Published by: The Miami Herald
Published: March 12, 2009
Written by: Charles Rabin

The Florida Marlins inched closer to the permanent home they’ve craved for a decade and a needy community got started toward a much-needed financial jolt on Thursday when Miami commissioners voted unanimously to expand and extend the life of an Overtown redevelopment district.

The commission also voted to bond out the projected income of the district to its capacity — a decision that could factor in the fate of a new baseball stadium in Little Havana.

Miami commissioners, after sitting as the Community Redevelopment Agency, formally accepted a finding that the targeted land is blighted and agreed to bond out the tax increments to capacity. The extension of the district will generate millions in new tax funding to benefit the neighborhood.

With Thursday’s vote on the Southeast Overtown/Park West CRA, the issue now heads toward a series of planning boards and ultimately Miami-Dade commissioners before any money is seen. That maze could take up to a year.

When money finally comes, it will surely be less than first envisioned when the plans were hatched more than a year ago.

In 2007, city leaders said Overtown residents could expect up to $600 million for affordable housing, historic preservation and new construction.

Wednesday, Miami Chief Financial Officer Larry Spring said the economic downturn has driven that number down to between $106 million and $140 million.

The CRA issue had become forefront in the Marlins’ attempt to secure the Little Havana ballpark. A reason: Commissioner Michelle Spence-Jones’ public statement that the team wouldn’t get her vote if her district wasn’t expanded.

“Here’s our commitment to say we’re going to do something” for the people of Overtown, Spence-Jones said.

A promise was made to expand the CRA and aid Overtown in December 2007, when city and Miami-Dade leaders made public their plan for a host of downtown public works projects that included the Marlins ballpark.

City commissioners are expected to vote on the remaining baseball stadium contracts and for a parking site March 19 — and Spence-Jones is a possible swing vote.

County commissioners, in what could be the final piece of the Marlins $634 million puzzle, have scheduled a vote for March 23.



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