta: Yes. Chair Spence -Jones: It's -- Commissioner Sanchez: -- right now -- Commissioner Regalado: That we know. Commissioner Sanchez: -- as the cold weather up north; they put them in a bus, and it's a vacation for them. They come down here where -- look at our weather right now. If you were in Chicago, Philadelphia, you know -- Ms. van Vark: They drop them off here. Commissioner Sanchez: -- they're here. Chair Spence -Jones: It's getting worse. Mr. Villacorta: And -- Commissioner Sanchez: And it's only going to get worse. Ms. van Vark: And Greyhound is right here in Overtown. City of Miami Page 45 Printed on 1/3/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes December 12, 2007 Commissioner Sanchez: Every winter, our homeless population increases. Chair Spence -Jones: Well, I think it's not only just because of that. I think that -- I mean, you know -- and Commissioner Sarnoff, you know, I totally agreed with you earlier. Housing is a huge, huge big issue. I mean, people can barely afford to even pay for the affordable housing, so I mean, you got now working families living out of their cars or on the streets, you know, so it's -- you know, it's really bad out there. I mean, the number of families that we're now seeing -- working families living on the streets now in my district is incredible the num -- most of Liberty City Trust's work has been just trying to farm out, you know, individuals that are working in the day and don't have a place to sleep at night, so it's not like they don't have a job; they don't have anywhere to live. Mr. Villacorta: And -- Vice Chair Sarnoff Well, my point was if -- Chair Spence -Jones: But I don't want to go back to that tonight -- Vice Chair Sarnoff Right. Chair Spence -Jones: -- but I'm just saying we're dealing with this homeless issue, and -- Mr. Villacorta: And correct me, if I'm wrong, but the Poinciana Village Homeowners' Association has restructured their maintenance fees -- Ms. van Vark: Yes, we have. Mr. Villacorta: -- increased them to cover some of these additional operating costs. Ms. van Vark: We are in the process of approving a new maintenance fee that will be increased by $50 a month, so -- to make sure that we're able to cover and accommodate any future security needs that we have, so -- Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Ms. van Vark: -- and any other needs that we may have in regards to security and fire safety. Mr. Villacorta: And it would be my recommendation just to -- Commissioner Sanchez: Well, hold on. Hold on, 'cause I'm a bit confused here, okay? They -- my understanding is, from the briefing that we got, that they're asking to switch $35, 000 to be spent on security, fire, and other life -savings upgrades; that's 35, and then, they're also asking that $25, 000 be included for what, for the awning? Mr. Villacorta: No. They have 43,000 remaining on a grant that was authorized in '05. That grant listed specific items to be constructed, and we followed the construction. There's 43,000 remaining. What's left to be done is the awnings. They've showed us where they're incurring increased security, increased -- they have life safety issues, and they would like the lighting to help with that security. They have also -- the total of that is $49, 000. Commissioner Sanchez: But -- Chair Spence -Jones: So it's 49 additional? Mr. Villacorta: Additional. City of Miami Page 46 Printed on 1/3/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes December 12, 2007 Ms. van Vark: Yes. Mr. Villacorta: If we -- Vice Chair Sarnoff Okay, I'm totally -- Mr. Villacorta: -- left the 40 -- Vice Chair Sarnoff.- -- lost now. Commissioner Sanchez: Yeah. Mr. Villacorta: I'm sorry. If -- rather than -- Vice Chair Sarnoff- I'm never buying a car from you. Mr. Villacorta: Thank you. Rather than take the 43,000 from the awnings, it would be nice to finish the facade improvements and just make a grant of 40 -- increase that grant, 49, to cover these life safety issues. Commissioner Sanchez: But you're -- when you say increase, increase it from 40 -- Chair Spence -Jones: They're asking for -- Commissioner Sanchez: -- 43 to 49? Chair Spence -Jones: No. Ms. van Vark: No. Mr. Villacorta: No, add an additional -- Chair Spence -Jones: He's saying an additional -- Mr. Villacorta: -- 40 -- Ms. van Vark: Forty-three plus forty-nine. Chair Spence -Jones: -- 49 to the 43 that they already have in a grant. Mr. Villacorta: Right. Commissioner Sanchez: And that 49, what does it cover? Mr. Villacorta: It would be allocated to -- 24,000 to lighting; 15,000 to life safety issues, and $10,000 towards increased security. Commissioner Sanchez: Okay, but they already have -- Vice Chair Sarnoff Wait, wait, wait. Commissioner Sanchez: -- that 40 -- Vice Chair Sarnoff Those sums don't add up. City of Miami Page 47 Printed on 1/3/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes December 12, 2007 Ms. van Vark: That's 49. Mr. Villacorta: That's 49; 24, 15, and 10. Vice Chair Sarnoff Twenty-four -- oh, and ten, you said I'm sorry. I thought you said 15. Mr. Villacorta: No. Chair Spence -Jones: And I just want to say, Code Enforcement is basically being very nice to me, but they're telling me that they're about to kick me out of here, so we just need to wrap on this situation, and then move to the next item and allow for them to come in 'cause their meeting is being held up. Commissioner Sanchez: All right. Well, I will make a motion for the additional grant of $49, 000 allocated to the items that you have put on the record. Mr. Villacorta: And perhaps you want to condition it on them passing this budget increasing their maintenance fees. Commissioner Sanchez: Yes. Ms. van Vark: And we will let the CRA know when that's done. Commissioner Sanchez: Based on the -- you increasing your maintenance fees. Ms. van Vark: Yes. Commissioner Sanchez: Okay. Ms. van Vark: We will do. Chair Spence -Jones: I have a motion. Do I have -- we have any questions on it? Do I have a motion? Do I have a second? Commissioner Regalado: Second I just -- I don't know. I -- Chair Spence -Jones: But let me get this vote. All in favor? Vice Chair Sarnoff Well, wait, wait, wait. Commissioner Regalado: No. I just want -- Vice Chair Sarnoff That's not right. Let him -- Commissioner Regalado: -- to clarify something. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Commissioner Regalado: Why do they have to increase the maintenance fees? Ms. van Vark: Well, we -- one of the issues is security; also, some insurance issues. In order to become operational, we have to increase the maintenance fees by at least $50. Commissioner Regalado: Okay, but you have to increase the maintenance fees because you City of Miami Page 48 Printed on 1/3/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes December 12, 2007 have several issues, and that's part of the condominium association decision -- Ms. van Vark: Yes. Commissioner Regalado: -- but is it a condition of the CRA that you increase the maintenance fees to get the grant? Ms. van Vark: It's my understanding, yes. Commissioner Sanchez: You agreed to it. Chair Spence -Jones: That's what he just added. Mr. Villacorta: Yes. Ms. van Vark: Yes. Commissioner Regalado: And why? Chair Spence -Jones: Commissioner Sanchez? Commissioner Sanchez: Because they've agreed to it. Mr. Villacorta: Well, I think we were worried that the maintenance fees that were in place were not enough to cover upgrading, life safety issues, to support security that's needed, to maintain the lighting that we're about to put in under this grant. Commissioner Regalado: But -- okay, so we're responsible for the crime in the area? Mr. Villacorta: I don't know that we're responsible, but we -- Commissioner Regalado: I mean, we should police; I mean, the City. See, the -- Mr. Villacorta: Yeah. I mean, the CRA -- Commissioner Regalado: -- problem -- Mr. Villacorta: Yeah. Commissioner Regalado: -- that I have is that we want to keep people in Overtown. We want to bring people in Overtown, but we are making it difficult for people to remain in Overtown. I mean, we should -- being as it is now and all the efforts that we have done, I would say, well, okay, this is a grant for lighting and -- Mr. Villacorta: Fire safe -- Commissioner Regalado: -- some fences, or whatever. Maybe we cannot pay a security guard; that would be their issue because a security guard -- the money runs out, and they're not going to come back, but if we have a grant, okay, you're going to do fence -- you're going to do an electric fence for the parking. You're going to do, you know, alarms. You're going to have sensors around, and this is to protect you and to give the residents a sense of safety of living there. As of today, you know, you not only need the grant, you need a medal, you know, to live (UNINTELLIGIBLE), but -- so I -- you know, I would vote for the motion. I even vote for the motion with a caveat that they have to increase the fees, but I think it's a wrong philosophy to start putting this kind of caveats in this grant. City of Miami Page 49 Printed on 1/3/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes December 12, 2007 Mr. Villacorta: In a grant. Commissioner Regalado: Well, you have to increase your maintenance -- because that affects everyone that lives in the building. If the condo association wants to do it, well, that's fine, and that is up to you, but we should be in the business of telling you, you know, we are here to support you living here. Please don't go; stay, and this is all, so I don't know -- Chair Spence -Jones: Are you putting a condition on -- are you change -- are you making --? No. Commissioner Regalado: No, no. Look, I'm not going to have a deviate -- I mean, you seem not to have a problem. I'm doing here a philosophical discussion. I think it's wrong to put a condition that you increase -- we may say, well, okay, you guys have to decide how to -- have a security guard there or something like that, but -- Mr. Villacorta: I think, in our conversations with the association, we were concerned that they were operating at a deficit, and just so that this wouldn't be an ongoing process that we support them in their attempt to realize an operating budget that covers their cost. Commissioner Regalado: Are there any foreclosures in your buildings? Ms. van Vark: Yes, there is. There is one. Chair Spence -Jones: One out of how many? Ms. van Vark: Pardon me? Chair Spence -Jones: One out of how many? Ms. van Vark: Sixty-four units. Vice Chair Sarnoff Oh, that's almost the -- one in two thirty -- Commissioner Regalado: One -- Vice Chair Sarnoff -- 1 in 239 is the rate. Ms. van Vark: One out of 64 units. Commissioner Regalado: -- as a fore -- Vice Chair Sarnoff One in two hundred and thirty-nine is the South Florida rate. Commissioner Regalado: So you do have a foreclosure with -- Ms. van Vark: Yes, sir. Commissioner Regalado: -- the same ratio that Miami -Dade County have. Ms. van Vark: Yes, pretty much, yes. Commissioner Regalado: Okay. Is the increase something that some people will not be able to afford or is it a vote? Was it voted? City of Miami Page 50 Printed on 1/3/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes December 12, 2007 Chair Spence -Jones: Have they voted on it already? Ms. van Vark: We have not voted on it. It's going to be in our December agenda, and it might be a challenge, yes. I'll have to confess. It might be a challenge for some people. Commissioner Regalado: That's the point. That's the point. I mean, we have the biggest foreclosure ratio in the nation per capita here in Miami -Dade County, and that's the problem. That's one of the problems. Chair Spence -Jones: So what -- I just want to be clear. We had a motion, and we had a second but now I'm hearing that this may even create a bigger issue in Overtown with at least these particular residents, and you -- 'cause I think, Stephanie, when you communicated it, it's almost as if you had already taken the vote and people have agreed to the $50. Ms. van Vark: No. We still have to take the vote. Chair Spence -Jones: So -- Ms. van Vark: That's the plan. Chair Spence -Jones: -- I don't think that it's -- I think that -- I mean, I'm just -- from where I sit, I think that that vote needs to happen first before you could have this condition put on it. Commissioner Regalado: No, but she needs the money now. She needs the -- Chair Spence -Jones: No. I'm not -- no. I'm saying -- what I'm saying is -- I'm saying the condition of them not being -- you guys not being able to get the dollars unless there's a $50 -- Ms. van Vark: No. I know we can't get the dollars for the additional fire safety and for the additional lighting. The additional $50 is operational, for continued security -- Vice Chair Sarnoff They need it anyway. Ms. van Vark: -- but to try -- Chair Spence -Jones: Yeah, right -- Ms. van Vark: -- to do extra lighting -- Chair Spence -Jones: -- but it shouldn't be -- Ms. van Vark: -- to try to do the fire safety -- Vice Chair Sarnoff They need it anyway. Chair Spence -Jones: -- contingent -- Ms. van Vark: -- (UNINTELLIGIBLE). Chair Spence -Jones: -- on -- this grant should not be contingent on -- Ms. van Vark: On the increase of our -- Chair Spence -Jones: -- whether or not people paying -- City of Miami Page 51 Printed on 1/3/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes December 12, 2007 Ms. van Vark: Correct. Chair Spence -Jones: -- $50. I think that's what the comment is. Is that what you asked to have happen, Jim? That's what he said. Mr. Villacorta: Yes. I was concerned that they wouldn't be covering their operating costs with the maintenance fees -- Commissioner Sanchez: What -- here's a -- Ms. van Vark: But we -- Mr. Villacorta: -- in the current schedule. Ms. van Vark: -- are not increasing because of anything that he said. I will -- we were actually looking -- Chair Spence -Jones: Yeah, but I'm saying -- but Jim put on the record that he wanted to include that -- Ms. van Vark: Gotcha. Chair Spence -Jones: -- and that will be a problem if you have not polled -- Ms. van Vark: Okay. Chair Spence -Jones: You know what I would suggest -- is there any way we could -- is it like an emergency to get this done before January? Commissioner Sanchez: There's no emergency, but listen, you know -- Chair Spence -Jones: I mean, I have seniors out here. This may be -- this extra $50, for them, may be a little bit unbearable for them. Vice Chair Sarnoff But it's going to happen anyways, is what she's saying. Ms. van Vark: It's operational -- it's -- Vice Chair Sarnoff She said it's going to -- Ms. van Vark: -- operation costs. Vice Chair Sarnoff -- happen because the budget requires it. All we're doing is -- Mr. Villacorta: Yes. Ms. van Vark: Yeah. It -- Vice Chair Sarnoff -- actually acting somewhat sensibly and saying, you know what? We'll vote this extra money -- Mr. Villacorta: Have a balanced budget. Vice Chair Sarnoff -- which I will support, and she's saying and it's contingent upon us raising it, which she said is going to happen anyways because -- City of Miami Page 52 Printed on 1/3/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes December 12, 2007 Commissioner Sanchez: Well, if we don't provide them this money, they're going to have to -- Vice Chair Sarnok Right. Commissioner Sanchez: -- sit down and vote not only on 50 bucks, but come up with -- Vice Chair Sarnoff But on a -- Chair Spence -Jones: No. I -- Commissioner Sanchez: -- possibly about 300 or 400 bucks. Chair Spence -Jones: Yeah. I'm not disagreeing -- right. I'm not disagreeing to it. I just want to make sure -- Commissioner Sanchez: Okay. Let's be realistic. Chair Spence -Jones: -- that we're very clear -- I want to make sure we're very clear, you know, and I heard my executive director. He wanted you to put that based upon -- before he -- and I know Jim. Jim will go back; he'll work with the team, and then all of a sudden, it's like, we need to see that you passed -- everybody has agreed for them $50 -- Ms. van Vark: Oh, okay. That's understandable. Chair Spence -Jones: -- before we can write you a check. Ms. van Vark: Okay. Chair Spence -Jones: That's what it's sounding like to me from Jim. Is that not correct? Is that not how you're understanding it, Jim? Mr. Villacorta: Yes; that they -- Chair Spence -Jones: See. Mr. Villacorta: -- would have a balanced budget where their operating expenses were funded with the -- Vice Chair Sarnoff What is wrong with -- Mr. Villacorta: -- maintenance -- Vice Chair Sarnoff -- that criteria of saying you have a -- Chair Spence -Jones: But -- Vice Chair Sarnoff -- balanced budget? Chair Spence -Jones: No. That's -- no. That -- Jim. Mr. Villacorta: Yes. Chair Spence -Jones: Is it not your -- did you not just put on the record that they -- 50 -- you specifically said $50. City of Miami Page 53 Printed on 1/3/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes December 12, 2007 Mr. Villacorta: Right. My understanding was that the maintenance fees will have to be increased by $50 per month to result in a balanced budget, where the condo association is covering its operating expenses. If they can't cover their operating expenses, then -- Commissioner Sanchez: They're going to be back here. Mr. Villacorta: -- they're going to be back here. Chair Spence -Jones: Del, do you have a comment? Del Bryan: Good evening, Madam Chair, Commissioners. You know, this has been a challenge for us, as pioneers, so to speak, in coming back here, and I tried to get here a little early, but I have some -- have to make a living, so -- but I know Stephanie's been carrying the torch here, and the problem really is from the history, and we know what it is, and the City and the prospective developers hopefully getting closer, and that will make a great change. If the condition is that we have to raise a fee to get the assistance, then of course, we'll have to do that. If there is -- as I don't know if there may be some sentiments that, you know, if we could maybe split it where we take a six-month's look, and then, by then, hopefully, there would be some settlement on the process -- Vice Chair Sarnoff Can I -- Mr. Bryan: -- going forward Vice Chair Sarnoff -- make an amendment, Joe, friendly amendment? Commissioner Sanchez, I apologize. Commissioner Sanchez: It's all right. Go ahead. Vice Chair Sarnoff Can I make a --? Instead of saying that they're required to have a $50 increase; that they present a balanced budget? Chair Spence -Jones: Oh, that's -- Ms. van Vark: That's fine. Chair Spence -Jones: -- so is that -- do I have a motion on the --? Commissioner Sanchez: Well, hold on. A balanced budget. Vice Chair Sarnoff That means that if they're operating at a deficit, they'll have to make up the deficit. Commissioner Sanchez: But then the question falls would they have the additional -- would they be able to take care of the existing problems that lie there with their building? Mr. Bryan: It's a challenge. Commissioner Sanchez: It -- well, that's -- you know, that's the balance. I want to help you. First of all, what is your maintenance fee? Ms. van Vark: Two forty-six fifty. Commissioner Sanchez: Two forty-six fifty. City of Miami Page 54 Printed on 1/3/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes December 12, 2007 Ms. van Vark: Yes. Commissioner Sanchez: All right, and when was the last time that you increased it? Ms. van Vark: Two years ago. Commissioner Sanchez: Two years ago. Ms. van Vark: Yes. Commissioner Sanchez: All right, so you know what? Balancing it, and that way, you shift the burden on them to come up with a solution. I could accept that, so my -- I would amend the motion, okay, as long as they balance the budget. Maybe it's not going to be 50; maybe it might be $30, or 35, or 38 -- Vice Chair Sarnoff Right. Commissioner Sanchez: -- but the problem here is to make sure that you are self -sustained. Vice Chair Sarnoff.- Right. Commissioner Sanchez: All right; that you don't keep coming in front of this Commission asking for money. Ms. van Vark: Fair enough. Commissioner Sanchez: Okay. We want to help you; I want to help you. I think all the Commissioners here want to help you, but I don't think it's in the best interest of yourself or the CRA for you to be coming in front of us in the next four, or five, or six years asking for subsidies. Ms. van Vark: Okay. Commissioner Sanchez: I mean, it's gotten to a point where we're going to help you. I think we've helped you since day one because you are, as I stated, you know, the first housing -- or one of the first housing in Overtown. We can't allow you to fail, and I know that the people that bought there took a big risk in moving in and taking a big gamble, as it is, so therefore, we want to help you help yourself to succeed. Ms. van Vark: Okay. Commissioner Sanchez: Okay, so I'm okay with amending it, Executive Director, so it is as long as they balance their budget. Vice Chair Sarnoff So call the question. Commissioner Regalado: If I may just, Mr. Chairman [sic]. I think -- and I thank you for amending that. My problem was philosophical, but also because this is a totally different building and issue than any other condo association and all that, and I remember having been elected citywide in 1996, early 1996, that I attended the first meeting with -- of the CRA in Overtown. I remember this name; I remember you, and the reason was that the City made a lot of promises that the City didn't kept. I mean, I don't want to just say, but it was the whole issue -- I mean, police and promises and all that, so this is why they keep coming back because there is a history of promise, andl remember those issues, so this was my point. Do associations need to have a balanced budget? Of course. City of Miami Page 55 Printed on 1/3/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes December 12, 2007 Mr. Bryan: Yes. Commissioner Regalado: I mean, if not, you know, the ombudsman of the Department of Regulation -- Professional Regulation will be on your back, and someone will file a complaint against you, and you know, he'll come down, and you have to have election because, after all, we don't control associations, as you know; it's the State of Florida, but the point that I was trying to make is that we need to give you some help so you can deal with the problem until the major problems are resolved in the area. That was the whole thing of my point. Thank you. Commissioner Sanchez: Call the question, as amended. Chair Spence -Jones: So I had a motion, and I had a second, and an amendment. Commissioner Regalado: Yeah. Chair Spence -Jones: So all in favor? The Commissioners (Collectively): Aye. Chair Spence -Jones: All right. This item passes. Ms. van Vark: Thank you all very much. Mr. Bryan: Thank you. Chair Spence -Jones: Thank y'all. 11. 07-01502 CRA DISCUSSION PRESENTATION BY MIAMI'S WOMENS CLUB Cover Memo.pdf DEFERRED Direction by Commissioner Sanchez to the Interim Executive Director to schedule the Women's Club item for the January Community Redevelopment Agency agenda. Chair Spence -Jones: And real fast, Jim, will we have the Women's Club presenting today? Commissioner Sanchez: No. James H. Villacorta (Interim Executive Director, Community Redevelopment Agency): No. The Women's Club -- Commissioner Sanchez: I -- Mr. Villacorta: -- asked to be -- Chair Spence -Jones: Who's working with the Women's Club? Mr. Villacorta: -- rolled to January. Commissioner Sanchez: Madam Chairman [sic], I'm requesting that the Women's Club be placed on the January CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency) agenda. Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. All right, and then do we have a discussion on the Ward Rooming City of Miami Page 56 Printed on 1/3/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes December 12, 2007 House happening also? Mr. Villacorta: Yes. Chair Spence -Jones: That's the last discussion, correct? Mr. Villacorta: Brief -- Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Mr. Villacorta: -- a brief discussion. 12. 07-01504 CRA DISCUSSION DISCUSSION REGARDING BUILD OUT OF THE WARD ROOMING HOUSE Cover Memo.pdf DEFERRED Chair Spence -Jones: I'm going to ask for the next item, for us to just deal with it at the next Commission [sic] meeting, okay? Commissioner Regalado: And -- Chair Spence -Jones: CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency) meeting. NON -AGENDA ITEMS NA.1 07-01527 CRA DISCUSSION DISCUSSION REGARDING WAIVER FOR HOLLAND AND KNIGHT LEGAL SERVICES. DISCUSSED Direction by Vice Chair Sarnoff to the Interim Executive Director to schedule the Holland and Knight waiver item for the January Community Redevelopment Agency agenda. Commissioner Regalado: Can I ask what's going on with Holland & Knight, and are we still using them as attorneys or the city attorney? What is --? James H. Villacorta (Interim Executive Director, Community Redevelopment Agency): Holland & Knight did not receive the waivers that were voted for by the -- authorized by the City Commission, so they have stated they're unable to do our work until they received waivers. They have submitted a letter to me offering to do our work with a waiver from the Board. Chair Spence -Jones: Ms. -- and Ms. -- I'm sorry. Commissioner Regalado: Wait, wait, wait, wait. The City Commission voted for a waiver -- Mr. Villacorta: Yes. Commissioner Regalado: -- and we don't have -- Mr. Villacorta: Authorized the waiver. Commissioner Regalado: -- the waiver? City of Miami Page 57 Printed on 1/3/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes December 12, 2007 Mr. Villacorta: I haven't seen that resolution, but my understanding is they authorized the waiver and didn't direct the waiver, so they did not get a waiver that they found would allow them to continue to do our work. Vice Chair Sarnoff Wait a minute. You're saying the City Commission passed a resolution -- Mr. Villacorta: Yes. Vice Chair Sarnoff -- and then -- Commissioner Regalado: And -- Vice Chair Sarnoff -- you're saying but we didn't pass a directive? Mr. Villacorta: That's my understanding. Vice Chair Sarnoff Is that what you're saying? Mr. Villacorta: That's my understanding. Vice Chair Sarnoff What's the point of a resolution if it's not a self-imposed directive? Mr. Villacorta: I would have -- Vice Chair Sarnoff Do we have secret resolutions? Mr. Villacorta: -- thought they would have gotten the resolution -- I thought -- would have thought they got the waiver they needed. They have since sent a letter saying they cannot do our work without receiving the waiver. Vice Chair Sarnoff Do you need a waiver from this body? Do you need -- does the CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency) need to give them a waiver, or --? Commissioner Regalado: Of course. Vice Chair Sarnoff I -- no. Mr. Villacorta: And -- Vice Chair Sarnoff I'm not sure we would -- Commissioner Regalado: Of course. Vice Chair Sarnoff -- but I'm not -- 'cause isn't it the City Commission that needs to give them the waiver, not this body? Mr. Villacorta: The -- this is a separate entity. Vice Chair Sarnoff Right. Mr. Villacorta: The work they're doing is for us. They're not doing work for the City. Vice Chair Sarnoff Right, so it's the City Commission that just -- so I'm lost here because if that resolution passed -- and I think it passed nine, ten, twelve months ago -- a long time ago, wasn't City of Miami Page 58 Printed on 1/3/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes December 12, 2007 it? Mr. Villacorta: Yes. Vice Chair Sarnoff I think I actually sat and passed that waiver, didn't I? Mr. Villacorta: Yes. Vice Chair Sarnoff So within my tenure -- and it hasn't been commu -- you're saying it just hasn't been communicated to Holland & Knight? Mr. Villacorta: They were not given the waiver they needed, and there -- we are a separate corporation from the City, but they do have a malpractice carrier who probably doesn't want to hear about it; they want to see a waiver and not say, well -- Vice Chair Sarnoff From this -- from the CRA then? Mr. Villacorta: From the City, even, was good enough for them. Vice Chair Sarnoff All right. Commissioner Regalado: So a City employee -- Vice Chair Sarnoff Right. Commissioner Regalado: -- said, hey, I don't care what the City Commission did. I'm -- Mr. Villacorta: They did not -- Commissioner Regalado: -- not going to give them the waiver because I don't feel like it; somebody said that. Mr. Villacorta: Right. Commissioner Regalado: Is that -- I mean, is it that, or is it -- was it lost -- Mr. Villacorta: I wasn't in -- Commissioner Regalado: -- in the mailroom, or --? Mr. Villacorta: -- invited to the conversations when Holland & Knight was called in and their managing partner was called in. Even though the CRA is the client, I was not invited to the meeting. The -- they did not receive what they needed. They wrote and said if they did not receive the waiver, they would have to leave. They since -- they -- that was to the City. They wrote to me and said they were willing to do our CRA work; they were willing to do it at a discounted rate, and they would require a waiver from the CRA of any work -- for instance, they work for the Miami Herald, and Miami Herald will do public records requests to the City. Even though we're a separate corporation, just to not run afoul of their malpractice carrier, they would want the waiver from the CRA of -- Vice Chair Sarnoff Well, that's -- Mr. Villacorta: -- any potential conflict. Vice Chair Sarnoff -- something we have to do. We just haven't done that yet. City of Miami Page 59 Printed on 1/3/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes December 12, 2007 Mr. Villacorta: We could do it directly, yes -- Vice Chair Sarnoff Right, and the CRA just -- Mr. Villacorta: -- and it satisfies -- Vice Chair Sarnoff -- to direct a waiver -- Mr. Villacorta: Yes -- Vice Chair Sarnoff -- so why don't you put it -- Mr. Villacorta: -- authorize me to issue a waiver. Vice Chair Sarnoff -- on the next agenda? Mr. Villacorta: Pardon me? Vice Chair Sarnoff Why don't you just put it on the next agenda? Mr. Villacorta: Okay. Commissioner Regalado: Well, why don't you bring the chairman -- the chairperson back? We can do it right now. I mean, it's a pocket item -- Vice Chair Sarnoff I'm okay with it. I'm okay with it. Commissioner Regalado: It's very easy. I mean -- Vice Chair Sarnoff Somebody want to call the chairman [sicJ? Commissioner Regalado: -- the reason is -- the reason I ask is because I was curious, and I started asking, but how is it possible -- Mr. Villacorta: Well, we had -- Commissioner Regalado: -- that the City Commission issues a direction and somebody says, well, I don't care. That's a very dangerous situation because we could say eliminate a department -- Mr. Villacorta: No. You said -- I -- Commissioner Regalado: -- and somebody said -- Vice Chair Sarnoff And it not happen. Commissioner Regalado: -- I don't care, and it will not happen. Mr. Villacorta: Well, as you may recall, Holland & Knight has been working with us for years on the Crosswinds -- Commissioner Regalado: Yeah, but that's not the point. Mr. Villacorta: -- settlement. City of Miami Page 60 Printed on 1/3/2008 SEOPW and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agencies Meeting Minutes December 12, 2007 Commissioner Regalado: That's not the point. The point is that a direction needs to be followed. Mr. Villacorta: I would think it's parsing the resolution to draw the distinction between authorizing or directing -- Vice Chair Sarnoff Yeah. I'd say that's parsing. Mr. Villacorta: -- when the Commission is voting. Commissioner Regalado: Okay. I mean -- Vice Chair Sarnoff I don't think she's coming. We'll just bring it up next time. Commissioner Regalado: Well, he can bring it up. Madam City Attorney -- Vice Chair Sarnoff It's me and you. We shouldn't even be on TV (Television) alone together. Commissioner Regalado: Yeah, right. Well, we're not a quorum here, are we? Gail A. Dotson (Assistant General Counsel): No. Mr. Villacorta: No. Commissioner Regalado: No? Ms. Dotson: No, there's not a quorum. Commissioner Regalado: Well, when there is a majority of two, two is a quorum, right? Okay. Mr. Villacorta: I guess we're adjourned. Pamela E. Burns (Assistant Clerk of the Board): Is the meeting adjourned? City of Miami Page 61 Printed on 1/3/2008