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LTC 97-2002 CITY OF MIAMI BEACH Office of the City MqJer Letter to Commission No. ' > ::- ~ tJ~ m From: Mayor David Dermer and Members of the City Commission Jorge M. Gonzalez ~1:, City Manager ALL-AMERICA A ARD Date:Apn111,2002 To: Subject: I am pleased to announce that the City of Miami Beach has submitted an application for the 2002 All-America City Award. The All-America City Award is America's oldest and most prestigious community recognition award. For over 52 years it has encouraged and recognized civic excellence, honoring communities of all sizes in which citizens, government, businesses and voluntary organizations work together to address critical local issues. Finalist for this year's All-America Award will be announced in early May. I will keep you updated on our progress. Attached for your review is a copy of the application that was submitted. If you have any questions or need any additional information, please feel free to contact me. JMG\ri c: Executive Staff F:/cmgrlltc2002lallamericacit)llward.doc il i; i....J.:u ~-,.~ . ~ 2002 All-America City Award Application We encourage applications from neighborhoods, towns, cities, counties and regions Community Information Community name and state: Miami Beach, Florida Your community is applying as: _ Neighborhood Town XXX City _ County _ Region If applying as a region, name participating communities: If applying as a neighborhood, name city: Contact Information All-America City Award contact (primary contact person available throughout competition and for follow-up): Name: Title: Ramiro J. Inguanzo Chief of Staff, Office of the City Manager City of Miami Beach, Florida 1700 Convention Center Drive Organization: Address: City, State, ZIP: Phone (business/day): Fax (business/day): Phone (home/evening): E-mail Address: Miami Beach, Florida 33139 305-673 -70 10 305-673-7782 305-450-7146 ramiroinguanzo@ci.miami-beach.f1.us List the 3 individuals who most actively participated in filling out this All-America City Award application (add additional lines if needed): [Provide name and title; organization; phone; e-mail address) Jorge M. Gonzalez. City Manager. City of Miami Beach. 305-673-7010. iorgeg:onzalez@cLmiami-beach.fl.us Vivian Guzman. Director. Neighborhood Services Department. City of Miami Beach. vivianguzman@ci.miami-beach.fl.us Kevin Crowder, Director, Economic Development Division, City of Miami Beach, kevincrowder@cLmiami-beach.fl.us .~',,'" oj'''' ..j(' ! The community applying will receive one complimentary membership (or a membership renewal if an AAC application was submitted last year) to the National Civic League for one year. To whom should this membership be directed? Name: Jorge M. Gonzalez Address: 1700 Convention Center Drive. Miami Beach. Florida 33139 Phone Number: 305-673-7010 Fax 305-673-7782 Email: iorgegonzaleZ@ci.miami-beach.fl.us If we are designated an All-America City, we agree to follow NCL's rules regarding use of the All-America City Award logo, a registered trademark of the National Civic League. Signature: Date: Community Statistics Note: Use the most up-to-date statistics possible for your neighborhood, town, city, county, or region (source suggestions: U.S. Census Bureau, State Department of Economic Security, State Department of Finance, Department of Public Health, and local school statistics) FORM OF JGOVERNMENT, if applicable: XX Council-Manager _ Mayor-Council POPULATION (in year 2000 or most recent): SourcelDate: U.S. Census Bureau /2000 87.933 POPULATION PERCENTAGE CHANGE 1990-2001 (indicate + or -): ~ % SourcelDate: U.S. Census Bureau / 2000 RACIALlETHNIC POPULATION BREAKDOWN (percentage): White (non-Hispanic) 37.6 % Black 4 % Hispanic (of any origin) 53 % Asian 1.4 % Native American nla % Other 4 % SourcelDate: U.S. Census Bureau / 2000 MEDIAN FAMILY INCOME: S 17.806 SourcelDate: Claritas, Inc. / 1998 PERCENTAGE OF FAMILIES BELOW POVERTY LEVEL: ...lL ot'o SourcelDate: U.S. Census Bureau / 2000 ~ UNEMPLOYMENT RATE: -1:L % SourcelDate: Bureau of Labor Statistics / 2001 POPULATION BREAKDOWN BY AGE GROUP (percentages, if available): Below 18 years -1L% 1~4 ~% 2~44 ~% 4~64 --ZL% Over 65 ~% SourcelDate: U.S. Census Bureau / 2000 PERCENTAGE OF HOME OWNERSHIP: 36.6 % SourcelDate: U.S. Census Bureau /2000 WORKFORCE DISTRIBUTION -- Name the three largest employment sectors in your community and provide the percentage of total employed in each: Hospitality Industry (Hotels/Restaurants) Retail Trade Hospitals / Health Care Industry SourcelDate: City of Miami Beach Economic Development Division / 2002 ~% ~% ~% , "i.i!~i: Part I: Community Background and Community Challenge Section Add lines as needed for your responses 1 (A). Community Background: Set the background for your community. Tell its story. Summarize your community's history, successes and struggles. Describe how your community got to where it is today and your community's current state of affairs. (700 word maximum): Miami Beach is a city with an exciting past and equally enticing future. Henry Lum and John Collins came to South Florida in 1881 and purchased large tracts ofland from the federal government for about $1.25 an acre and began to grow avocados. bananas. mangoes. as well as a host of other fruits and vegetables. In 1911. the Biscayne Navigation Company began running ferry boats from the mainland so that people could take advantage of the beach. Also that year. the Miami Beach Improvement Company was established and charged with making two maior capital improvements: a canal to be dredged through the mangroves to Biscayne Bay and a bridge to the mainland. Both proiects were underway bv 1912. On March 26. 1915 the City of Miami Beach was incorporated. J.N. Lummus was elected as the communitv's first mayor and in 1924 Claude Renshaw was named the first city manager. The bridge between the beach and the mainland was completed in 1926. With this vital transportation link in place. Miami Beach was promoted as a tropical resort. Golf courses. polo fields. tennis courts and grandstands to watch speedboat racing were built. Sidewalks. paved streets and a roadway named Atlantic Boulevard. which later became Collins Avenue were also built. The great land boom of the 1920s was still in progress when South Florida was rocked by one of its worst hurricanes. More than 100 lives were lost during that storm. along with millions of dollars in property damage. The pioneers persevered and began to rebuild their city. Though it only took a few months to construct new homes and hotels. it took years for Miami Beach to recover economicallv. During the Great Depression. another new group. predominantly Jewish. came to Miami Beach and built a large number of small hotels with stark moderne lines~ Art Deco was born. This building boom. between 1933 and 1949. was intentionally designed to offer a much-needed distraction from the Depresssion. Throughout the 1930s and 40s. middle-class tourists flocked to Maimi Beach to uplift their spirits and dance to "big band" sounds under clear. moonlit skies. In the 1950s. the City ultimately evolved as a maior convention destination and. when daily trans-Atlantic airline service was inaugurated. became an international resort. The advent of air conditioning changed the Citv's status from that of a winter-only retreat to a year-round destination. The 1960s brought Jackie Gleason to Miami Beach where his television show was broadcast weekly "from the sun and fun capital of the world. Miami Beach!" Unfortunately. during the 60's. most of the magnificent Art Deco structures fell prey to urban decay and were used primarily as low-rent housing.. awaiting the savage swing of the wrecking ball. Surrounded by rusted lawn chairs. these buildings sat in sad disrepair. paint peeling. walls cracking. and floors crumbling. By the mid 1970s a grOUp of activists banded together to stop the demolition and encourage restoration of these buildings. This grOUp worked to convince non-believers. city planners and tear-down-the-old-to-make-room-for- the-new developers. that the destruction of Art Deco structures was a huge mistake. In 1979. the Art Deco .Cltill'i~: , .1}Jl~Wli~;]_.::; District was listed on the National Register of Histroic Places. the first 20th century district ever granted such a distinction. Soon after. a metamorphosis began to take place. During the 1980s. millions of public and private dollars were poured into the Distric to refurbish the structures and revitalize the infrastructure. This rebirth. which continued through the mid 1990s. brought back a glowing. beautiful complexion to the historic buildings. and created a unique cityscape so individual it is like nowhere else in the world. The Art Deco District's revival represents one of the greatest historic preservation success stories in America and contains the largest concentration of Art Deco architecture in the world. Along with a healthy dose of nostalgia for a disappearing form of architecture. this revitalization also brought thousands of new jobs to the area. Affordable housing for families now share the palm-shaded streets. with hotels. boutiques. and restaurants. This rebirth produced a beautiful new Miami Beach with a new way of life that features arts. culture and recreational activities. all with an international accent for those who live. work. and play in our vibrant. tropical. historic community. 1 (B). Community Celebration: Why should your community be selected as an All-America City? Describe what makes your community a great place to live, work, and play. (300 word maximum) Miami Beach. a cosmopolitan island city of just 7.1 square miles. is referred to as "America's Riviera." Nearly 88.000 residents call Miami Beach home. Fifteen million non-resident visitors come here every year to enjoy the sun. surf. and everything else that our vibrant. tropical. historic community has to offer. Even though Miami Beach is seen as an international trend-setting art. entertainment and shopping mecca. and cultural wonder. there are other dazzling array of amenities to enjoy year-round. Over seven miles of beaches. three golf courses. over 20 parks. several museums. galleries. recreation facilities. cafe's. clubs. retail stores. restaurants with international flavors. special events. concerts and festivals. We have a vibrant multi-cultural residential community from South Beach to North Beach. Voters approved a $92 million bond issue in 1999. and combined with other funding. over $400 million of improvements to the City's 13 beautiful neighborhoods. parks and infrastructure will be completed over the next five years. All types of housing are available. from apartments and condos to the single-family neighborhoods to the new luxury condos in waterfront high-rises to upscale homes. Aside from high achieving public schools. there are also a number of private schools that offer a variety of curriculum and religious choices. Miami Beach has plenty of options for employment from medical and banking to hospitality and entertainment industries offering jobs. There are close to 60.000 employees working here daily. Free concerts and movies. from Pavoratti to N'SYNC to the film Moulin Rouge. have entertained thousands of residents and visitors on our sandy beaches. We are home to ArtsBeach2ndThursdays. the City's free monthly multicultural arts night where visual and performing arts groups showcase their work throughout the City in a display of creative energy that includes music. dance. theater. cinema. readings. art exhibits. guided tours. workshops. lectures. story-telling. neighborhood fairs. yoga. and other free activities. The City's Cultural Campus is located in a park that will soon be extended to the Atlantic Ocean and includes the world-class Miami City Ballet Company; the Bass Museum of Art and a planned regional library that will have a special focus on the arts. all of which are housed in state of the art facilities that have distinctive architectural designs. "'~ ;Xt~~,~i,:,"; ',' '," " w,.~.., ,,~ '" 1 (C). Community Challenges: Based upon your community's current status, describe your community's two most pressing challenges. Challenge #1: (200 words maximum) The City of Miami Beach is a tourist destination. and the local economy is hospitality based. comprised of shopping. eating and drinking. and hotel rooms. It follows seasonal trends and is subiect to unavoidable fluctuations in consumer confidence that impact the spending trends of visitors and residents. Diversification of the local economic base is essential to insulate the City's economy from these fluctuations and to provide sustainable economic activity during the entire year. Successfully diversifying the local economy will provide enhanced stability to not only the City's businesses. but to all sectors ofthe community. from the local tax base to the residents whose iobs are dependent on the economic vibrancy of the City. Although the effects of September 11 th further demonstrated the need for economic diversification. it also created an obstacle to that effort - the need to immediately reiuvenate the lifeblood of the City and our hospitality and tourism industry. Challenge #2: (200 words maximum) The entertainment industry's fascination in the City of Miami Beach as a location. lead to a boom in development which erupted after the mid 1980's. During the 1990's. with a strong national and local economy. developers and investors alike took action in developing the envisioned cosmopolitan island City which would draw international interest while increasing demand by consumers. At the time. the City was not adequately prepared to meet the increasing needs of our community. With the rapid growth and increasing demand. City leaders felt it necessary to implement growth management measures. The City challenge was how to maintain the City's infrastructure integrity. and continue to lava foundation for future needs and development. Critical to this task. were the challenges presented by lack of funding. and a lack of a comprehensive Caoital Improvement Plan. Our challenged focused on managing growth. with limited resources while maintaining the national and international interest in our City that existed to ensure future development and interest in our community. ,;~.".,<<." ,>~;il, . "j"." Part II: Community-Driven Projects Add lines as needed for your responses Part IT requires descriptions of three collaborative community projects that have significantly affected the community. Projects number One and Two should be drawn directly from the two community challenges stated above. Project Three should be reflective of what your community is doing for children and youth. PROJECT ONE (Challenge #1) 1. Project summary, name and give a brief description. (150 word maximum) Economic Diversification - To reduce the community's dependence on tourism and continue Miami Beach's evolution into a world-class city. Miami Beach has implemented various initiatives. The City has been very proactive in its initiatives to increase economic vibrancy and diversify the economic base. The City diversifies the tourism industry by enhancing the balance between international and domestic visitors. and bv targeting more business and convention travel. The merger of Mount Sinai Medical Center and the Miami Heart Institute (two hospitals located in Miami Beach) enhanced that organization's profile in the health care industry. employing a significant number of people and attracting additional revenue to the City. We have also worked to increase and diversify the retail product. reducing the amount of monev that is spent outside the City's borders. directly enhancing the quality of life and opportunities of the residents. The City is participating in two public/private office proiects that will bring over 400.000 square feet of Class A office space and attract additional industries to the City. 2. Describe the relationship between this project and your first challenge, the project's history, and how it is being sustained? (300 word maximum) The need for economic diversity was identified by the Mayor's Economic Council in July 1999. The Economic Diversification proiect is directly related to the challenge of dealing with a tourism-dependent economy that is subiect to fluctuations that are out of local control. such as economic turmoil in Argentina and Venezuela. the value of the dollar overseas. and events such as September 11th. The City implemented several initiatives to assist in the diversification of the local economy and its various industries. The City partnered with the Loews Hotel Corporation to construct an 800-room convention hotel and the RDP/Royal Palm Corporation to build a 425- room convention hotel (the development of the first African-American owned hotel on Miami Beach) both to complement the Miami Beach Convention Center. This enabled the City to diversify its visitor base to have a better balance of leisure. business and convention visitors. protecting the City from downturns that anv individual market may experience. To increase spending on retail goods and better balance that sector with hotels and dining. the City entered into a partnership to build a parking garage with ground floor retail space in an area with many derelict buildings. This proiect led to the creation of a four-block retail district that now boasts almost 30 internationally known fashion retailers. generating average annual sales of $763 per square foot. well above ~'..,~~.~"il!~ ~ the national average of $250. The City has entered into partnerships and encouraged the development of a viable office market. which is not dependent on local consumers. but provides year-round employment opportunities and additional customers for the City's consumer based industries. This project is sustained bv the City's economic development efforts. and the City has staff whose individual functions are targeted at private capital investment. small business development. office market recruitment and market research. The City maintains constant contact with the real estate industry both locally and nationwide. addressing all needs of potential investors and reacting quickly to new opportunities. 3. Describe the partnerships and collaborations involved in the creation, development, and implementation of this project. (300 word maximum) Collaborations for the project to diversify the economy range from informal conceptual meetings to major development agreements. and partners include area non-profits such as chambers of commerce and merchant associations. local. regional and statewide economic development organizations. the private sector. including major corporations and individual business people from not only the City. but the region. A key component of the economic diversification effort was the development of a viable office market. The City has been able to attract the Latin American headquarters of multinational music and television companies. including Time Warner. Sony and MTV. One initiative was a public/private partnership with LNR Property Corporation in the $60 million development of 230.000 square feet of office space in two new buildings built on City-owned land. All of these partners continue to address the economic diversification of the City. Additional partners were needed to address the economic disruption experienced by the City's host>itality and tourism industry due to the events of September 11 tho The City partnered with the Ocean Drive Association and sponsored a free benefit concert featuring the musical group N'SYNC that brought over 150.000 people to Miami Beach for this event and raised funds for the families of the victims of September 11 th and of local displaced workers in Miami Beach. The Mayor of Miami Beach created a Blue Ribbon Task Force on Tourism. which was comprised of 30 volunteers from the business community who volunteered 700 hours of time from December 2001 through March 2002. This group developed an 80-page report of not only recommendations. but more importantlv. action steps. implementation methods and accountability measurements. Thev completed this process in four months. and some recommendations were implemented as they were being conceived. Another partner is the Small Business Administration. who recognized the City during their "Lenders Awards" for active participation. partnership and promotion of the Economic Injury Disaster Loan. We also partnered with the Florida Department of the Lottery. with whom the City met in November. This new relationship resulted in the live television broadcast of six Lottery drawings from Miami Beach's Lincoln Road to the rest of the State of Florida. 4. Describe the qualitative and quantitative outcomes of this project in the last 3 years and explain how this project has been a success. (300 word maximum) Diversification of the tourism industry with more convention and business travel is demonstrated by an increase in hotel sales from $300 million in 1998 to almost $450 million in 2001. and by the attraction of Microsoft's Global Briefing in July 2001. when 15.000 Microsoft employees stayed in Miami Beach for 30 days during the slowest time of the year. Convention Center revenues increased from $5.4 million in 1999 to $8.1 million in 2001. By reacting so swiftly and decisively to the events of September 11th. tourism revenues have returned to near 2001 levels. unlike most other tourist destinations. From January through March 2002. the City fielded more inquiries regarding investment in hotel development than during the same period in 2001. 2000 and 1999. demonstrating the strength of the economic recovery and the confidence in the City's efforts to adapt. This quick recovery has allowed the City to re-focus on the larger economic diversity issues. only six months after the disruption. From 1998 to 2000. the local office market evolved from one that was unrecognized. to the most sought after address in South Florida. In 2001. there were 46 music and TV companies in Miami Beach. and the """.",.. "''''r~ industry employed 1.600 people. up from approximately 1.000 in the late 1990's. The City is developing a Business Assistance Program. which will enhance the ability to attract more year-round activity. including significant contributors with cOlporate headquarter operations based in Miami Beach. The City is negotiating the relocation to Miami Beach of LNR Property. a 240-employee NYSE headquarter operation. The City's commitment to the $400 million infrastructure improvement program has served as an additional incentive to companies interested in moving to Miami Beach. as it demonstrates that the City's primary interest is quality of life and service to all of the community's stakeholders. businesses. residents and visitors. Name the primary contact for the project. Provide name & title, organization, address, telephone, and e-mail address. (I'his person may be contacted to verify information.) Christina M. Cuervo. Assistant City Manager 1700 Convention Center Drive. Miami Beach. Florida 33139. Telephone: 305/673-7010. E-mail: christinacuervo@cLmiami-beach.fl.us PROJECT TWO (Challenge #2) 1. Project summary, name and give a brief description. (150 word maximum) Managing growth on Miami Beach and laying a foundation for the future - Economic and demographic statistics serve as testimony to the increased growth on Miami Beach. The median age has shifted from 65 in 1980 to 39 years old today: school enrollment has increased by 30%: office space needs for the entertainment industry alone have risen over 600% since 1980. with over 700.000 square feet of new office space being constructed citywide. Within the City's 7.1 square miles. $647 million in residential development is currently underway. Key economic indicators. such as room occupancy. and food/alcohol sales have increased by 127% since 1996. The City's leadership established a strategic plan by collaborating with the community and private sector to preserve the unique characteristics of neighborhoods through: historic designation: enhancement of our natural resources. beach renourishment: investment in parks and infrastructure through a capital improvements plan: and addressing urban renewal through a Citywide Master Plan and new Cultural Center. 2. Describe the relationship between this project and your second challenge, the project's history, and how it is being sustained? (300 word maximum) The City embarked upon a multi-faceted solution to the growth challenge it faced. The resulting proiect is made up of several factors that comprised one unified proiect to address growth issues and improve the quality of life of our residents. including: preservation of the unique characteristics of our neighborhood and our natural resources: and. renovation/restoration of our infrastructure and parks and neighborhoods citywide to address the needs of the business. residential and tourist community. The City's recognition of Art Deco as an asset was critical. In order to preserve the unique characteristic of our neighborhoods. historically significant sites and structures received local and national historic designation. Additionally. legislation was adopted to place moratoriums on building growth as well as restrictions on the height of buildings. The City was now able to continue to maintain its image of fun and sun. while accommodating increased number of residential and commercial structures. <."::j%j~;.,;lh'1h~ Another priority of the City was to maintain its historic-urban character in a beachfront environment. The increased number of residents and tourists to the City also translated into increased demand for natural resources. The City embarked upon an extensive program of beach renourishment and enhancement and prioritized new proiects like the North Beach Recreational Corridor, an extension of the Atlantic corridor, which will provide a pedestrianlbicycle trail along the Atlantic Ocean. The final component included the need to upgrade and enhance the City's infrastructure. parks and recreational facilities and neighborhoods. To address the myriad of needs. a coalition sDearheaded by the Chamber of Commerce. Homeowner Associations and City government. worked together to encourage residents to vote for the concept of taxing themselves to make these overdue improvements. In November 1999, a Special Election was held where the electorate approved the issuance of a $92 million General Obligation Bond Issue. At a time when the public's mistrust of government was at an all time high, as evidenced by the failure of Miami-Dade County's Transit Tax. 3. Describe the partnerships and collaborations involved in the creation, development, and implementation of this project. (300 word maximum) In addressing the needs and proiect goals outlined above. the City worked hand and hand with our citizenry. members of the business community and parties of interest in creating. developing and implementing the goal of this maior proiect. The City's approach in meeting the challenges associated with growth is one of interest to all segments of our local community. organizations which represent a variety of civic and business grOUpS (representing the Chambers of Commerce as well as over 20 different Homeowner's Association and community based organizations. and two Community Development Organizations and the Ocean Drive Association) have all taken an active role in building a partnership which has lead to a collaborative apDroach in the City's design and implementation of the City's Course of action. This collaboration led the way for the acceptance of the City's most critical proiect: the passage of the $92 million GO Bond referendum which provided the needed financial resources to implement city wide proiects: all which would directly meet the needs of our resident. visitors. and members of the business community. For the first time in many years the City Administration gained the support and trust needed from the array of groups with interest. We managed to do so by including the different segments of our community in the decision making process. The City Administration has lead the way in ensuring that community input was seriously considered in selecting and implementing proiects. In order to maintain the important role of citizen input. the City Commission appointed an eleven (11) member G.O. Bond Oversight Committee with the role of overseeing the Capital Improvements Proiects. The City's needs exceed the scope ofproiects funded by the $92 million dollars: as such. the City has reached out to the private sector for assistance in ensuring that the City continues to prosper. The City engaged developers and the business community and carried out proiects like the development of the Loews Hotel (which brought the first Convention Center hotel to Miami Beach). Royal Palm Crowne Plaza Hotel (the development of the first African-American owned hote!). the exchange of land (so that businesses can provide basic services as desired by residents) and a variety of partnerships fostered by the City. · .:.;L.l~~t 4. Describe the qualitative and quantitative outcomes of this project in the last 3 years and explain how this project has been a success. (300 word maximum) The City's strategy for implementing various programs and policies, maintaining the quality of life for the residents and preserving unique characteristic of Miami Beach during the last 3 years has been successfully undertaken. In maintaining the Administrations commitment to collaborative participation, the City has taken the following action: (1) Implementation of Recommendations as provided by the City's Business Resolution Taskforce, which conducted a complete and systematic review of the City's Building and Permitting process, Planning and Zoning process: the review lead to the redesign and implementation of sound policies and procedures tailored to maintain trust and understanding in providing quality customer service: (2) Alignment of "like" City Departments with the creation of a collective Neighborhood Services Department which includes: Community Development. Code Enforcement. Housing. Homeless Affairs. Elder Affairs. Log Cabin. Community Resource Team. and Children Affairs. The Administration's goal in aligning departments. was to reduce red tape. and to dedicate City staff responsible to provide direct services. Managing the needs of our community is critical as we manage future growth: (3) Development of a Capital Improvement Project Office (CIP): In an effort to maintain the public trust while managing the City's capital proiects led to the development of the Capital Improvement Project Office. which is tasked with managing Capital Projects and balancing the needs of all segments of the community: (4) Addition of Community Resource Coordinators: Our community is divided among three districts: North. Middle and South Beach. In an effort to adequately address the needs (issues) of these communities. the Administration added dedicated staff members responsible for coordinating projects and meeting with all segments of their particular district. A needed and welcomed resource to our residents: (5) Addition of a Business Liaison: The City Administration added a Business Liaison responsible for meeting the needs of the Business Community. The private sectors invest over $900 million dollars each year to our community. this staff members is a resource available in assisting businesses as they engage the City. Name the primary contact for the project. Provide name & title, organization, address, telephone, and e-mail address. (This person may be contacted to verify information.) Robert C. Middaugh. Assistant City Manager 1700 Convention Center Drive. Miami Beach. Florida 33139. Telephone: 305/673-7010. E-mail: bobmiddaugh@ci.miami-beach.f1.us PROJECT THREE As a commitment to America's Promise, the National Civic League has issued the Youth Initiative Challenge. We ask that at least one project from each All-America City applicant document ways in which the lives of children and youth have been tangibly improved. 1. Project summary, name and give a brief description. (150 word maximum) The Neighborhoods First Support Team is a multi-faceted effort to address truancy. community cohesion and attachment issues while networking community resources to improve service delivery to youth and their families. The Support Team, created via a grant by the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice. is a three-member community response team. The program provides a variety of services including: (1) Home visits. assessments and referral services for youth at-risk of truancy and delinquency: (2) Monthly public workshops addressing community empowerment to deal with issues affecting youth and their quality of life and increasing community involvement: (3) Periodic neighborhood-based community service projects to foster investment and community attachment: (4) Increasing and improving the collaborative relationships of community service providers in the targeted neighborhoods to improve access by youth and their families: and (5) Creation of a Three-vear --..----------- ~- ----- Comprehensive Juvenile Delinquencv Prevention Plan that assesses community resources and identifies risk and protective factors. 2. Tell us how this project has affected the lives of children and youth in your community. Describe the_ challenge it is addressing, the history, and how it will be sustained. (300 word maximum) The Neighborhoods First Support Team has positive Iv affected the lives of youth. their families and their school by creating a directed and sustained effort to: (1) Increase cooperation and services among local. communitv- based service providers via more ioint-sponsored events and facilitating the referral processes among providers: (2) Motivate and empower vouth. their families and school leaders to increase involvement in community-based activities by engaging them in active dialogue and planning of school- and neighborhood-based events: (3) Facilitate access to needed services by increasing awareness via workshops. resource guides. and door-to-door outreach: and (4) Reduce truancy (a leading factor in iuvenile delinquency) by identifying and intervening early with youth at-risk by conducting home visits. assessments and providing identified referral services. Truancy. a leading precursor to iuvenile delinquency. is a significant problem in our community. Unfortunately. poverty. high mobility. limited resources and cultural diversity have hampered school-based efforts to address the problem. In 1998. the City sought collaboration from Miami-Dade County Public Schools. the Office of the State Attorney and community-service providers in the city to create a cohesive effort to increase communication. accessibility and evaluation of outreach efforts to at-risk youth. The Mayor formed the Neighborhoods First Oversight Committee to engage community-service providers. area residents and youth in the formulation and implementation of all Support Team efforts. The City received a two-year grant from the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice providing seed funds to hire and train two fulltime outreach specialists. After weeks of research and data evaluation. the Oversight Committee created the Three-vear Comprehensive Juvenile Delinquency Prevention Plan. the blueprint for all efforts including the timetable and benchmarks for action. As a result of its two-year performance data. the City absorbed the cost of the Neighborhoods First Support Team into its General Fund in 2001 as a cost-effective delinquencv prevention tool. 3. Describe the partnerships and collaborations involved in the creation, development, and implementation of this project. (300 word maximum) The initial partnerships for this effort included active participation by the following community stakeholders: (1) Miami-Dade County Public Schools: (2) North Beach Development COI:poration (leading business organization in the area): (3) Area homeowners associations (Palm View Island. Normandy Shores. Biscayne Point): (4) Community-based organizations (CBOs) like Ayuda. Unidad. and Jewish Community Services. The Mavor then formed the Neighborhoods First Oversight Committee comprised of area residents. representatives from the CBOs. business owners and youth. The Committee researched area data regarding risk and protective factors within the domains of home. school. community and peers. Based on this data. the Committee identified its priority areas of focus and created its Three-vear Comprehensive Juvenile Delinquencv Prevention Plan. The Plan identified benchmarks. resources and partners for each of its goals. The Plan also called for an annual evaluation of all of its outcomes-based program components. Part of the Plan called for an increase in the number of community-based organizations providing service in the target area. As a means to engage organizations and draw them into the targeted neighborhood. iointlv-sponsored workshops and special events were planned on a monthlv basis. Oftentimes. free community concerts and dessert preceded public workshops as a way of attracting participants from the neighborhood. The Dessert On Us concert series drew hundreds of area residents to the offices of Unidad and Ayuda. area parks and other community support sites. Through this effort. the Support Team increased CBO participation. from its initial nine agencies. to 55 agencies by the end of its third year. i!:jt~!.;illUlliili,UlI .. Support Team partners were active and thoughtful participants throughout the creation of the Plan. selection of locations and topic for monthly events. and evaluation of the initiative. This effort increased joint grantwriting projects as well as facilitated interpersonal and interagency dialogue and collaboration on projects such as Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) preparation at Biscayne Elementarv. 4. Describe the qualitative and quantitative outcomes of this project in the last three years. Tell us how this project has been a success. (300 word maximum) In addition to increasing the number of collaborating agencies from nine to 55 in three years. this effort produced: (1) A decrease in school absences bv program participants from 21 absences before intervention to only 4 absences after intervention: (2) Twenty-eight (28) monthly workshops addressing community. family and individual empowerment in the last two years: (3) Participation in the national evaluation of the All Stars program that will yield the first locally-focused. longitudinal youth attitudes survey regarding drugs and alcohol next year: (4) More than 20 community-based service projects in the past two years. including redressing code compliance violations for elderly residents: (5) A reduction in overall crime in the target area each of the proJP"am years: (6) Greater community participation as measured in votes cast in presidential elections (7.4% increase). More importantly. the Neighborhoods First Support Team has been a success by promoting the outcomes-based evaluation of programs and initiatives to address youth and family issues. It has also been instrumental in engaging community-based agencies in long-term. fruitful and reciprocal partnerships that increase accessibility by residents and improve agency efficiencies. The success of the Neighborhoods First engagement model encouraged the creation of Neighbors for the Neighborhood. a group comprised of area homeowners associations united to speak as one. While the immediate legacy of the SUlJport Team can be measured in statistics that show a decrease in school truancy and crime. and an increase in collaborating agencies and community-based events. its long-term legacy rests in its success in engaging all sectors of the community in achieving the community's goals and betterment. Name the primary contact for the project. Provide name & title, organization, address, telephone, and e- mail address. (This person may be contacted to verify information.) Maria L. Ruiz. Division Director. Office of Children's Affairs 1700 Convention Center Drive. Miami Beach. Florida 33139. Telephone: 305/673-7491. E-mail: mariaruiz@ci.miami-beach.f1.us Part III: Civic Infrastructure Describe your community. Using the four major sections of the National Civic League's newly revised The Civic Index, Second Edition (see www.ncl.orgformoreinformation).examineyourcommunity.scivic infrastructure and civic capacity and describe how your community lives each of the answers to each of the following questions. Please include real examples of how your community has demonstrated its strengths and faced its challenges. The roman numerals correspond to parts of The Civic Index, Second Edition. Also see the application instructions for this section. Add lines as needed for your responses I. What is our community vision for the future? (300 word maximum) The City of Miami Beach is committed to providing excellent public service and safety to all who live. work. and play in our vibrant. tropical. historic community. Recently. the City. with input from our residents. came up with a five-year vision for Miami Beach. We are working to make this vision a reality and believe that in five vears Miami Beach will be: cleaner and safer: more beautiful and vibrant: a mature and stable residential communitv with well-improved infrastructure: a unique urban and historic environment: a cultural. entertainment. tourism capital: and an international center for innovation in culture. recreation and business. In order to reach our vision. we are focusing our efforts on the following priority areas: (1) Our Capital Improvement Program is continuing initiatives to improve the City's infrastructure (water/sewer. stormwater. streetscapes). public facilities. parks. beaches. golf courses and public safety equipment: (2) We are implementing the recommendations of the Business Resolution Task Force to improve and expedite the City's permitting and development processes: (3) We are developing plans and economic development strategies to ensure that appropriate. coherent and sustainable growth occurs in the City without adversely impacting the unique character of our community and our residential neighborhoods: (4) Focusing on organizational development and leadership to ensure that our workforce is prepared to lead. serve and address the City's challenges: (5) Delivering a neighborhood services focus which embraces multi-departmental cooperation to enhance service delivery with quality of life issues as a priority: and (6) implementing e-Government solutions that provide electronic access to City services and information 24 hours-a-dav. 7-days-a-week and that facilitate citizen access and interaction with their government. IT (a). What roles do non-profits play in community-wide decision-making and how do they contribute to improving the community? (300 word maximum) The City of Miami Beach partners with many non-profit organizations in the community in order to provide a number of public services. including affordable housing opportunities. rehabilitation of both residential and commercial properties and economic development as well as other programs beyond the scope of City services. For example. the Miami Beach Community Development Corporation is the City's community-based partner located in the south end of the city that works to create home ownership opportunities for low and moderate- income residents citywide. ~~dH';:~~;~:/. 't." The City's community based partners in the north end include UNIDAD Hispanic Community Center and North Beach Development Corporation. UNIDAD is a social services referral and information agency for residents living primarily in the North Beach area. This program uses elderly volunteers to staff manv of UNIDAD's activities. as well as referring these elders for other non-profits and small businesses. In addition. UNIDAD has a "one stop iob shop" located in South Beach that serves people who have been iob displaced or are seeking career planning and placement. The North Beach Development Corporation is a non-profit organization whose mission is to create additional economic development opportunities in the North Beach area. The agency has worked to provide neighborhood revitalization through its commercial facade enhancement program. thus creating visual improvements which complement City infrastructure and beautification proiects. The City continues to partner with the Miami Design Preservation League. which is based in Miami Beach. This group's mission in the preservation of historic buildings. and in addition. they played a prominent role in the economic and neighborhood revitalization of the historic Art Deco district in Miami Beach that has generated a great impact and interest in cultural tourism. n (b). What roles do businesses play in community-wide decision-making and how do they contribute to improving the community? (300 word maximum) Businesses contribute to the decision-making process at all levels. They participate. along with residents and other organizations. through representation on various City boards and committees. such as the Planning Board. Design Review Board. Production Industry Council. and Visitor and Convention Authority. Businesses also participate in various merchant associations and business districts. which maintain constant and consistent communication with the Mavor and City Commission and the City Administration. The most important role that the businesses play is their support of the local economy. by creating jobs and employment opportunities for the residents. by providing goods and services to the residents and visitors in the most convenient method possible. and by contributing financially to the economic well-being of the City. through pavroll. infusion of capital from customers. and though substantial support of municipal activities due to the recent phenomenal increases in local real estate values which have resulted in higher tax revenues to the City. although the tax rate continues to decline. This has enabled the City to enhance its recreational amenities. and attract quality events to the area for the benefit of residents and visitors alike. The private sector has been instrumental is developing and implementing visions throughout the City that have resulted in significant revitalization and redevelopment. providing new. renovated and updated housing units. parking facilities. opportunities for entrepreneurship. contributing to a cleaner. safer city with a high quality of life. n (c). What role does government play in community-wide decision-making and how do they contribute to improving the community? (300 word maximum) Municipal governments supply the expertise necessary to move ideas into tangibles. unfunded into funded initiatives. and often create catalysts for social change and assist in educating the public and building consensus for all sorts of public improvements. In our case. we work very closely with our citizens in developing public policy. From a myriad of citizen task forces to standing citizen committees and oversight boards. our City reflects the diverse and sometimes disparate interests of our residents. In fact. it is the melding of these ideas that has created our public agenda and has given our City its vitality and energy. ."(c,,-. \ L____._. ~. In addition to our City government's citizen participation. we interact with a variety of very vocal civic and business groups representing Chambers of Commerce. homeowner's associations. non-profits and community based organizations. A case in point is the $92 million GO Bond Referendum brought forth by a coalition of residents. homeowner's and civic associations who campaigned for underground and right-of-way improvements in residential neighborhoods throughout the City. Calling itself "My Neighborhood Now" this coalition worked closely with the City to encourage residents to vote for the concept of taxing themselves to make these overdue but unfunded improvements. The Bond issue passed in November of 1999. and work is currently underway. When completed this Bond Issue will translate to 17 brand new City parks. two new municipal pools. two new public golf courses and club houses. two new fire stations. two community centers. two youth centers. and millions of dollars in above and below ground improvements in each of the city's 13 neighborhoods - many of which have had no significant upgrading in 40 to 50 years! II (d). What is the extent and nature of citizen participation in community improvement efforts? (300 word maximum) The City of Miami Beach is very inclusive in its decision making process with our citizens. Resident participation is extensive and is achieved through over 25 diverse City boards and committees. neighborhood meetings and programs that provide additional information on city services. Most recently. the City created the Neighborhood Services Department to improve public access to City government. enhance service delivery from all departments. align services with citizen needs. and increase involvement and participation by providing direct assistance and outreach to citizens. The Department is responsible for ensuring that residents receive prompt. responsive and courteous service that meets or exceeds their needs and addresses neighborhood concerns. The goals and objectives of the Department are to build neighborhood capacity. redesign public services. enhance the sense of community. and provide our residents with an opportunity to better participate and connect with their government. By building neighborhood capacity. residents become more knowledgeable about how government works and they can help meet their community's needs. Their energy and creativity combined with other public and private resources help create a diverse group working together in each of the 13 neighborhoods to mobilize new assets and generate positive changes. By redesigning public services. residents who live and work in a neighborhood are able to prioritize their needs. Our Neighborhood Services Department gives residents a forum where unique neighborhood needs can be voiced to public officials and government staff. These dialogues lead to the reexamination of budget priorities and new methods of public service delivery. Neighborhood revitalization ultimately depends on a sense of neighborhood identity and a commitment by all residents to make their neighborhood a better place to live. work. learn and play. In order to reach these goals. our Neighborhood Services Department. through our Community Resource and Outreach Division. conducts regular meetings with neighborhoods throughout the community to identify concerns affecting the community's quality of life. These concerns are examined to determine where enhancements can be achieved. Community Resource and Outreach Coordinators are assigned to a specific area of the City to serve as liaisons between the City and homeowners and condominium associations and other civic groups to coordinate and monitor the delivery of all City services. m (a). How does our community recognize and celebrate its diversity? (300 word maximum) From cultural events to diversity forums. the City of Miami Beach takes pride in recognizing and celebrating its diverse community. not only externally but internally as well. The City of Miami Beach is home to a population of many different ethnic groups and people of different sexual orientaions and plays host to an even larger diverse population of international visitors who visit the City from all over the world. Miami Beach is the cultural arts playground of South Florida because of our manv diverse and international events held in our cultural institutions and throughout the City's public facilities and parks. We sponsor and host many special events throughout the year that celebrate these diverse groups (ArtsBeach 2nd Thursdays. a monthly celebration of ethnic art. music and dance~ White Party. a gav & lesbian fundraiser for AIDS Awareness~ Hispanic Heritage Month ArtsBeach Celebration~ Latin Film Fest~ African-American Film Fest~ Julv 4th Concert. with an annual naturalization ceremonv of new citizens that were born in other countries~ Bridging the Gap - Diversity Forum. Hispanic Heritage Community Awards. among many others). Diversity is displayed throughout City business as well. Our diverse boards and committees (Hispanic Affairs Committee. Community Relations Board. Sister Cities Council. Commission on the Status of Women. procurement evaluation committees. and our Barrier Free Environment Committee which deals with ADA issues) are composed of volunteers from the community and make recommendations to the City on several issues. Public forums to discuss community relations amongst its diverse community are held annuallv. We also recognize the needs of the Hispanic community by having public information materials available in Spanish. including the City's website. The City has an ADA plan that addresses different issues including providing intetpretation services for the hearing impaired at all our Commission meetings. The City has also made great strides in hiring a diverse workforce: 39% - Hispanic. 39% - white. 20% - black. and 2% - other. Employees are invited to celebrate diversity through celebrations of food. art and music during Black History Month and Hispanic Heritage Month. In addition. we require that all emplovees attend a diversity workshop when they are hired to get a better understanding and appreciation of our differences throughout the workplace and our community. m (b). How does our community work with neighboring communities to address shared challenges? Is there a shared regional vision? (300 word maximum) The City of Miami Beach is in constant communication with neighboring communities. due to the various shared challenges and opportunities that do not take into account local municipal boundaries. Miami Beach is the primary economic engine of the tourism economy in South Florida. and the Council of Coastal Mayors. chaired by the Mayor of Miami Beach. continuously meets to work on issues of mutual concern. including beach renourishment. land use and enhancement proiects. The City recognizes that it is an integral part of the urban core of Greater Miami. which stretches from the South Beach portion of Miami Beach. accross Biscayne Bay and through Downtown Miami to East Little Havana. The City works with various agencies at the County. Regional. State and Federal level to ensure continuity of functions that impact the local and surrounding communities. South Beach is a Regional Resource. for all of South Florida's residents and visitors during all times of the year. day and night. Schools. transportation. maior events. community and economic development and tourism efforts are addressed on both a local and regional level. and constant interaction occurs between Miami Beach and the Cities of Miami. Surfside. Coral Gables. Bal Harbour. North Bay Village. and Miami-Dade County. as well as the region's chambers of commerce. convention and tourism organizations. housing and social service organizations and transportation authorities. ;':lli~kfu;~:"j:5~f:: ~ IV. How does your community strengthen its ability to solve problems? (300 word maximum) Our mission is to provide excellent public service and safety to all who live. work. and play in our vibrant.. tropical. historic community. We believe that the best way to accomplish our mission is by partnering with our residents and businesses to ensure that our services meet their needs. Solving problems needs to be a collaborative process in order to have successful outcomes. Providing our community with opportunities to voice their concerns is important. During our Commission meetings. we schedule time for members of the community to directly speak to the Mayor. Commissioners and members of the Administration to make us aware of issues they feel are important. Our "Mayor on the Move" series takes our Mavor. Commissioners and City staff into the community every month to meet with residents of our 13 neighborhoods. This provides us with an opportunity partner with residents to come up with creative. collaborative solutions to solve problems. Our Neighborhood Services Department was created bv the City Manager to develop the City Commission's desire to focus on our neighborhoods and their needs. In addition to meeting with the community. Neighborhood Services is charged with developing and implementing programs that will enhance our residents' knowledge of our city government services. Recently. we implemented the Neighborhood Leadership Academv which offers residents an opportunity to learn more about the services and resources available to them by participating in a "leadership" class while at the same time providing City staffwith an opportunity to learn about our residents' needs. Another avenue that the City has recently developed is a series of focus groups in our various diverse neighborhoods. These groups will bring together 10 to 15 residents for a face-to-face discussion of a particular topic to address and evaluate service delivery issues. needs and gaps and test new concepts or services. Additionallv. this will give residents an opportunity to participate in community improvement efforts. End of Application See www.ncI.org or the application instructions for detailed application instructions and sample applications from previous All-America City Winners!