Omni Community Redevelopment Agency - Regular Meeting

We're good to go. We're good to go. Great. Good morning, everyone. I'm calling to order the May 28, 2026 Omni CRA meeting. Is there a motion to approve the minutes for April 23, 2026 Omni CRA? Motion. All in favor?

Aye.

Motion carries. Madam Assistant City Attorney, please briefly read the agenda items for CRA Resolutions 1. Through four. Sorry about that, Javier. Not a madam, sir. Please read them into the record.

So the first resolution is a resolution of the Board of Commissioners of the Omni CRA by a four-fifths affirmative vote. After an advertised public hearing, ratifying, approving, and confirming the Executive Director's recommendation of finding attached and incorporated as Exhibit A that competitive negotiation methods and procedures are not practical or advantageous to the CRA pursuant to Sections 1885 and 1886 of the City Code. WAVING THE REQUIREMENTS FOR COMPETITIVE SEAL BIDDING, ALLOCATING AN AMOUNT OF GRANT FUNDS FROM CRA'S FISCAL YEAR 25-26 BUDGET IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $200,000 TO FLORIDA FILMHOUSE INTERNATIONAL TO HELP UNDERWRITE THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH JOB SKILLS TRAININGS AND EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES ASSOCIATED WITH GRANTEE'S FIRST TAKE YOUTH FILM PROGRAM, OPERATING AT THE DORSEY LIBRARY LOCATED AT 100 NORTHWEST 17TH STREET, MIAMI, FLORIDA. The second resolution is a resolution of the Board of Commissioners of the Omni CRA by a four-fifths vote ratifying, approving, and confirming the Executive Director's recommendation to finding, attach, and incorporate as Exhibit A that competitive negotiation methods and procedures are not practical or advantageous to the CRA pursuant to Sections 1885 and 1886 of the City Code of Miami. authorizing allocation of funds in an amount not to exceed $1,700,000 to EWB Holdings, a Florida limited liability company, contingent upon the 80% completion of the mixed income development project located at 1433 Northwest First Court and 1435 Northwest First Court, as approved pursuant to previous CRA resolutions, CRA R-25-0029, adopted on June 26, 2025, to underwrite costs associated with the construction and development of a multi-generational family center duplex affordable housing project located at 1695 Northwest First Court consisting of two five-bedroom units at or below 70% of the area medium income. The third resolution is a resolution of the Board of Commissioners of the Omni CRA authorizing the Executive Director to initiate the activation of unused and underutilized spaces located within the boundaries of CRA at 50 Northwest 14th Street for short-term community, cultural, commercial, entrepreneurial, artistic, educational, and other temporary activations open to the public. Author and the executive director developed guidelines for temporary use of the property on a first-come, first-served basis, authorizing the Executive Director to proceed with any necessary build-out, improvements, modifications, furnishings, and related work required for the initiative, subject to all necessary budgetary approvals at the time of need, authorizing the Executive Director to negotiate and collect fees, rent, deposits, and other cost recovery amounts based on the type and nature of the activation, providing that any proceeds derived from the temporary activations may be utilized to assist with building maintenance, security, utilities, upkeep, and related property expenses until final determination is made regarding the future use of the property. And the final resolution is a resolution of the Board of Commissioners of the Omni CRA by forfeits vote ratifying, approving, and confirming the Executive Director's recommendation of finding attached and incorporated as Exhibit A that competitive negotiation methods and procedures are not practical or advantageous to the CRA after the expiration of the 30-day notice for the disposition of any real property or interest therein in the CRA's redevelopment area pursuant to Section 163.380 Florida Statutes authorizing executive directors to negotiate and execute a sublease agreement in a form acceptable to general counsel with Wynwood House Cuts, a Florida limited liability company, for approximately 1,635 square feet of retail and or commercial space located on the property identified by folio number 0131251000010, also referred to as Wynwood Works, for a rental amount not to exceed $8,000 per month for a term approved by the executive directors.

Thank you. The public comment period is now open for all items, all resolutions on today's agenda.

How you doing? My name is Marco Maul, Maulinette. I'd like to say thank you. I do the First Take Youth Film Program at Dorsey Library. It's been ongoing now. We're on our 11th year. We've had the support of Commissioner Christine King, Commissioner Pardo, and many others in the past. Commissioner Keon Hardiman, especially from the beginning, who believed in us and helped us actually structure our company and build it to be what it is. We, last year, were able to give 11 scholarships out to kids, helping them go to college. And one of them went to the military, which was a great success for him. And this year, we're hoping to do 12 scholarships. And we put quite a bit of kids into the film industry, and it's been a great program. And I just really appreciate the support of the city getting behind and supporting some of the kids from the inner city. Thank you.

Thank you. Any other public comment?

Mr. Chairman, thank you. Bobby Sanchez with the Florida Grand Opera. I'd like to congratulate the board and the executive director on the item with the MIC. It's been a long time coming. As many of you have known and met with us and our organization over the years, we've been really looking for short-term space in the area. That is the area that we operate in. And any type of assistance that we could receive in the short term to make sure that we have the ability to operate nearby our home, which is the Adrian Arsh Center, will be greatly appreciated and we look forward to working with all of you and working with the executive director and hopefully it'll be a great benefit to the community in sustaining a very great cultural environment there. Thank you very much.

Thank you. Sir? Good morning everyone. My name is Ramon Valentin and I am the owner of Wynwood House Cuts, LLC. I want to take a moment to sincerely thank you for taking my business into consideration and helping making it a reality for our Wynwood community. But today I'm standing here to thank you for something bigger and more meaningful than my business. I wanted to thank you for all the affordable housing that you are bringing together to our city. A year and a half ago, I had my mom and my dad at the hospital at the same time. And besides the medical challenges that I was facing, I was also going through a situation that I couldn't afford a three bedroom apartment for us. I immediately started looking for help. I reached out to you, Damian, via Instagram, and you advised me to contact your office where I find out more in deep about the Wynwood work communities in Wynwood. I immediately put my mom's name in the lottery, and she was the number one winner for a 30% AMI apartment. We're talking about $680 for a one bedroom. My father and my mom had a place to call home. Unfortunately, my father is no longer with us. However, on behalf of my mother and my late father and the 120 families that live in Windward, I wanted to thank you all for the great job that you are doing, bringing more affordable housing to our city who's really needed. And we are deeply grateful for that. Thank you so much to all of you.

Thank you. Any other public comment?

Second.

Good morning to the chairwoman and the commissioners. My name is Dr. Evelina Bessman, and I am the owner of the property that's before you that the Omni CRA is sponsoring and the EWB Holdings. You know, legally, we have to do these things. But I want to say from the depth of my heart, I am so grateful to the city of Miami and its commissioners for really moving forward and acting on what you say you believe and as affordable housing for decent stable housing for the community. I am so blessed to have had the opportunity to come into possession of property. This property is exactly across the street from where I was born. I used to play on that land. It was vacant then, 84 years ago. And my mother, I know, and father above, I'm so happy because the second property that you now, you funded me for me before, is on First Court and across from the church, Mount Olivet, where I used to go to Sunday school. So I'm so glad to really be able to provide affordable housing, which I never, I had the dream, but you have made my dream a reality. And I'm so grateful. And I will be around when we... open that first one to see the people, and over town be able to really move into decent, affordable housing. So I want to thank you from the depth of my heart and my family for your kind consideration of this resolution.

We're the ones who need to thank you, Mrs. Pessman. Thank you. Thank you. Is there any other public comment? Facing no further public comment, the public comment period is now closed. Is there any discussion on items one through four?

Motion? Second.

All right, all those in favor? Aye. Motion carries. And that's it. The meeting's adjourned. Thank you very much.

As soon as they flip the tape, we'll start the Southeast.