On the Agenda for tonight’s meeting of the North Miami Community Redevelopment Agency is a “Tax Rehabilitation & Infrastructure Incentive Grant Request” from Comprehensive Health Care, LLC, for the sum of (you should sit down for this) $1,211,540!
No, folks, that’s not a typo.
According to a letter signed by Dr. Rudolph Moise on behalf of Comprehensive Health Care, LLC and GRM Property Management, LLC, he is asking for the North Miami CRA to help fund the expansion of his private health care facility.
Wait, what?
The CRA’s own Commercial Grants Guidelines limit rehabilitation grants to the sum of $100,000.
In fact, paragraph 3 specifically states:
3) Rehabilitation Grant Program:
This rehabilitation program provides up to 50% of the total cost of interior and exterior improvements to property owners and businesses in an amount not to exceed $100,000.
That seems pretty clear cut, no?
However, according to a memorandum dated March 13, 2018 from the CRA Executive Director, Larry M. Spring, Jr. (who also happens to be the North Miami City Manager), he is requesting that the Board waive the $100,000 maximum grant limit:
Seems legit.
Meanwhile, while the North Miami Community Redevelopment Agency is gifting over $1.2 million of taxpayer money, the North Miami Mayor and Council are asking these same taxpayers to co-sign a ONE HUNDRED TWENTY MILLION DOLLAR bond for … stuff.
Also seem legit.
Stay tuned.
Stephanie
The question should be, “What’s in it for the citizens of North Miami?” Will they get reduced cost health care? Yeah, right. Why should they pay for the renovation of a private business? It’s one thing to help businesses spruce up their neighborhood footprint, quite another to pay for a major expansion. I’m betting people aren’t that stupid.
I hope that the City Council will see beyond this. Scott Galvin, I know you read this blog. Please do the right thing.
This is just WOW. No wonder the Florida legislature wanted to revamp Community Redevelopment Agencies. Stephanie, that memo wasn’t written by Larry. It was written by the CRA Director. Does Larry even speak during the CRA meetings? It seems to be Rasha’s show.
Rasha had nothing to do with it. This is how it works:
The memo was sent by Executive Director Larry Spring (a CRA board member), who directed CRA Director Rasha Cameau (a city employee), to deliver it on his behalf to the CRA Board. Please note that this grant was approved by the CRA Advisory Board (a citizen board) at its March 5, 2018 meeting (see minutes: http://northmiamicra.org/plan/meetings/meetings.asp), which approval was to be presented to the CRA Board to be voted on at tonight’s meeting. Rasha’s job as Director of the Community Redevelopment Agency is to carry out (execute) the legislation (in the form of resolutions) passed by the CRA Board. She does not set the Agenda nor does she make decisions on how the money is spent. Those are the responsibilities and duties of the CRA Board, of which Larry Spring is the Executive Director. Hope this clears things up.
UPDATE: We were advised this afternoon that this item has been pulled from the Agenda.
Thank you for your insight, but I can’t help to think that the Director is the CRA operator. According to their website, there are three employees. The Executive Director (who is also the City Manager), the CRA Director (who is paid a base salary over $124,000 / year) to manage a single employee — the CRA grants coordinator???? What a GREAT salary for a community that has a median household income of what, $38,387?
Also, the memo failed to mention that the Commercial Grants Guidelines under “Universal Requirements” (page 3) stated, “Applicants must provide 3 cost estimates for the proposed work from contractors acceptable to the CRA.” There was but one quote provided in the agenda package for last night’s meeting and only one quote in the advisory meeting agenda package from 3/5/2018. The Council would have to waive that requirement, too, which the memo was silent. I am not even sure if it was brought up at the advisory meeting. Nothing in the meeting minutes! Who is responsible for the minutes?
I also saved the agenda packages “just in case” they disappear from the website due to a “technical error.”
Maybe the FBI is watching. They already caught Ex-Mayor Cooper in Hallandale, and the FBI is also plaguing Tallahassee’s redevelopment agency.
See attached link for a great column regarding CRA’s. I encourage you to write to Richard Corcoran as he is a representative.
http://www.tampabay.com/opinion/columns/column-why-community-redevelopment-agencies-have-to-go/2333900
You’ll see some keywords in that article, slush funds, pet projects, mini me…can’t say much about slush funds but clearly the CRA advisory board is representing not the citizens but the Commissioner’s visions. Ooo let’s not forget term limits – by the time some of them finis their terms it would’ve been almost a cool 10 years in an advisory board!
El Nuder, I disagree doing away with all of them. The problem is the “elected officials” run them. The money is too tempting. A long time ago, elected officials were not (NOT) allowed to run the CRAs. It was the legislature that carved out an exception to the State Constitution that allowed elected officials to hold more than one position so they could be a councilman and CRA commissioner.
It’d be best if control of the agencies were returned to regular appointees, with council AND county oversight. We need maximum transparency. Not just the City, but also the County.
The agencies should NOT be using taxpayer money on festivals, street parties, and other social events. North Miami lost a lot of money that way, and the events and games do not remove blight. That is money poorly spent.
The agencies are too much of a temptation for councilman and city managers. CRAs should all focus on new developments, infrastructure, commercial properties, and maybe housing. Housing is tough because the State continuously raids the Affordable Housing Trust Fund. Every year the State raid that fund, so the State isn’t serious about affordable/workforce housing.
a lil bird told me that Dr Rudy didn’t get this cra money.
I hope the county is taking note of how the city is dispursing this money to friends and families and may even involve the federal government on this.
this doesn’t pass the sniff test…
Without disparaging the recipient, this issue is another sign of the times in our area. Why would our local municipal government waive their own limit of $100K to give this wealthy person 1/3rd of our local CRA budget? Because he asked for it. Dr. Moise is a big donor. Check campaign contributions. He has big pockets.
We have CRA to combat blighted areas and encourage economic development. We use the TIF funds collected to give incentives to business. That is what it is designed for. Incentives can mean a number of things but in a city that has a median income range of $31,000 a year, I don’t think it is appropriate to award a business $1.2M in in tax incentives. That one business will be taking up 1/3rd of our CRA funds. A private clinic. The revenue may go up significantly for that building but the rate in which we subsidize it seems off. So excuse me if my math is wrong *not my major* but if they pay a new $18,173 a year in taxes and we are giving them a grant of $1.3M, it will take 66 years for us to see that investment make it up.
Cool, man. Also, look at the application. Says they can hire about 10 employees and they will give preference to North Miami. Anyone on in the friends and family program wish to apply?
$1,211,540/18173=66.7 years
Best case scenario, no? Am I working these numbers wrong? My kids kids?
Absolutely correct. What isn’t figured into this “investment” is the interest income that would have been realized had this $1,211,540 actually be invested properly instead of given away with no expectation of return whatsoever. A bank will not lend you money to buy a home without expecting to be repaid and and without charging you a fee (interest) for the use of its money. It makes absolutely no sense that an organization (the North Miami CRA Board) would literally hand out $1,211,540 to anyone at all, free and clear, with no expectation of repayment.
No, there had to have been a hidden agenda for this proposal to even be considered, much less approved by the CRA Advisory Board. We’d suspect a political motive, but, nah. That never happens in North Miami, right?
Laura, I have been trying to make a stink about this back when the CRA waived their 100k to help an under insured business. I respect that you don’t want to disparage this recipient, I will do the same and leave the business’ name out of this, as I’m sure you know who they are. Yes, I know – some of their employees are residents of Nomi etc etc. Truth is that move opened the floodgates.
Once that cap was waived then, anyone with a head should have seen this coming. It’s all in the name of “community building” or for the “community.” But we all know it’s exactly what you said – campaign contributions.
Stephanie – I appreciate you bringing up and linking that CRA advisory board video. I know that board is comprised of citizens but some of those citizens rub elbows with commissioners. This is so incestuous it’s not even funny. Not to mention the number of YEARS some of these “citizens” have spent on Nomi boards.
Public awareness does make a difference.
Bravo!
It’s sad to see lack of involvement in these issues. Everyone wants to “voice” their opinion but no one wants to be involved in a discussion. Total apathy and now it makes sense why the city does what the city does.
I wasn’t going to respond to your comment, El Nuder, as internet conflict generally does nothing productive. However, I kept thinking about the part where you say,
“Everyone wants to “voice” their opinion but no one wants to be involved in a discussion. Total apathy and now it makes sense why the city does what the city does.”
(computer and text often confuses tone. I am not upset or really that passionate about this conversation, just want to point some things out)
I don’t even know who you are, El Nuder. Do you go to council meetings reliably? If you did, for the past, 5 years or so, you would see a very reliable, educated and concerned citizenry that show up every meeting practically. Do you go on any of the number of North Miami based facebook pages? See the constant discussion on all things NoMi? Do you attend homeowners associations groups? The boards of these groups have been working very well together the past four years or so. We have successfully fought Biscayne Park from annexation of two properties on Biscayne that would hurt NoMi neighborhoods, we have kept the Council from moving the May Election a couple years ago, we have held a rally crying out against racist immigration policies, we have established a ban on pesticides on public spaces. We took upon ourselves to meet with Commissioner Monestime to maintain a promised $5M in County Bond money to stay in North Miami for Cagni Park. We have rallied against FIU time and time again, we have shown up in mass for various reasons at council meetings, at planning meetings. We have attended police shooting town halls, beautification town halls. Many Many residents have participated in each and every Comprehensive Plan Meetings, the China town meetings, some residents have run for office, some have supported those who do. We are working in several capacities on the Bond vote as well.
You see activists now on some of the City Boards, particularly Parks and Recs. I serve on Board of Adjustment in addition to several other community based groups.
I live in the same city that you do. I see many of the same problems you do. But I don’t see a disinterested citizenry at all. I don’t see total apathy at all. Quite the opposite. From each district, each area of the City there are a lot of people who care deeply about North Miami and take a LOT of time out of their lives to do more than comment on a blog. Its fun to point out the inadequacies (I guess) in others, but its kinda lame when its just not true. And its just not true that North Miami residents have total apathy and a lack of involvement.
Kudos to all that Laura! and here are the answers to your questions.
YE, yes, yes, yes.
Thanks.