What's Happening in District 7: Pinecrest Wells, Emergency Rent Relief, Fuller Street, Key Biscayne Library and More...

Investing in Water

Recently, the Pinecrest Village Council voted to invest in critical water infrastructure for the health and safety of its residents to connect 720 homes still on well water to the Miami-Dade County Water & Sewer system.

This is a historic moment for Pinecrest and I applaud the leadership of its Council. As sea level rise continues to impact our neighborhoods, protecting our clean drinking water is absolutely vital to the health of our residents.

The $11.3 million project will be funded using a combination of federal funds from the American Rescue Plan, bond funding provided by Miami-Dade County, state funding and a special assessment on properties hooking up to water lines. The assessment will cost most property owners less than a dollar a day for 25 years, in return for safe drinking water that is constantly monitored and tested.

I'm proud to have helped them connect the dots working with our teams at WASD, DERM and Miami-Dade Fire Rescue to answer all the environmental and logistical questions posed by council members and Pinecrest residents as well as identifying funding sources to bring it all together.

Emergency Rent Relief Available Until June 25

Miami-Dade County has been working through a list of nearly 17,000 people who applied for rent relief earlier this year. Funding is still available, so the list has been reopened for the Emergency Rental Program (ERAP) for applications.

The program provides rental payment assistance for up to 12 months in arrears, if you meet certain income qualifications and are experiencing financial hardship as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The amount of rental assistance you receive will depend on the amount of unpaid rent. Applications are accepted until Friday, June 25 at 5 p.m.

For more information, click here or call 305-723-1815 or email [email protected].

In Other News...

Keeping it Grove-y on Fuller Street: When the pandemic began, restaurants were one of the hardest hit industries. Cities throughout Miami-Dade County proposed temporary rules to repurpose our streets and sidewalks, allowing small businesses to survive. But the emergency order that allowed the temporary fix expires at the end of this month, forcing cities and the County to think -- what next?

Do we want to keep some streets closed -- like the popular Fuller Street in Coconut Grove? This month, I visited the street with planners from our TPO to talk to business owners and residents about what they'd like to see and how we can help. The good news -- Miami-Dade County will allow cities to reapply for temporary closures under a new permit while we figure out a longer term vision. The City of Miami is already on it, with an item on next week's agenda to authorize the continuation of the temporary closure.

Key Biscayne Library: Key residents deserve a beautiful new library and I'm working hard to make that happen. In the past several weeks, I have met with residents of Key Colony and with the Key Biscayne Village Council to show a proposed revamp of the outdated library. All have been gracious and helpful in their feedback and desire to help move the issue to a resolution everyone will be proud to see. I'm hopeful we will be able to move to the next stage soon in presenting the plan to a broader audience of Key residents. See the presentation here at about minute 41:30.

Reopening Senior Centers: Our senior centers have been closed for far too long. Finally, they're opening up across the county to provide food and companionship to residents. I can't wait to celebrate just in time for Father's Day! Read more here.

Lowering Insurance Rates in South Miami: Congratulations to the City of South Miami for lowering its Community Rating System (CRS) score, from a seven to a six. The score is based on how much a community does to protect itself from flooding. When the number goes down, so do insurance rates for all property owners, by as much as 15%. Tell your insurance agent and pat your city officials on the back!

Community Updates

Fixing Up the District

This month, Miami-Dade County is fixing up:

The intersection of SW 117th Avenue and SW 104th Street. The project includes tree removal; clearing and grubbing; removal of curb and gutter; asphalt and sidewalks; drainage modification; base installation; installation of new curb and gutter; sidewalks and connectors; milling and resurfacing. It's expected to be finished by Sept. 2021.

Improving pedestrian crossing signals on SW 57 Ave. between SW 83 St. and SW 84 St. This project includes the construction and installation of a new traffic signal and hardware, milling and resurface, at the intersection. It's expected to be finished by Oct. 2021.

Pinecrest bicycling improvements project on SW 136 Street between US-1 and Old Cutler Road. This project includes the construction of a shared-use path along the south side of SW 136 Street; milling and resurfacing the existing pavement, minor widening, and drainage improvements along SW 136 St. It's expected to be finished by April 2022.

Miami-Dade Minute - James Weir Way Street Naming

Honoring Our Heroes: It was wonderful to surprise WWII veteran James Weir with a street in his name. We thank you James, for fighting for our great nation in the name of freedom. Thank you Lieutenant Governor Jeanette Nuñez and U.S Senator Marco Rubio for joining me in designating James Weir Way!

Celebrating Teachers: As a former School Board member, I hold a very special place in my heart for our United Teachers of Dade. I joined UTD to celebrate, luau style, the end of a unique and difficult school year. Wishing all of our amazing Miami-Dade teachers a safe and relaxing summer, see you in the fall.

Preserving & Educating: The Marjory Stoneman Douglas Biscayne Nature Center in Key Biscayne connects the Miami-Dade County community to our local and irreplaceable natural resources. Saltwater aquariums! Mangrove aquariums! Touch tanks! And so much more. If you haven't been here, don't miss out. Executive Director Theodora Long and her team are incredible advocates.

Dog Days: As we prepare to re-open Chapman Field Dog Park, I joined the Miami-Dade Parks Department in planting mature buttonwood and gumbo limbo trees throughout the dog park. In total, there will be over 40 trees added to the park to provide some much-needed shade for our furry friends. Chapman Field Dog Park is the largest regional dog park in the county, but not enough people know about it. I can’t wait to reopen this gem later this summer!

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