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Executive Committee
Honorable Senator Steve Geller, Chair
Honorable Michelle Lincoln, First Vice Chair | Honorable René Garcia, Second Vice Chair
Honorable Denise Appleby Horland, Secretary | Cary Goldberg, Treasurer
Mario Bailey, Immediate Past Chair
Isabel Cosio Carballo, MPA, Executive Director
Samuel S. Goren, Esq., Goren, Cherof, Doody & Ezrol, P.A.
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On May 31, 2024, the South Florida Regional Planning Council (SFRPC) hosted its annual conference at Nova Southeastern University with over 160 attendees. This year’s topic was “Closing the Gaps: Supporting Mental Health through a Continuum of Housing and Supportive Services.”
Over twenty housing and mental health practitioners, elected officials, and community stakeholders shared their knowledge on important issues facing the residents of Broward, Miami-Dade, and Monroe Counties. Four panels discussed various aspects of the mental health crisis in South Florida including the continuum of care, housing and financial considerations, sustainable solutions, and local success with behavioral health implementation.
The President and CEO of the Florida Hospital Association, Mary Mayhew, gave a keynote address on the most important factors in supporting individuals with mental illness. SFRPC Chair Steve Geller (Broward County Commissioner and former Florida State Senator), SFRPC Second Vice Chair René García (Miami-Dade County Commissioner and former Florida State Senator), and Broward County Mayor Nan Rich (former Florida State Senator) gave opening remarks and insightful contributions throughout the conference. Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust Chairman Ronald L. Book facilitated a discussion with the audience on opportunities for action.
The SFRPC thanks all its attendees, sponsors, Council Members, and supporters for making the conference a success. We look forward to continuing our conversation on mental health/housing in the coming months.
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SFRPC SECOND VICE CHAIR GARCIA APPOINTED BY GOV. DESANTIS TO SOUTH FLORIDA ECOSYSTEM RESTORATION TASK FORCE
Governor Ron DeSantis recommended the appointment of Senator René García, SFRPC Second Vice Chair and Miami-Dade County Commissioner for District 13, for service on the South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Task Force.
His appointment was subsequently confirmed by Tanya Trujillo, Chair of the Task Force and Assistant Secretary for Water and Science. Comprised of federal, state, tribal, and local partners, the Task Force aims to address the region’s environmental challenges and ensure a sustainable future for its diverse ecosystems through coordination, and development and implementation of comprehensive restoration strategies to protect and restore the South Florida ecosystem. Congratulations Senator García!
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SFRPC FIRST VICE CHAIR LINCOLN APPOINTED TO THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION'S FLORIDA TRANSPORTATION (FTP) STEERING COMMITTEE
Commissioner Michelle Lincoln, SFRPC First Vice Chair and Monroe County Commissioner for District 2, was recently appointed to the Florida Department of Transportation’s Florida Transportation Plan (FTP) Steering Committee. The steering committee consists of key partners and stakeholders who will guide the development of the goals, objectives, and policies that will make up the FTP supported by focus groups comprised of industry partners and stakeholders designed to address more targeted discussions on specific goals and objectives included in the plan.
The plan is updated every five years to ensure Florida communities have guidance and vision into the improvements the transportation network has experienced statewide and empowers local communities to develop strategies that complement statewide efforts to meet the needs of growing infrastructure. Congratulations Commissioner Lincoln!
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SUCCESSFUL ANNUAL JOINT COUNCIL MEETING
OF THE SFRPC/ TCRPC
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The South Florida and Treasure Coast Regional Planning Councils met in West Palm Beach on March 15, 2024 to discuss property insurance, transportation, Florida’s Coral Reef, and the 2024 Florida Legislative Session. The Councils heard from a variety of subject matter experts including U.S. Congressman Jared Moskowitz; Florida State Representative Hillary Cassell, 101st District; Stacey Giulianti, Esq., Chief Legal Officer, Florida Peninsula Insurance Company; Paul Handerhan, MBA, CPCU, ARe, AIAF, President, Federal Association for Insurance Reform and FAIR Foundation; and Mel E. Montagne, CPCU, ARM, CRIS; President, Fair Insurance Rates for Monroe.
The Councils were also joined by South Florida Regional Transportation Authority (SFRTA) Executive Director David Dech; Valerie Neilson, Executive Director of the Palm Beach Transportation Planning Association (TPA); Attorney Ron Book; and County Intergovernmental Affairs specialists Marty Cassini, Esq., Broward County; Kathy Copeland, Indian River County; Kasey Denny, Palm Beach County; Jess McCarty, Esq., Miami-Dade County; and Lisa Tennyson of Monroe County. Thank you to all guest speakers, attendees, and the Palm Beach TPA for hosting us.
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| CHAIR GELLER INTERVIEWED BY WLRN REGARDING PROPERTY INSURANCE CRISIS | | |
On March 22nd, Chair Geller was interviewed by WLRN’s The Florida Roundup regarding Florida’s growing property insurance crisis. To hear Chair Geller’s thoughts on the crisis and plans to address it, including discussion about U.S. Congressman Jared Moskowitz’s bill, H.R. 3525, please click on the link below.
| | SFRPC COUNCIL TRAVELS TO MIAMI-DADE COUNTY FOR ITS MARCH COUNCIL MEETING HOSTED BY THE MIAMI-DADE TPO | | |
At the March 18th Council Meeting members received important updates and presentations from Miami-Dade County officials regarding agricultural land use, flood response, and flood control / salinity control structures.
Thank you to Alexander Dambach, Charles LaPradd, Pete Gomez, Jesse Spearo, and Marina M. Blanco-Pape for your insightful presentations. Thank you also to Miami-Dade TPO Executive Director Aileen Bouclé for hosting us.
| | INFORMATIONAL WEBINAR ON FUNDING AND SFRPC RESOURCES | | |
On April 3rd the SFRPC hosted a webinar to equip the South Florida community with the knowledge and resources needed to secure funding for community economic development projects. With state and federal grant applications being competitive, the SFRPC connected attendees with experts who delved into their programs, alongside SFRPC’s own technical support services.
Topics of discussion included the SFRPC’s technical services designed to assist with community development initiatives, insights into the latest funding priorities and application tips for the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA), and how Florida’s Job Growth Grant Fund can benefit the community.
Speakers included Randy Deshazo from the SFRPC, Mike Mueller from the Florida Department of Commerce’s Florida Job Growth Grant Fund, and Gregory Vaday (Florida Economic Development Representative) from the Atlanta Regional Office of the EDA. Thank you to all speakers and attendees for your participation.
| | SFRPC / TCRPC FLORIDA’S CORAL REEF WORK GROUP MEETING | | |
On April 15th, the SFRPC and TCRPC Florida’s Coral Reef Work Group met to discuss the challenges facing Florida's Coral Reef as well as ongoing initiatives and funding opportunities to strengthen this unique environmental treasure. Led by Co-Chairs Beam Furr, the Work Group heard a presentation from experts Joanna Walczak (Administrator, Office of Resilience and Coastal Protection, Coral Protection and Restoration Program) and Mollie Cordo (SE Regional Administrator, Office of Resilience and Coastal Protection Southeast Region) with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Attendees included Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, Monroe County Mayor Holly Raschein, Florida's Chief Resilience Officer Dr. Wes Brooks, and Monroe County Commissioner and SFRPC First Vice Chair Michelle Lincoln.
| | CEDS MEETINGS HELD IN JANUARY AND APRIL 2024 | | On January 17th and April 17th, the SFRPC Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) Strategic Committee met. CEDS is a roadmap to diversify and strengthen the regional economy of Broward, Miami-Dade, and Monroe Counties. The regional CEDS will guide federal and state investment priorities and funding sources and delineate lead organizations’ responsibilities for execution of the CEDS, while bringing together public and private sectors leaders and decision-makers. | |
| MEETINGS ON SOUTH FLORIDA MILITARY INSTALLATION RESILIENCE REVIEW | | |
As the Phase 1 South Florida Military Installation Resilience Review study draws to a close, the South Florida Regional Planning Council has begun convening the installations and key stakeholders to discuss implementation steps and partners, and funding to move the projects forward. To date, meetings have been held with the South Florida Ocean Measurement Facility, USAG-Miami / SOUTHCOM, and Homestead Air Reserve Base.
The MIRR documents community-based resilience risks, hazards, and vulnerabilities “outside the fence line” that will impede the ability of an installation to carry out its mission if left unaddressed. We are working on identifying additional funding resources and elevating specific projects for funding assistance to the U.S. Department of Defense OLDCC. Executive summaries of the study were sent to a variety of elected officials and other stakeholders at the local, state, and federal level.
On April 17th, the SFRPC held a project implementation meeting with the South Florida Ocean Measurement Facility (SFOMF), located in Dania Beach. On May 2nd and 3rd, the SFRPC held project implementation meetings in Doral and Homestead respectively with military installation personnel and local government stakeholders regarding U.S. Army Garrison-Miami (USAG) / Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) and Homestead Air Reserve Base (HARB). These meetings were held with the Installation partners and in partnership with regional stakeholders including Broward and Miami-Dade counties; the cities of Dania Beach, Hollywood, Doral, and Homestead; Florida Department of Transportation Districts 4 and 6; the Miami-Dade TPO; the South Florida Defense Alliance; Florida Power & Light; and the U.S. Department of Defense Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation (OLDCC), among others.
On June 4th, the SFRPC gave a presentation to the Broward County Board of County Commissioners. A HARB Base Project Implementation #2 Meeting was held on June 11th and included participation from Larry Ventura (HARB) and Rick Miller (Executive Director of the South Florida Defense Alliance). On May 15th, the SFPRC gave a presentation to the Monroe County Board of County Commissioners.
On June 18th, the SFPRC gave a presentation to the Miami-Dade County Board of County Commissioners. The SFRPC is coordinating with Monroe County, the City of Key West, Naval Air Station Key West, and the South Florida Defense Alliance to schedule an implementation meeting this summer.
| | REVOLVING LOAN FUND PROJECT UPDATES | | |
SMALL BUSINESS CAPITAL ASSISTANCE REVOLVING LOAN FUND PROGRAMS
CARES Act Revolving Loan Fund – Always Keep Progressing LLC, Miami-Dade County
Since 2021, The South Florida Regional Planning Council (SFRPC) has supported Always Keep Progressing LLC, a private speech-language pathology and occupational therapy practice in Miami, Florida dedicated to providing therapy to children of all ages. The SFRPC provided the clinic capital assistance with working capital for support during the Covid pandemic as well as thereafter for expansion purposes. The SFRPC is dedicated to supporting the continued growth of Always Keep Progressing LLC in 2024. Always Keep Progressing LLC is now in the process of establishing a third clinic located at 3661 South Miami Avenue in Miami, FL, adjacent to HCA Florida Mercy Hospital which will provide services for up to an additional 300 clients. Always Keep Progressing’s existing client offices are located at 1160 Biscayne Blvd in Miami, FL and 16800 NW 2nd Avenue in North Miami Beach, FL; adjacent to Jackson North Medical Center.
The South Florida Regional Planning Council’s CARES ACT Revolving Loan Fund Program has funded to date thirty-six (36) small business loans totaling $7,785,000 throughout Broward, Miami Dade, Monroe and Palm Beach Counties.
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EPA BROWNFIELDS CLEAN-UP REVOLVING LOAN FUND
EPA Awards the SFRPC $3.5 Million for Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund Grant
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently announced the recipients of more than $300 million in Brownfield Grants through the Biden Administration’s Investing in America Agenda to rehabilitate and revitalize communities. In addition to the $3,200,000 in EPA funds already awarded, the SFRPC was selected to receive an additional $3,500,000 through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) because of its high-performing RLF Program to replenish the program’s significantly depleted funds.
The investments are funded by the EPA's Brownfields Multipurpose, Assessment, and Cleanup (MAC) Grant Programs and Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) Grant Programs. The EPA issued 181 grant awards totaling $231 million through EPA's MAC Grant Programs along with $68 million in supplemental funding for 31 existing, high-performing Brownfields RLF Grant Programs, as well as the selection of Grow America, with an estimated $3 million in grant funding.
The SFRPC’s RLF Program has successfully made loans leading to four cleanup projects that are either completed or in progress. Potential projects highlighted for use of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) funding include 1960 NW 27th Avenue in Miami and the old Baltuff Dump on Middle Torch Key. The BIL funding will extend the capacity of the program to provide funding for more cleanups in the most underserved and significantly disadvantaged communities in our region, such as Park Road/Former Hollywood Incinerator Ash Dump in Hollywood and Claude Pepper Park in Miami.
SFRPC Brownfields Assessment Project - City of Homestead, Miami-Dade County
The SFRPC was awarded a $500,000 Brownfield Assessment Grant in FY2023 by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), to be used toward the City of Homestead’s Community Redevelopment Area. Since the effective date of the grant on July 1, 2023, work pertaining to site assessment and cleanup/reuse planning has been performed for the Priority Sites. On September 19, 2023, a Brownfields 101 presentation was given to the
Homestead Community Redevelopment Agency staff. The presentation announced the exciting grant award, went over the definition of a brownfield, explained allowable activities under the grant, and touched on opportunities to move sites into the Florida Brownfields Program. On October 19, 2023, the Homestead CRA staff hosted a public meeting and provided an overview of the various tasks in progress under the FY2023 Assessment Grant.
SFRPC Brownfields Remediation Project – City of Hollywood, Broward County
The redevelopment of the Hollywood Incinerator Ash Dump (“HIAD”) is a public-private partnership between the City of Hollywood (“City”) and Park Road Development, LLC (“PRD”). After an extensive solicitation process, the City selected PRD and its principals, Louis Birdman and Eric Metz, to lead the redevelopment effort. PRD has completed substantial environmental and geotechnical investigations to confirm HIAD’s varying site conditions and is pursuing the regulatory approvals required to redevelop the site. Broward County has consulted with both the City and PRD to confirm the regulatory pathway to remediate the site, and the technical process to confirm the mitigation requirements are targeted to be completed in the next 9-12 months (subject to typical approval schedules, hearings, etc.) The redevelopment is comprised of approximately ±100,000SF of City facilities, ±40,000SF medical office, ±4,500SF retail with a gas station, and ±630 multifamily units. These final uses are subject to definitive approvals from Broward County and the City of Hollywood.
The SFRPC intends to seek financial support from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), to help support the remediation of the subject property commencing in 2024/2025.
SFRPC Brownfields Remediation RLF Project – Miami, Miami-Dade County
The South Florida Regional Planning Council (SFRPC) has committed $1,000,000 from its EPA Brownfields Clean-Up Revolving Loan Fund to help remediate and redevelop a 2.08-acre property located at 1960 and 1970 NW 27th Avenue in Miami, Florida. This regional project is a collaborative effort between the SFRPC, Goldstein Kite Environmental (GKE), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Miami-Dade County Department of Environmental Resources Management (DERM) and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP).
GKE’s intention is to develop the property with affordable housing to include amenities such as a business center, wellness center, dog park, river walk, and neighborhood retail services, that will benefit the Miami Health District. The land parcels are contaminated from previous use as an exterminating company warehouse and subsequent marina storage facility. Providing affordable housing is a key component of the community’s plan for growth, which currently suffers from an acute crisis in such housing.
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AFFORDABLE HOUSING INITIATIVE
Affordable Housing Project – Housing Foundation of America Inc, City of West Park, Broward County
The Southeast Florida Community Development Fund, Inc. (SFCDFI), has committed $900,000 to the Housing Foundation of America, Inc. to help finance the construction of three affordable, single-family residential homes located in the City of West Park, Florida. Subject lots consist of lot 22 and lot 23 block 66 West Carver Ranches and lot 6 Block 53 West Carver Ranches.
The project is a collaborative effort among the SFCDFI, the City of West Park, the Housing Foundation of America, and the Housing Opportunities for Excellence, Inc.
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Affordable Housing Project – Minority Builders Coalition, Inc., City of Fort Lauderdale, Broward County
The SFRPC along with the Southeast Florida Community Development Fund, Inc. (SFCDFI) committed a million dollars to Minority Builders Coalition, Inc. to construct up to four (4) affordable single-family homes in the City of Fort Lauderdale, Florida in Broward County.
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Affordable Housing Project - Community Partners of South Florida, City of Riviera Beach, Palm Beach County
The SFRPC has had a tremendous impact in supporting affordable housing projects throughout the region. Most recently, the SFRPC committed $900k to Community Partners of South Florida in early 2024 to construct up to 5 single family affordable homes in phases in Riviera Beach in Palm Beach County. Additionally, up to $400k was committed in 2023 to help construct up to two new affordable single-family homes in phases in West Palm Beach with the first in excess of 80% complete. These projects support much needed affordable housing in their respective local communities. Eligible home buyers qualify at less than 120% AMI (Area Median Income). The SFRPC continues to help address the affordable housing crisis in South Florida.
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WE'RE HIRING!
The SFRPC currently has two career opportunities available. We can use your assistance in promoting the vacancies through your municipal or County newsletter or website.
REGIONAL PLANNER
As a Planner with the South Florida Regional Planning Council, you will be at the forefront of critical regional planning issues and solving complex challenges that will define South Florida’s growth for years to come.
[CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE]
SENIOR REGIONAL PLANNER
As a Senior Regional Planner with the South Florida Regional Planning Council, you will be at the forefront of critical regional planning issues and solving complex challenges that will define South Florida’s growth for years to come.
[CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE]
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UPCOMING COUNCIL MEETINGS
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Monday, July 15, 2024 @ 10:30 a.m. | Council Meeting (SFRPC, Hollywood)
Monday, September 30, 2024 @ 10:30 a.m. | Council Meeting (SFRPC, Hollywood)
Friday, October 18, 2024 @ 10:30 a.m. | SFRPC / TCRPC Joint Meeting (TBD)
Monday, October 21, 2024 @ 10:30 a.m. | Council Meeting (SFRPC, Hollywood)
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