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HomeMy WebLinkAboutOMNI CRA 2025-06-26 MinutesCity of Miami 3500 Pan American Drive Miami, FL 33133 www.miamigov.com Omni C R A Meeting Minutes Thursday, June 26, 2025 9:30 AM (OR THEREAFTER) City Hall 3500 Pan American Drive Miami, FL 33133 OMNI Community Redevelopment Agency Damian Pardo, Chair, District Two Joe Carollo, Vice Chair, District Three Miguel Angel Gabela, Board Member, District One Ralph "Rafael" Rosado, Board Member, District Four Christine King, Board Member, District Five OMNI CRA OFFICE ADDRESS: 1401 N. Miami Avenue, 2"d Floor Miami, FL 33136 Phone: (305) 679-6868 www.omnicra.com OMNI Community Redevelopment Agency Meeting Minutes June 26, 2025 CALL TO ORDER Present: Chair Pardo, Vice Chair Carollo, Commissioner Gabela, Commissioner Rosado and Commissioner King On the 26th day of June 2025, the Board of Commissioners of the OMNI Community Redevelopment Agency of the City of Miami met in special session at Miami City Hall located at 3500 Pan American Drive, Miami, Florida. The meeting was called to order by Chair Pardo at 12:46 p.m., and was adjourned at 12: 56 p.m. ALSO PRESENT: Isiaa Jones, Executive Director, CRA Domini Gibbs-Sorey, Assistant City Attorney Todd B. Hannon, Clerk of the Board PUBLIC COMMENTS FOR ALL ITEM(S) Chair Pardo: Is there a motion for Items 1 through 3? Board Member Gabela: Motion. Board Member Rosado: So moved. Chair Pardo: All those in favor? Todd B. Hannon (Clerk of the Board): Chair, Chair, remember the public comment. Board Member King: Wait, we have to have public comment. Chair Pardo: Oh, that's right. Sorry about that. We'll take this time to go ahead and open it up for public comment on Resolutions 1 through 3. Board Member Gabela: Motion. M'r. Hannon: It's moved. Evalina Bestman: Good afternoon. My name is Evalina Bestman, the developer. I come before you with a humble spirit and a depth of'gratitude, you know, to my God and my deceased parents, David and Florence Poitier-Williams, the Miami Homes for All (UNINTELLIGIBLE) programs, the Omni CRA, the architects, and the legal consultants, and to you, the commissioners, for your unwavering commitment to address the great need that our citizens have for decent and affordable housing. Therefore, the grace of God goeth L I am a native Overtowner born on Northwest 1st Court in a three-room, what we call shotgun shack, where our parents had hard -ash, scrawled porches. They shared -- they stared -- you know, it stood as our living room. I shared a room and double bed with two younger brothers and bathed daily in a wash tub in the small kitchen. Yes, Overtown is where I had my social, religious, and educational beginnings. With my mother's encouragement and foresight, I invested in property in Overtown, on the very street where I was born. And after 50 years of hoping and wishing, I put into action my dream of really providing housing for individuals of limited income. And also, my dream to dream the impossible dream, and 1 share with you those words because they're very important to me. To dream the impossible dream to run where the brave OMNI Community Redevelopment Agency Page 1 Printed on 7/17/2025 OMNI Community Redevelopment Agency Meeting Minutes June 26, 2025 dare not go. To try when your arms are too weary to reach the unreachable star. This is my quest to follow the star, no matter how hopeless, no matter how far. And I know that if only I were true to this glorious quest, that my heart will lie peaceful and calm when 1 am laid to my, rest. And the world will be better for this. I'll always dream the impossible dream. And yes, with your affirmative, positive vote in support of this resolution, I shall reach that unreachable star for those who so need it in this community. Thank you. Chair Pardo: Thank you. OMNI CRA RESOLUTION(S) 1. OMNI CRA RESOLUTION 16969 A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF THE OMNI REDEVELOPMENT DISTRICT COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY ("CRA"), WITH ATTACHMENT(S), BY A FOUR -FIFTHS (4/5THS) AFFIRMATIVE VOTE, AFTER AN ADVERTISED PUBLIC HEARING, RATIFYING, APPROVING, AND CONFIRMING THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S RECOMMENDATION AND FINDING, ATTACHED AND INCORPORATED AS EXHIBIT "A" THAT COMPETITIVE NEGOTIATION METHODS AND PROCEDURES ARE NOT PRACTICABLE OR ADVANTAGEOUS PURSUANT TO SECTIONS 18-85 AND 18-86 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED, AS ADOPTED BY THE CRA; WAIVING THE REQUIREMENTS FOR COMPETITIVE SEALED BIDDING AS NOT BEING PRACTICABLE OR ADVANTAGEOUS TO THE CRA; AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT, WITH SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS BETWEEN THE CRA AND EWB HOLDINGS, LLC, A FLORIDA LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY FOR A MIXED -INCOME DEVELOPMENT PROJECT ("PROJECT") OF THE PROPERTIES LOCATED AT 1433 NORTH WEST 1ST COURT, MIAMI, FLORIDA AND 1435 NORTH WEST 1ST COURT, MIAMI, FLORIDA WITHIN THE CRA'S REDEVELOPMENT AREA; FURTHER AUTHORIZING THE ALLOCATION OF FUNDS IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED TWO MILLION NINE HUNDRED SEVENTY-SIX THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED NINETY-EIGHT DOLLARS ($2,976,798.00) FOR THE PROJECT; FURTHER AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO EXECUTE ANY AND ALL DOCUMENTS NECESSARY, ALL IN FORMS ACCEPTABLE TO THE GENERAL COUNSEL, FOR THE PURPOSE STATED HEREIN, ALL BEING SUBJECT TO THE AVAILABILITY OF FUNDING AND THE RENTS BEING RESTRICTED FOR THIRTY (30) YEARS AS MORE PARTICULARLY DETAILED IN A RESTRICTIVE COVENANT TO BE RECORDED IN THE PUBLIC RECORDS OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA, AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. ENACTMENT NUMBER: CRA-R-25-0029 MOTION TO: Adopt RESULT: ADOPTED MOVER: Joe Carollo, Board Member, District Three SECONDER: Christine King, Board Member, District Five AYES: Pardo, Carollo, Gabela, Rosado, King Chair Pardo: Good afternoon, everyone. I'm calling to order the June 26, 2025 Omni CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency) meeting. Madam Executive OMNI Community Redevelopment Agency Page 2 Printed on 7/17/2025 OMNI Community Redevelopment Agency Meeting Minutes June 26, 2025 Director, please briefly read in -- read the agenda items, CRA Resolutions I through 3 into the record. Isiaa Jones (Executive Director): Good afternoon. Item Number 1 is a resolution of the Board of Commissioners of the CRA authorizing a grant fund to Dr. Evalina Bestman for properties located within the District 5 portion of the Omni CRA at 1433 Northwest 1st Court and 1435 Northwest 1st Court, for an amount not to exceed $2.9 million, all being subject to the availability of funds and the rents being restricted for 30 years as more particularly detailed in the restrictive covenant. Chair Pardo: Do you want to mention the units, just the units, the number of units? Ms. Jones: Oh, Jro11 units being rented, some of them as low as 30 percent AMI (Area Median Income), $630 per month for some of the units. Chair Pardo: Thank you. Ms. Jones: Item Number 2. Vice Chair Carollo: Chair, when can we ask questions? Chair Pardo: Well, you want to ask on this resolution? Vice Chair Carollo: Yeah. Chair Pardo: Go ahead. Vice Chair Carollo: What is the total amount of the cost, land, and construction of the project? Ms. Jones: Commissioner, the total project cost is $3, 380, 498. Vice Chair Carollo: 3.3 million and change and we're allocating almost three million? Ms. Jones: 2.976798 [sic]. Vice Chair Carollo: They're only putting a little over $300,000 out of the 3.3? Ms. Jones: Plus, the land. The land is currently owned -- Vice Chair Carollo: Okay. Ms. Jones: -- by Dr. Bestman. Vice Chair Carollo: All right. What is the value of the land, present value? Ms. Jones: Each -- we -- based on an informal assessment, each property, there are two parcels. Vice Chair Carollo: Right. Ms. Jones: Each is about $300, 000. Vice Chair Carollo: Okay. Ms. Jones: And that's on the low end of the appraisal value. OMNI Community Redevelopment Agency Page 3 Printed on 7/17/2025 OMNI Community Redevelopment Agency Meeting Minutes June 26, 2025 Vice Chair Carollo: Okay. So, they might have about a million dollars, which is 25 percent of the project. And how low are the rental costs for the units? Ms. Jones: How long? What's the affordability, covenant? Vice Chair Carollo: Yeah. Ms. Jones: Thirty years. Vice Chair Carollo: Thirty years. But the cost of renting those units, it's 11, and I think it's a mixture, mainly one bedrooms, but you got some two bedrooms and one, at least one, a three bedroom, I remember reading. Ms. Jones: Yes. Vice Chair Carollo: What is the average cost per unit? Ms. Jones: The average cost per unit is about 270 -- for development, $270,000. Vice Chair Carollo: I don 't mean that. I'm saying -- Chair Pardo: He means the rent. Vice Chair Carollo: The rental, the rental cost. Ms. Jones: I do not have that breakdown for right now, but I what I do have is what each unit is going to be rented for. Vice Chair Carollo: Yeah. M. Jones: So, each unit is going -- one -- the one at 30 percent is going to he $638 every month. Vice Chair Carollo: How many of those are going to be at that? Ms. Jones: I have two of those at 30 percent AMI Vice Chair Carollo: One bedrooms, 1 would imagine? Ms. Jones: One bedrooms. Vice Chair Carollo: Okay, all right. Then how many on the two bedrooms? Ms. Jones: You have one -- three of the two bedrooms. One of the two bedrooms is going to be $1,200. Vice Chair Carollo: Okay. Ms. Jones: The other two bedroom, $2,000. And the other two bedroom at $2,300. Vice Chair Carollo: And the three bedroom? Ms. Jones: The three bedroom is going to be $2, 600. Board Member Gabela: How much again, sorry? OMNI Community Redevelopment Agency Page 4 Printed on 7/17/2025 OMNI Community Redevelopment Agency Meeting Minutes June 26, 2025 Ms. Jones: $2, 600 for the three bedroom. Vice Chair Carollo: And how many square feet are in each of the three bedrooms, two bedrooms, and one -bedroom units? Ms. Jones: You said, Commissioner, how many -- was it square footage? Vice Chair Carollo: Yeah, the square footage of the units. Ms. Jones: I do not have the exact breakdown with me right now, but the architect for the project is here and will be able to, Dr. Bestman, the architect, and everybody's here, will be able to expound on more information. Actually, the one bedroom is about 500 square feet. The two bedroom is about 750 square feet. The three bedroom is about 883 square feet. Vice Chair Carollo: Okay, so they're small two and three bedrooms and a small one bedroom, but nevertheless, they are one, two, and three, and they have livable bedrooms in all three of them on those sizes. I would have liked, but I understand why it is such for people that get money from us to put more on their side. Here is three to one that we're giving. But I will go along with it. I know the area that it's being done in. I know the need that's there. And the amounts on the rental that you're giving me is within the area that is acceptable. Chair Pardo: Are we good? Vice Chair Carollo: Yeah, in the crazy market that we have today where everything is totally unaffordable. All right, thank you. Chair Pardo: Resolution Number 2? M. Jones: Thank you. I wanted to clarify the grant amount into the record. It is actually $2, 976, 798. Vice Chair Carollo: Okay. So, it's a little better. Ms. Jones: Item Number 2 is a resolution authorizing the allocation of grant funds in an additional amount of $5 million but for the mixed use and mixed intone project known as Uni-Tower with amendments. Those amendments would be for the developer, the option to repay $2.5 million if rent restrictions are lifted. Item Number 3 is a resolution adopting the City of Miami's order of business and rules of procedure to allow for automatic continuance of Omni CRA board meetings in the event of an emergency consistent with the City of Miami Code. [Later...] Can have a motion on Resolutions 1 through 3? Mr. Hannon: And just for the record -- Chair Pardo: There's two already. Mr. Hannon: -- the public hearing -- just for the record, the public -- Chair Pardo: Oh, the public hearing is now closed. Public comment period is now closed. Vice Chair Carollo: Motion. OMNI Community Redevelopment Agency Page 5 Printed on 7/17/2025 OMNI Community Redevelopment Agency Meeting Minutes June 26, 2025 Board Member King: Second. Chair Pardo: All those in favor? The Board Members (Collectively): Aye. Chair Pardo: Motion carries. Thank you, everyone, for being here today. The meeting is now adjourned. 2. OMNI CRA RESOLUTION 15521 A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF THE OMNI REDEVELOPMENT DISTRICT COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY ("CRA"), WITH ATTACHMENT(S), BY A FOUR -FIFTHS (4/5THS) AFFIRMATIVE VOTE, AFTER AN ADVERTISED PUBLIC HEARING, RATIFYING, APPROVING, AND CONFIRMING THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S RECOMMENDATION AND FINDING, ATTACHED AND INCORPORATED AS EXHIBIT "A," THAT COMPETITIVE NEGOTIATION METHODS AND PROCEDURES ARE NOT PRACTICABLE OR ADVANTAGEOUS PURSUANT TO SECTIONS 18-85 AND 18-86 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED, ("CITY CODE"), AS ADOPTED BY THE CRA; WAIVING THE REQUIREMENTS FOR COMPETITIVE SEALED BIDDING AS NOT BEING PRACTICABLE OR ADVANTAGEOUS TO THE CRA; AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE AN AMENDMENT TO THE ECONOMIC INCENTIVE AGREEMENT DATED MAY 21, 2020 ("AGREEMENT") IN A FORM ACCEPTABLE TO THE GENERAL COUNSEL, FOR THE MIXED -USE AND MIXED -INCOME PROJECT KNOWN AS "UNI- TOWER" ("PROJECT") FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF PROPERTY LOCATED WITHIN A UNITED STATES SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION DESIGNATED HUBZONE AT 70 NORTH EAST 17TH STREET, 90 NORTH EAST 17TH STREET, AND 1642 NORTH EAST 1ST AVENUE, MIAMI, FLORIDA; FURTHER AMENDING THE AFFORDABILITY PERIOD OF THE PROJECT TO 2055; AUTHORIZING THE ALLOCATION OF GRANT FUNDS IN AN ADDITIONAL AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED FIVE MILLION AND 00/100 DOLLARS ($5,000,000.00), SUBJECT TO THE AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS; FURTHER AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE AN AMENDED RESTRICTIVE COVENANT AGREEMENT, AND ANY AND ALL OTHER NECESSARY DOCUMENTS, ALL IN FORMS ACCEPTABLE TO THE GENERAL COUNSEL FOR THE PURPOSE STATED HEREIN AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. ENACTMENT NUMBER: CRA-R-25-0030 MOTION TO: Adopt RESULT: ADOPTED MOVER: Joe Carollo, Board Member, District Three SECONDER: Christine King, Board Member, District Five LAVES: Pardo, Carollo, Gabela, Rosado, King Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Resolution Number 2, please see Resolution Number 1. OMNI Community Redevelopment Agency Page 6 Printed on 7/17/2025 OMNI Community Redevelopment Agency Meeting Minutes June 26, 2025 3. OMNI CRA RESOLUTION 17814 A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF THE OMNI COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY ("OMNI CRA"), APPROVING, ACCEPTING, AND ADOPTING THE CITY OF MIAMI'S ORDER OF BUSINESS AND RULES OF PROCEDURE, AS OUTLINED IN CHAPTER 2/ARTICLE II/SECTION 2-33/SUBSECTION (0) OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED ("CITY CODE"), TITLED "ADMINISTRATION/MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION/ORDER OF BUSINESS AND RULES OF PROCEDURE," TO PROVIDE FOR THE AUTOMATIC CONTINUANCE OF AN OMNI CRA BOARD MEETING WHEN A MEETING IS CANCELLED OR NOT HELD DUE TO LACK OF QUORUM OR OTHER EMERGENCY; CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE AND PROVIDING FOR AN IMMEDIATE EFFECTIVE DATE. ADJOURNMENT ENACTMENT NUMBER: CRA-R-25-0031 MOTION TO: Adopt RESULT: ADOPTED MOVER: Joe Carollo, Board Member, District Three SECONDER: Christine King, Board Member, District Five LAYES: Pardo, Carollo, Gabela, Rosado, King Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Resolution Number 3, please see Resolution Number I. The meeting adjourned at 12:56 p.m. OMNI Community Redevelopment Agency Page 7 Printed on 7/17/2025