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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSubmittal-Public Comments Submitted Online for the October 14, 2021 City Commission MeetingCommission Report October 14th, 2021 Commission Meeting Public Comment - October 14, 2021 October 14th, 2021, 8:53 p.m. EST Public Comment motero@miamigov.com First Name Last Name Daniel Ramirez Grant Sheehan Melorie John Theresa Noble Street Address 4016 El Prado Blvd 3741 De Garmo Lane 3987 El Prado Blvd. Snyder 3980 Hardie Ave Pinto 1951 NW 7th Ave Suite Agenda Item PH. 9 10810 Direct CM - South Coconut Grove TC D PH. 9 10810 Direct CM - South Coconut Grove TC D PH. 9 10810 Direct CM - South Coconut Grove TC D PH. 9 10810 Direct CM - South Coconut Grove TC D SR. 2 10623 Amend Code - Public Comment We are against eliminating meaningful resident/owner input as required by the county's policy for a super majority, either 2/3rds or 100% of owner's ballots, of affected resident/owners to support the outlined changes. Taking away the rights of resident/owners to weigh in on an issue, is not justified to reduce a "problem" of perhaps a small minority at the potential risk of creating other issues & problems for more neighbors. It is unknowable what the scope of the problem is without a ballot. Let's base decisions on facts not hypotheses which are unsupported. We are against eliminating meaningful resident/owner input as required by the county's policy for a super majority, either 2/3rds or 100% of owner's ballots, of affected resident/owners to support the outlined changes. Taking away the rights of resident/owners to weigh in on an issue, is not justified to reduce a "problem" of perhaps a small minority at the potential risk of creating other issues & problems for more neighbors. It is unknowable what the scope of the problem is without a ballot. Let's base decisions on facts not hypotheses which are unsupported. We are against eliminating meaningful resident/owner input as required by the county's policy for a super majority, either 2/3rds or 100% of owner's ballots, of affected resident/owners to support the outlined changes. We are against eliminating meaningful owner input as required by the county's policy for a super majority, either 2/3rds or 100% of owner's ballots, of affected owners to support the outlined changes. Taking away the rights of property owners is not justified to reduce an insignificant annoyance of a small minority. We will not Know what the scope of the problem is without a ballot. Let's base decisions on facts not hypotheses which are unsupported. To the City of Miami Commission: The People's Economic and Environmental Resiliency (P.E.E.R.) Group 10946 Submittal -Public Comments Submitted Online for the October 14, 2021 City Commission Meeting 600 Miami FL Encampments on advocates for economic and environmental 33136 Public Property sustainability in Miami through a community lawyering approach that shifts power back to marginalized communities. We partner and work side -by -side with community groups to advocate for our vision of justice, which recognizes the need for structural and systemic change that empowers vulnerable populations, provides equitable access to benefits, and advances restorative protection from harm. To that end, the criminalization of homelessness causes further harm to vulnerable communities without addressing the root issues that unhoused people are facing. We write to you today in strong opposition of the City Ordinance prohibiting encampments on public property (File Number 10623) and encourage all Commissioners to vote no on its Second Reading (SR.2). As a leading international city, Miami must approach development with sustainability and resiliency in mind. Goal 11 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals is to make cities inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable with a target of ensuring "access for all to adequate, safe, and affordable housing and basic services" by 2030. Low- income and homeless individuals of the world are disproportionally and increasingly overexposed to environmental hazards due to inadequate housing and more vulnerable to the effects of natural disasters, a danger that Miami knows far too well as sea -levels continue to rise. Access to stable housing disrupts the vicious cycle of poverty and mitigates vulnerability to natural disasters, making low-income communities more resilient in the face of socioeconomic and environmental challenges. As the world continues to face the interconnected crises of the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, and large-scale wealth inequality, the City of Miami has an opportunity to set a global example with innovative solutions to housing challenges that foster true stability for all and not return to unsuccessful measures to criminalize the most vulnerable among us. Security is needed — not in the form of police enforcement, but from proven measures to alleviate homelessness through adequate access to shelter, social services, medical care, and financial opportunities that ensure stable livelihoods for those experiencing homelessness. Major cities across the United States are grappling with inadequate access to housing as costs rise, eviction moratoriums lift, and low-income communities continue to be displaced from rapid urban development. Miami now has the second most expensive housing market in the U.S. with over 80% of median income going towards homeownership costs for the average city resident. In a 2019 report tracking the progress of American cities towards the United Nations Erica Maxwell Sustainability Goals, Miami was unfortunately spotlighted for having the highest rate of rent -burdened residents and failing to make progress towards Goal 11 of Sustainable Cities and Communities. Punitive measures to address homelessness in our city will only exacerbate the issue and perpetuate the suffocating cycle of poverty, leading to more people who are homeless and needing additional resources. Research shows that impoverished people need connection to their communities and neighborhoods to have a chance to end this cycle — but city ordinances that force homeless individuals away from their connections, disperse them throughout the city, and criminalize their existence in public spaces do just the opposite. We find various Commissioners' comments connecting homeless encampments to crime telling of their true negative views towards unhoused individuals while also inaccurate, as research from two U.S. major cities shows that encampments are actually likely to decrease crime in surrounding areas. The concerns over drug use and mental health assumptions are misplaced as those experiencing these issues are more likely to be a danger to themselves than others and in reality constitute a small fraction of the unhoused population, although often more visible. In addition to the inadequacy of spending city funds on surface -level enforcement measures rather than deeper fixes through affordable housing development, Miami's previous attempts to criminalize homelessness have been costly for the city through subsequent legal battles resulting in the Pottinger Settlement Agreement. We have an opportunity now to do better and write a different story. In 2019, the City of Miami adopted the Resilient305 Strategy, as part of a global effort to advance urban resilience and sustainable development and in line with the Sustainable Development Goals. As the Resilient305 Strategy states, "Our overwhelmed criminal justice system has taught the value of social services as public health interventions." Study after study shows that the answer to ending homelessness and effectively using city funds is financing supportive housing as a permanent, sustainable solution. We must invest in long-term infrastructure and social support for homeless individuals rather than criminalizing their living situations and furthering marginalization. Thank you for the opportunity to comment and for considering alternatives to harsh measures such as Resolution 10623. Speaking to Commissioners J. Carollo, A.Diaz del la 780 NE 69 PH - Public Portilla, M. Reyes and J. Watson YOU SHOULD BE Street Hearings ASHAMED! The vote to make homeless encampments illegal and rapidly dispose of homeless possessions is a Jessica Ginsberg 3917 Crawford Ave Cindy Snyder 3980 Hardie Ave PH. 9 10810 Direct CM - South Coconut Grove TC D PH. 9 10810 Direct CM - South Coconut Grove TC D CRIME! Being homeless is NOT a crime, but you are voting to make that so. As you are aware, Miami is currently one of the most expensive cities to live in in the United States, with few options for affordable housing. The hard hits of both COVID and the housing crisis have forced so many Miami residents - elderly, young, children - onto the streets. Yet the city has done little to help mitigate this crisis. What I also cannot believe is the measure to make it illegal to aid the homeless on the streets. I am someone who drives around with clean clothes, shoes, towels, and blankets in her car to give to those in need. I purchase food for hungry men and women at gas stations and freely give snacks to those asking for help. And you want to ARREST AND/OR FINE ME FOR THAT?! Making acts of kindness and generosity illegal that help our city's most vulnerable people is simply despicable. It is obvious the Commissioners I mentioned have never faced much financial adversity and if you pass this vote today, I promise that you will see serious repercussions to our city and to your reputations as Commissioners. Therefore, I ask that rather than hurt the homeless, let us take this opportunity to help those who are struggling on the streets and find a REAL solution that gets people off the streets without simply throwing away the little that these people have, telling them to move somewhere else and then fining them - WHEN THEY DON'T HAVE MONEY! I implore you to do the right thing today and not vote for this measure. Instead, be a hero for those without a voice, without money, and without power, rather than the greedy, blind, and shortsighted politicians that only serve communities with money, influence, and power. Please, please, please do the right thing today and do not vote for this ban on the homeless. Resident consensus is important for changes that affect the entire block Pls vote NO to PH-9, the proposal to by-pass the balloting process, denying home owners' their rights to weigh in on a Proposal for installation of "so-called" Traffic Calming Devices in the South Grove neighborhood. The county's policy for a super majority, either 2/3rds or 100% of owners' ballots should be upheld. Taking away the rights of resident/owners to weigh in on a community issue is not justified to attempt to reduce the "problem" of a small minority at the risk of creating other issues &/or problems for more neighbors. It is unknowable what the scope of the "problem" is without a ballot. Let's base decisions on facts not hypotheses which are unsupported. Michael Miller Nathan james Kurt Andrew Brand kishlar Wagner Levin 3986 Park Drive 3711 De Garmo Lane, Miami, FL 33133 3505 wildwood cr 4151 Park Avenue, Miami FL 33133 1425 Brickell Avenue Miami, FL 33131 PH. 9 10810 Direct CM - South Coconut Grove TC D PH. 9 10810 Direct CM - South Coconut Grove TC D PH. 9 10810 Direct CM - South Coconut Grove TC D PH. 9 10810 Direct CM - South Coconut Grove TC D FR. 2 10602 Amend Code - Chapter 36 - Noise Please know, as a long time (37 years) south Grove resident, I am strongly against eliminating meaningful resident/owner input as required by the county's policy for a super majority, either 2/3rds or 100% of owner's ballots, of affected resident/owners to support the installation of numerous traffic calming devises. There is no reason, based on evidence, that this must be rushed (or as Mr. Russel calls it, "expeditiously" proceed) forward. The requirement of 2/3 property owner/resident concurrence should not be waived. No NO My wife & I are 100% in support of expediting traffic calming devices without public consent. Driver self awareness & speeding in Miami (even on side streets) is the worst I have seen anywhere in the country & we've lived in many large & medium sized cities. We need to slow traffic down here. I have lived in my Brickell apartment for 10 years. Even as friends have come and gone and the desire to experience life in other cities has come into discussion, I ultimately decided that this area is where I want to be, forever. I love the peace, quiet and safety of Brickell and the immediate area, while also greatly enjoy the city feel of apartment living, and being able to walk wherever I need to be. That all changed about a year ago, when Miami Marine Stadium began having concerts and festivals across the water. At first these events were rare, roughly once every 3 months, manageable but still greatly unwanted. Today, I fear that the city is establishing Miami Marine Stadium as the hot new venue for extremely loud concerts and events that sometimes span over the course of days. These festival grounds are a much undesired new attraction for those of us who have established our homes in the Brickell area. While some may argue that Miami Marine Stadium is over a mile and a half away, and surely should not be a bother to residents, the water carries the sound waves, and especially the base, far into Brickell and its apartments. My condominium rattles and I can tell which song is being played as I sit in my bedroom. There is no chance of sleeping during these concerts - I sit in my laundry room at the center of my home until the music ends, sometimes having to wait until past 3am. Last Thursday and Friday, in fact, I had to Chris Wunsch 3904 Loquat Avenue Richard Adams Barbara J Walter Ringwald 4121 Bonita Ave 3901 Braganza Ave Lange Coconut Grove FI 33233 3940 Utopia Ct, FL33133 PH. 9 10810 Direct CM - South Coconut Grove TC D PH. 9 10810 Direct CM - South Coconut Grove TC D PH. 9 10810 Direct CM - South Coconut Grove TC D PH. 9 10810 Direct CM - South do this twice! The concerts didn't finish until past 3 in the morning on both days. And then on Monday, I had to experience even more noise with an event that blasted music into my apartment from 4pm until 10:30pm. People move to the beautiful buildings and homes in Brickell to escape the noise. Miami Marine Stadium has now made us all prisoners to unbearable base and never-ending music at all hours of the day. Shame on the city of Miami for subjecting its residents to intolerable music not just during the day on weekends, but well into the night and early morning on even weekdays. Furthermore, since there is no code enforcement, these events never end when they say they will as advertised online. For example, Glasshouse Miami advertised that it would end at 9pm on Monday, and the sound didn't end until 10:30pm. Trillerfest back in May as well played two hours later than its advertised end time, early into the morning on a weekday night. Miami is known as a fun city, however that should not come at the cost of playing concerts at all hours of the day in the backyard of a residential area. While I'm sure many residents would greatly prefer to never have to hear the sound emanating from Miami Marine Stadium at any time for perpetuity, I understand that this discussion strictly involves removing the noise ordinance exemption from city -owned properties. This to me is a no-brainer, unless the city plans to continue subjecting its residents to the lack of sleep, rattling apartments, and overall torture that is a much unwanted tourist attraction in the backyard of a beautiful metropolitan area. Thank you, Andrew I do not want to waive. There must be representation of the homeowners. I am against eliminating meaningful resident/owner input as required by the county's policy for a super majority, either 2/3rds or 100% of owner's ballots, of affected resident/owners to support the outlined changes. Taking away the rights of resident/owners to weigh in on an issue, is not justified to reduce a "problem" of perhaps a small minority at the potential risk of creating other issues & problems for more neighbors. Do not eliminate owner concurrence. I am against Commissioner Russells waiver to exempt public process in order to put speed bumps in circles in my neighborhood. Really really bad policy. Please deny. I AM AGAINST WAIVER OF THE REQUIRED RESIDENT/PROPERTY OWNER CONCURRENCE, AND Lata 3837 Loquat Thomas Ave, Miami. FL 33133 Cindy Snyder 3980 Hardie Ave Niki Franco 439 NW 46th ST Coconut Grove TC D PH. 9 10810 Direct CM - South Coconut Grove TC D PH. 9 10810 Direct CM - South Coconut Grove TC D PH - Public Hearings EXEMPTION OF THE BALLOTING PROCESS IN ORDER TO EXPEDITIOUSLY PROCEED NEIGHBORHOOD TRAFFIC CALMING RESIDENT (PH9). THIS RIGHT MUST BE RESPECTED. DO NOT WAIVE THE REQUIRED RESIDENT/PROPERTY OWNER CONCURRENCE, AND EXEMPT THE BALLOTING PROCESS IN ORDER TO EXPEDITIOUSLY PROCEED