I’M MICHAEL PUTNEY, AND I’M GLAD TO BE BACK. >> WE’RE GLAD YOU ARE BACK.
I’M GLENNA MILBERG, WE BEGIN
WITH SHORLT TERM ATTENTION TO
LONG-TERM PROBLEMS FACED BY
EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD IN SOUTH
FLORIDA.
BUT THIS WEEK ALL AT ONCE IN
MIAMI DADE A SUNDAY FOCUS ON
ROAD SAFETY BECAUSE OF THE TWO
CYCLISTS MOST RECENTLY KILLED ON
THE RICK ENBACKER, A CAUSEWAY
USED FOR SO MUCH MORE THAN
COMMUTING.
>> AND THIS WEEK A DAY-LONG
FIGHT ENSUED BEFORE THE MIME’S
DISAID COMMISSION OVER WHETHER
TO ALLOW A BIG PROJECT TO BE
BUILT BEYOND THE URBAN
DEVELOPMENT BOUNDARY LINE.
ALSO UP FOR DISCUSSION THIS
WEEK, THE MAYOR’S PLAN TO BUILD
ABOUT 70 MILLION DOLLARS WORTH
OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
>> IT HAS BEEN AN EVENTFUL WEEK
FOR MIAMI DADE MAYOR DANIELLA
LAVIGNE CAVA AND SHE JOINS US
LIVE FOR AN EVENTFUL 10E OR 12
MINUTE, GOOD MORNING, MAYOR.
>> GOOD MORNING.
GREAT TO BE WITH YOU.
>> WE ARE SO GLAD YOU ARE.
MAYOR, LET’S TALK ABOUT WHAT IS
GOING ON FIRST ON THE
RICKENBACKER CAUSEWAY, THIS
TRAGIC ACCIDENT LAST WEEK WHERE
THESE TWO TWO RESIDENTS DIED
WHEN THEY WERE HIT BY A VEHICLE.
THIS WEEKEND YOU HAVE BEEFED UP
THE POLICE PRESENCE ON THE
CAUSEWAY.
YOU HAVE LOWERED THE SPEED
LIMIT.
THESE ARE ALL GOOD MEASURES BUT
THEY ARE CLEARLY TEMPORARY STOP
GAP MEASURES, WHAT IS THE
LONG-TERM SOLUTION?
>> CLEARLY WE CANNOT TOLERATE
THIS KIND OF DANGER ON OUR
ROADWAYS FOR OUR PEDESTRIANS AND
FOR OUR CYCLISTS.
AND WE NEED EVERYBODY TO WORK
TOGETHER TO TRULY GET TO VISION
ZERO, THESE ARE IMMEDIATE,
SHORT-TERM MEASURES WE PUT ON
TOP OF WHAT WE HAD AS EXISTING
PROTECTIONS.
AND WE’VE GOTTEN VERY GOOD
FEEDBACK.
WE’VE HAD HUNDREDS OF
COMMUNICATIONS WITH PEOPLE
CROSSING THE CAUSEWAY, WE HAVE
PROTECTED THE MOST DANGEROUS
SPOTS WITH SOME BARRIERS, THE
SPEED LIMIT PRODUCTION, AND SO
ON.
BUT WE WILL BE INSTALLING SOME
MID-TERM SOLUTIONS, SOME MORE
BARRIERS AND WE’LL BE PLANNING
FOR LONG-TERM IMPROVEMENTS ON
THE CAUSEWAY.
A PUBLIC PROCESS HAS BEGUN.
WE’RE WORKING TOGETHER WITH THE
VILLAGE OF KEY BISCAYNE, WE’LL
BE CONVENING WITH
BICYCLIST-- BICYCLE ACTIVISTS
AFTER THIS ALL THIS WEEK, WE’RE
GOING TO ENGAGE AND GET THE BEST
POSSIBLE THINKING AND I HAVE
ALLOCATED SHORT-TERM FUNDING TO
MAKE SURE WE CAN GET IT DONE AT
THE SAME TIME AS WE PLAN FOR AN
EFFECTIVE LONG-TERM PROTECTION.
>> SO MAYOR, LET ME, WHAT’S
LET’S STIPULATE A COUPLE OF
THINGS.
NUMBER ONE SOUTH FLORIDA DRIVERS
ARE AMONG THE WORST IN THE
NATION AND I SAY THAT WITH ALL
LOVE AND RESPECT.
AND THEY ARE.
>> AND SO THE BARRIERS THAT ARE
THERE, THAT ARE CONES ARE
PROBABLY NOT ANY SAFER, MUCH
MORE SAFER FOR BICYCLISTS THAN
THE PLASTIC STICKS ON THE HIGH
SPEED LANES ON I-95 THAT PEOPLE
ROLL OVER.
AND I SAY THIS RESPECTFULLY,
THERE ARE PEOPLE, SOME OF THE
OPPOSITION I WILL CALL THEM WHO
SAY NOTHING GETS DONE UNTIL
SOMEONE GETS KILLED.
AND ON THIS CASE ON THE
RICKENBACKER THEY HAPPEN TO HAVE
A POINT THERE.
IT IS A PROBLEM THROUGHOUT SOUTH
FLORIDA WHEN YOU HAVE BIG,
BEAUTIFUL SCENIC ROADWAYS AND A
LOT OF PEOPLE WHO LIKE
RECREATION.
SO WE’RE TALKING SORT OF BIG
PICTURE HERE, VERY FOCUSED ON
THE RICKENBACKER WHERE THERE WAS
A LONG-TERM PLAN IN THE WORKS
UNTIL LATE LAST YEAR, EARLY THIS
YEAR.
ST CALLED PLAN Z FOR A WHOLESALE
REDO OF THE RICKENBACKER WHO
KIND OF MY UNDERSTANDING GOT
BOGGED DOWN IN COMPETING
INTERESTS.
SO HOW DO YOU BREAK THAT LOGJAM
AND GO FORWARD?
>> YOU KNOW, THE PROCESS THAT WE
HAVE FOR UNSOLICITED BIDS IS
VERY DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER AND
THERE WERE LOTS OF CONCERNS THAT
AROSE AFTER THE BID WAS MOVING
FORWARD.
SO IT WAS REALLY NECESSARY TO
STOP AND LISTEN AGAIN TO THE
PUBLIC.
SO WE DID THAT WITH A SUPPORT
NOT ONLY OF THE VILLAGE OF KEY
BISCAYNE BUT MANY OF THE USERS
OF THE CAUSEWAY BICYCLISTS WHO
HAD A LOT OF CHANGES THAT THEY
WOULD HAVE LIKED TO SEE.
AND WE WERE NOT ABLE TO DO IT
WITHIN THE CONFINES OF THAT
PROCUREMENT SO IT WAS NECESSARY
TO START AGAIN.
AND OF COURSE WE ARE ALWAYS
WORKING IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE
PUBLIC GETTING THEIR FEEDBACK
EVEN TODAY, WE’RE GETTING
FEEDBACK ON THE EXACT
POSITIONING OF THESE BARRIERS
WHICH ARE APPROVING EFFECTIVE,
LET ME SAY GLENNA BECAUSE WE
HAVE MAJOR SIGNAGE.
WE DO HAVE THE INCREASED
ENFORCEMENT.
WE JUST NEED TO COPE WITH
DISTRACTED DRIVERS.
>> YEAH.
MAYOR LEVINE KAFA IT IS-- CAVA
IT IS CLEAR THAT ALL OWE PAINTED
BIKE LINES ARE GOOD AND PROVIDE
SOME KIND OF PERHAPS SAFETY
ELEMENT, THAT AT SOME POINT ON
THE RICKENBACKER CAUSEWAY A
BARRIER WALL SEEMS TO BE THE
ONLY ANSWER.
I MEAN WHERE THIS COUPLE WAS
TRAGICALLY KILLED LAST WEEK WAS
AT A POINT WHERE IT IS KIND OF
CONFUSING TO DRIVERS.
IT DOES APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN AN
ACCIDENT.
BUT ANYWAY, THE ANSWER, DO YOU
BELIEVE, IS AT SOME POINT ALONG
THERE A WALL BETWEEN BICYCLISTS
AND RUNNERS AND DRIVERS?
>> WE HAVE RECREATIONAL RIDERS.
AND WE HAVE SUPERFAST PACKS OF
RIDERS.
AND WE ARE LACKING FOR A
SOLUTION THAT WILL PROTECT
EVERYONE.
SO SOME PEOPLE ARE ASKING FOR
WIDER BICYCLE AMENITIES,
CERTAINLY PLAN Z HAD A SPECIFIC
SEPARATED SUBSTANTIAL CORRIDOR
FOR BICYCLISTS SO WE WILL BE
LOOK THE A ALL OF THAT IN TERMS
AV I LONG-TERM SOLUTION.
WE HAVE 50 OTHER SPOTS WE HAVE
IDENTIFIED AS TOP PRIORITIES AND
THROUGH OUR VISION ZERO WE WILL
BE MOVING A GRESSIVELY
THROUGHOUT THE THE FOR SAFETY
MEASURES.
>> YOU SAID YOU WERE, WITHOUTING
WITH KEY BISCAYNE’S MAYOR.
THERE ARE SO MANY STAKEHOLDERS
IN THIS CAUSEWAY, THE KEY
BISCAYNE COMMUTERS AND THE
BIKERS AND THE WIND SURFERS, THE
KIDS AND MASS ACADEMY.
THE MAYOR OF KEY BISCAYNE, HI
ASKED HIM, WOULD YOU BE OPEN TO
LOWERING THE SPEED LIMIT AND HE
WAS QUITE HONESTLY SAYING, YOU
KNOW, MY RESIDENTS DON’T WANT
THE SPEED LIMIT LOWERED BECAUSE
IT STARTED OUT AS THEIR IN AND
OUT.
THEY HAVE ONE WAY IN AND OUT.
AND SO TALK ABOUT, IS, THE U YOU
HAD ENFORCEMENT OUT THERE THIS
MORNING BUT WE ALL KNOW THAT
ENFORCEMENT LIKE THAT KIND OF
ENTRENCHED BE CAN’T GO
LONG-TERM.
SO HOW MUCH OF AN ISSUE IS THE
SPEED LIMIT AND HOW MUCH OF A
DEBATE IS THAT COMPONENT GOING
TO BE.
>> FOR NOW WE LOAFERRED THE
SPEED LIMIT.
WE THINK FOR GOOD CAUSE AND WITH
GOOD RESULTS.
DEFINITELY IT WILL BE SOMETHING
WE’RE EXPLORING.
LOOK, LIVES ARE THE MOST
IMPORTANT THING HERE.
OBVIOUSLY CONVENIENCE,
EXPEDIENCE IS IMPORTANT BUT NOT
AT THE EXPENSE OF LIVES SO WE’RE
GOING TO EXPLORING EVERY OPTION.
>> MAYOR LEVINE CAVA IF WE K I
WANT TO MOVE ON TO THIS BIG
SOUTH DADE WAREHOUSE PROJECT,
THE SOUTH DADE LOGISTICS
TECHNOLOGY DISTRICT THAT WAS
PROPOSED.
AND IT’S STILL ON THE TABLE.
IT WAS ONLY DEFERRED, THE VOTE
THIS WEEK.
YOU OPPOSE THAT.
AND IT APPEARS THAT RIGHT NOW
NOT ENOUGH COMMISSIONERS SUPPORT
IT.
SO IT WAS DEFERRED AT THE
REQUEST OF THE DEVELOPER.
AND THEIR ATTORNEY BUT WHAT’S
WRONG WITH THIS?
I MEAN SOUTH DADE DOES NEED AN
ECONOMIC SHOT IN THE ARM.
THIS WOULD PROVIDE ITS
ESTIMATED, YOU KNOW, AT LEAST
FIVE OR 6,000 JOBS, SO WHAT’S
WRONG WITH THIS?
>> PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING IS
WRONG WITH IT.
TO BE CLEAR.
YOU HAVE TO SHOW NEED.
WE HAVE A MASTER PLAN FOR A
REASON.
WE HAVE LIMITED SPACE BUT WE
ALSO HAVE ENVIRONMENTAL NEEDS.
OUR WATER NEEDS TO BE PROTECTED,
OUR AGRICULTURE, OUR SECOND
BIGGEST ECONOMIC DRIVER NEEDS TO
BE PROTECTED AND WE ARE MOVING
AGGRESSIVELY TO CREATE MORE
OPPORTUNITIES INSIDE THE URBAN
DEVELOPMENT BOUNDARY.
AND WE HAVE SUFFICIENT LAND FOR
THE KIND OF DEVELOPMENT THAT WAS
PROPOSED.
SO ALL IN ALL THERE’S NO
DEMONSTRATED NEED.
AND THAT IS THE MAYOR CRY TER
ONTHAT OUR PLANNING DEPARTMENT
APPLIES IN RECOMMENDING DENIAL.
BUT THEY’RE NOT ALONE.
WE HAVE SENATOR MARCO RUBIO WHO
COAUTHORED AN OP ED WITH ME ON
THE SUBJECT.
WE HAVE THE DEPARTMENT OF
AGRICULTURE AT THE STATE.
THE-- WE HAVE THE EVERGLADES
WATCHDOG AGENCY AT THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT REJECTING IT.
THE SO MANY LOCAL STAKEHOLDERS,
CITIES THAT WEIGHED IN
THROUGHOUT MIAMI DADE COUNTY.
>> IF I COULD-- EXCUSE ME, IF I
COULD JUMP IN.
HEARING THIS, AND GLENNA WAS
THERE.
AND I ALSO WATCHED AND I HEARD
SOME RESIDENTSES OF SOUTH DADE,
ONE WOMAN SAID MY DAUGHTER
COMMUTES TWO TO THREE HOURS A
DAY TO GO TO SOMEWHERE IN MIAMI
DADE COUNTY FROM SOUTH DADE.
IF SHE COULD GET A JOB HERE, YOU
KNOW, ALL OF OUR LIVES OUR
INCOME WOULD BE BETTER.
THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE DOWN
THERE WHO MAKE A STRONG ARGUMENT
FOR A BETTER ECONOMIC FUTURE.
>> SO AS COMMISSIONER OF
DISTRICT EIGHT IN SOUTH DADE
HAVE I BEEN A STRONG PROUPON ENT
FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
WE PUCIALED HARD TO BINGE JOBS
TO THE AREA THAT WOULD ASSIST IN
THE LOCAL ECONOMY, FOR SURE.
PEOPLE WOULD IDEALLY LIVE CLOSER
TO WHERE THEY WORK.
THAT TO BE SAID WE ALSO HAVE
RAPID TRANSIT COMING TO SOUTH
DADE AT GREAT EXPENSE AND WITH
GREAT ANTICIPATION.
BUS RAPID TRANSTHAIT WILL
SUBSTANTIALLY REDUCE COMMUTE
TIMES AND BOTTOMLINE IS WE HAVE
SPACE FOR THE PROGRAMS THAT HAVE
BEEN PROPOSED.
WITHOUT CLEAR EVIDENCE OF WHAT
ARE THE BUSINESSES THAT ARE
COMING, WHAT ARE THE ACTUAL
NUMBER OF JOBS THAT CAN BE
GUARANTEED.
THAT WAS NOT CLEARLY PRESENTED
AS A CASE.
AND FINALLY, WITH WHAT DAMAGE
POTENTIALLY TO OUR ENVIRONMENT
WHICH IS OUR ECONOMY ULTIMATELY.
>> MAYOR, THIS IS SUCH A
FASCINATING SUBJECT.
AND I ENCOURAGE ANYONE WHO IS
NOT AT THAT MEETING TO CALL IT
UP AND WATCH THE LAST TEN
MINUTES BECAUSE THIS WAS-- THIS
IS A QUESTION ABOUT IT’S ABOUT
DEVELOPMENTS VERSUS PROTECTED
LANDS YES BUT ABOUT SPECIFICALLY
MOVING THE URBAN DEVELOPMENT
BOUNDARY THAT THIS COMMISSION
SET IN PLACE 40 SOMETHING B40
YEARS AGO.
FOR A PROJECT.
AND THIS IS NOT MEANT TO BE
PROOR CON FOR THE PROJECT.
YOU SORT OF WERE ELUDING TO THE
FACT THAT THERE ARE VERY
SPECIFIC RULES IN PLACE TO MEET
TO MOVE THE LINE.
AND NEED IS THERE-- IS THERE
THAT KIND OF LAND INSIDE THE
URBAN DEVELOPMENT BOUNDARY SO
THAT THIS PROJECT TRULY DOES NOT
NEED TO MOVE IT DOES THAT LAND
EXIST WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES?
>> IT WAS AMPLY PROVEN THAT THE
ACREAGE THAT WAS RESPECTED EXIST
WITHIN THE BOUNDARY, NOT TO
MENTION THAT A GOOD HALF OF THE
PROPOSED PROJECT LAND IS NOT
EVEN AVAILABLE TO THEM AND THE
OWNER OF THAT LAND CAME DOWN TO
MAKE THAT VERY, VERY CLEAR.
SO THIS IS A CON-- CONCEPT.
THIS IS, SOME HAVE CALLED IT A
DREAM T IS NOT AN ACTUAL FULLY
ASSEMBLED PROJECT.
AND IT’S PREMATURE.
IN 2040 THIS LAND WILL BE
CONSIDERED AS WHAT THEY CALL THE
URBAN EXPANSION AREA FOR FUTURE
DEVELOPMENT.
WE HAVE THE LAND TO DO THESE
PROJECTS INSIDE THE URBAN
DEVELOPMENT LINE RIGHT NOW.
>> SO IF IT IS OKAY LET’S JUST
TAKE A TWO MINUTE BREAK.
WE’RE UP AGAINST A LITTLE BIT OF
A BREAK BECAUSE I REALLY WANT TO
GET INTO WHAT HAPPENED
POLITICALLY IN THAT LAST TEN
MINUTES OF THE MEETING WHEN WE
COME RIGHT BACK.
COME RIGHT BACK. STAY TUNED. >> WE ARE BACK WITH MIAMI DADE
MAYOR DANIELLA LAVIGNE CAVA
TALKING ABOUT THIS REALLY
CURIOUS VOTE OF THE COMMISSION
OVER WHETHER TO MOVE THE URBAN
DEVELOPMENT BOUNDARY.
MAYOR THAT NEEDS A NINE OF 13
VOTES.
IT CAME DOWN AFTER A WHOLE DWAI
OF A PACKED HOUSE AND A LOT OF
DEBATE ON BOTH SIDES.
AND PRESENTATIONS AND THERE WAS
NO MOTION TO MOVE THE LINE.
INSTEAD COMMISSIONER DANIEL COEN
HIGINS YOUR SUCCESSOR IN THAT
DISTRICT MADE A MOTION TO NOT
MOVE IT FORWARD.
COULDN’T BET THAT VOTE AND THEN
THE LAND USE ATTORNEY, THE
ZONING ATTORNEY WHO IS BEHIND
THIS GOT UP AND SAID HEY, LET’S
DEFER IT AND MAJORITY OF YOUR
COLLEAGUES GAVE HIM THAT VOTE SO
IT’S DEFERRED INSTEAD OF A LOSS.
WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THAT?
>> YOU KNOW, WHEN THERE IS A
WILL TO MOVE SOMETHING FORWARD,
THERE IS OFTEN A DELAY GIVEN.
I THINK WHAT WAS PARTICULARLY
UNIQUE ABOUT THIS SITUATION IS
THAT IT WAS CLEAR IT WAS ONLY
BEING DEFERRED TO TRY TO FLIP
THE VOTES OF A COUPLE OF THE
COMMISSIONERS.
I HAVE NOT SEEN THAT BEFORE.
AND I THINK THAT IT WAS CLEAR
THAT WE HAD STRONG SUPPORT FROM
HALF OF THE COMMISSION TO NOT
MOVE THIS PROJECT FORWARD.
THEY FULLY UNDERSTOOD THE
IMPLICATIONS OF IT.
THE BAD PRECEDENT THAT IT WOULD
SET AND I ONLY HOPE THAT THEY
CAN STAY STRONG.
IN THE FACE OF TREMENDOUS
PRESSURE LEADING UP TO JUNE 1ST.
>> MADAME MAYOR, LET’S MOVE ON
TO A SUBJECT ON WHICH YOU HAVE
SPENT SO MUCH TIME.
THIS WEEK PARTICULARLY AND THAT
IS HOUSING THE THA IS AFFORDABLE
FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE WORKING.
BUT DON’T MAKE ENOUGH MONEY TO
QUALIFY FOR OTHER SUBSIDIES.
AND THIS WEEK YOU ANNOUNCED
SOMETHING CALLED THE BUILDING
BLOCK FUND AND ALL TOGETHER IT’S
GOT 70 MILLION DOLLARS TO HELP
PEOPLE GET INTO A HOME,
PARTICULARLY FIRST TIME HOME
BUYERS.
EXPLAIN TO US HOW THIS WOULD
WORK.
>> I’M SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THIS,
MICHAEL.
WE’VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR
SOME TIME IT-- FUNDS FROM A
NUMBER OF FOR PROFIT AND
NONPROFIT DEVELOPER FUNDS RIGHT
T IS ABOUT INVESTING T IS GIVING
MONEY TO PROJECTS TO MAKE SURE
THAT THEY CAN MOVE FORWARD
QUICKLY, WE HAVE AFFORDABLE
HOUSE PROG JECTS THAT STALL FOR
LACK OF THAT LAST DOLLAR AND
WITH THIS EXTRA INFUSION OF
DOLLARS ACROSS THESE DIFFERENT
CONTRIBUTING DONORS, WE ARE
GOING TO GET THESE PROJECTS
ACCELERATED.
WE’RE EXPECTING MORE THAN 70
MILLION, IT’S AN OPEN INVITATION
AND WE’VE HAD INQUIRIES, PEOPLE
ARE EXCITED BECAUSE THEY
UNDERSTAND THE HUGE NEED AND
THEY KNOW THAT THEY CAN TRULY
CONTRIBUTE TO INCREASING THE
SUPPLY WHICH IS ULTIMATELY WHAT
WE NEED TO BRING THE PRICES
DOWN.
>> ARE YOU TALKING THE PEOPLE
THAT ARE GETTING EXCITE, YOU ARE
TALKING ABOUT DEVELOPERS.
>> YES.
>> DEVELOPERS, BECAUSE THEY KNOW
IT CAN MAKE THEIR PROJECT MOVE
FORWARD QUICKLY.
FUNDERS BECAUSE THEY SEE THAT
THEY CAN HAVE AN IMPACT ON A
MARKET AND THEY WANT TO
CONTRIBUTE TO A SOLUTION IN A
PARTICULARLY HARD HIT AREA.
AND OBVIOUSLY TO THE GENERAL
PUBLIC THAT’S WAITING
DESPERATELY IN LINE TO GET HOMES
THAT THEY CAN AFFORD.
>> SO LET ME JUST ASK YOU KIND
OF A LONGER-TERM VISION, YOU SAY
AFFORDABLE HOUSING, YOU BUILD
IT, PEOPLE QUALIFY FOR T THEY
MOVE INTO AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
IF THERE IS, LIKE NEW YORKERS
KNOW WHAT RENT CONTROL IS, WHAT
HAPPENS THEREFORE THE FIRST
YEAR, SECOND YEAR, FIFTH YEAR,
TENTH YEAR WHEN YOU WATCH SOUTH
FLORIDA RENTS AND COSTS BALLOON
FOR HOMEOWNERS.
WHAT HAPPENS TO THE AFFORDABLE
HOUSING? HOW DOES IT STAY
AFFORDABLE.
>> SO THESE ARE PROJECTS THAT
ARE BUILT WITH SUBSIDIES THAT
REQUIRE LONG-TERM AFFORDABILITY.
WE’RE TALKING-- .
>> MAYOR SUCCUMBING TO
TECHNOLOGY.
WE-- THE LIVE ZOOM HAS ENDED FOR
SOME REASON THAT WE DON’T KNOW
BUT WE’RE GOING TO ROLL WITH IT,
TAKE A QUICK BREAK AND STAY
TUNED.
WE’LL BE RIGHT BACK WITH RICK
SCOTT.
>> WELL, HAPPILY WE CAN SAY WE HAVE REESTABLISHED CONTACT WITH MAYOR DANIELLA LEVINE CAVA, WE
APOLOGIZE FOR THE BRIEF BREAK.
LET ME ASK YOU IF I MAY ABOUT
ANOTHER PROGRAM THAT I LEARNED
ABOUT ONLY THIS WEEK THAT YOU
HAVE BEEN WORK ON, FROM THE
MIAMI DADE ECONOMIC ADVOCACY
TRUST HOME OWNERSHIP ASSISTANCE
PROGRAM, MAN, THAT’S A MOUTHFUL.
AND IT WOULD ALLOW FIRST TIME
HOME BUYERS TO BUY A HOME OR
CONDO THAT COSTS UP TO 318,000
WITH ONLY ONE, TWO, THREE
PERCENT DOWN.
AND NO CLOSING COSTS.
I MEAN BOY, THIS IS MIRACULOUS.
HOW DOES WORK?
>> WELL, WE HAVE A WONDERFUL--
WONDERFUL-- M-- AND A NEW
PRESIDENT THAT IS BILL DIGGS,
THIS IS A GREAT PROGRAM AND WE
HAVE MANY OTHER GREAT PROGRAM,
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT OUR
HOUSING OF ADVOCACY IS GOING TO
DO IS AGGREGATE ALL OF THOSE
PROGRAMS IN ONE PLACE SO THAT
EVERYBODY CAN GET ACCESS TO
THEM.
WE’RE ALSO ASKING OUR CITIES TO
LET US KNOW WHEN THEY HAVE
AFFORDABILITY IN THE PIPELINE.
WE WANT EVERYONE TO HAVE FULL
KNOWLEDGE, FULL NAVIGATION
SUPPORT TO GET INTO A HOME THAT
THEY CAN AFFORD.
OUR FUTURE, OUR ECONOMY DEPENDS
UPON IT.
>> HAS THERE BEEN ANY BLOWBACK?
I FEEL LIKE I’M ALWAYS THE ONE
ASKING THAT PESKY REPORTER
QUESTIONS, ANY SORT OF
OPPOSITION, THIS SEEMS LIKE
SOMETHING EVERYBODY CAN GET ON
BOARD WITH.
>> ACTUALLY, NO.
I HAVE EVEN HAVE REALTORS AND
PEOPLE WHO HELP PEOPLE TO
SPHIEND RENTAL APARTMENTS TELL
ME THAT THEY’RE GRATEFUL FOR THE
TENANTS BILL OF RIGHTS, TO TELL
ME HOW EXCITED THEY ARE TO BE
ABLE TO HAVE MORE RESOURCES TO
HELP PEOPLE.
WE’RE IN THIS TOGETHER.
THE WHOLE COMMUNITY KNOWS THAT
WE ARE IN AN AFFORDABILITY
CRISIS.
AND IF WE DON’T WORK TOGETHER TO
SOLVE IT, WE WILL ALL HURT.
>> HOW TRUE.
>> MAYOR DANIELLA LEVINE CAVA,
ALWAYS A PLEASURE SPEAKING WITH