R7G-Consent Appointment Maria Ruiz Director Of Housing And Community DevelopmentCOMMISSION ITEM SUMMARY
Condensed Title:
Consenting to the appointment of Maria Ruiz as the Director of the Office of Housing and Community
Develo ment for the Cit of Miami Beach.
Key Intended Outcome Supported:
Increase community satisfaction with City government. Increase community satisfaction with city
government; maximize efficient delivery of services
Supporting Data (Surveys, Environmental Scan, etc.): N/A
Item Summary/Recommendation:
In May of 2013, the City's Director of Real Estate, Housing and Community Development, was separated from
employment. To ensure continuity of operations and undertake a number of special projects, Max Sklar,
Tourism, Culture and Economic Director, assumed responsibility for asset management and redevelopment
and Maria Ruiz, then Director of the Community Services Division, assumed responsibility for Housing and
Homeless Outreach.
Each has done an outstanding job in their respective areas of expertise. As a result, Max Sklar will retain
permanent responsibility for the asset management and redevelopment functional areas.
After careful consideration. to ensure our residents, businesses and visitors continue to receive the highest
levels of services; I have created The Office of Housing and Community Services as a standalone department
with Ms. Ruiz as the Director.
In the past seven months. Ms. Ruiz has demonstrated outstanding leadership skills, subject matter expertise,
stamina, tenacity and a strong commitment to the City of Miami Beach. In her 18 years of service with the City,
Ms. Ruiz' responsibilities have included compliance and operations oversight for the City's entitlement funds
from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, including Community Development Block
Grants, HOME Investment Partnerships, and Neighborhood Stabilization Program 1 & 3, as well as the State
Housing Initiatives Program. She has also maintained responsibility and oversight of the City's Answer Center,
Emergency Food and Shelter Program and Homeless Outreach services. Ms. Ruiz serves as the Chief
Executive Officer of the Miami Beach Service Partnership, a collaborative among profit and non-profit human
service providers to improve services for our community's youth and families. She oversees three Children's
Trust-funded programs: Success University, Morning All Stars and the Parent-Child Home Program.
Mr. Ruiz has proven to be an effective leader who is strongly committed to maintaining transparency
throughout this organization. I am confident that her excellent management skills and dedicated work habits
will help the organization succeed as we continue to implement positive changes. Pursuant to the
requirements of Article IV, Section 4.02 of the City Charter, it is recommended that the Mayor and the City
Commission adopt the attached resolution consenting and confirming Maria Ruiz as the Director of the Office
of Housing and Community Development for the City of Miami Beach.
IN/A
Advisory Board Recommendation:
Financial Information:
Source of Funds: Amount Account Approved
1
D 2
3
4
OBPI Total
Financial Impact Summary:
Clerk's Office Le islative Trackin
Sign Offs· -.
Department Director Assistant Citylllanager City M' !lj_ger
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MIAMI BEACH
City of Miami Beach, 1700 Convention Center Drive, Miomi Beoch, Florida 33139, www.miamibeachfl.gov
N MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor Philip Levine and Members
DATE: January 15, 2014
SUBJECT: A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYO AND THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE
CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORID , CONSENTING TO THE APPOINTMENT
OF MARIA RUIZ AS THE DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF HOUSING AND
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FOR THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH.
ADMINISTRATION RECOMMENDATION
Pursuant to the requirements of Article IV, Section 4.02 of the City Charter, it is
recommended that the Mayor and the City Commission adopt the attached resolution
consenting and confirming Maria Ruiz as the Director of the Office of Housing and
Community Development for the City of Miami Beach.
BACKGROUND
In May of 2013, the City's Director of Real Estate, Housing and Community
Development, was separated from employment. To ensure continuity of operations and
undertake a number of special projects, Max Sklar, Tourism, Culture and Economic
Director, assumed responsibility for asset management and redevelopment and Maria
Ruiz, then Director of the Community Services Division, assumed responsibility for
Housing and Homeless Outreach.
Each has done an outstanding job in their respective areas of expertise. As a result,
Max Sklar will retain permanent responsibility for the asset management and
redevelopment functional areas.
I watched Ms. Ruiz work, interacted with her on a regular basis, and as a result got first
hand exposure to her leadership skills, work ethic and commitment to the City of Miami
Beach. Therefore, as I continue to realign the reporting structure in the organization,
appointing Ms. Ruiz to serve as the Director of the Office of Housing and Community
Development was the natural progression of our professional relationship.
Ms. Ruiz has been serving as the Division Director of the City of Miami Beach's Office of
Community Services where she oversees youth and elder services. Since she was
tasked with also overseeing the Housing & Community Development Division and
Homeless Outreach services, her responsibilities have included: compliance and
operations oversight for the City's entitlement funds from the U.S. Department of
Housing and Urban Development; Community Development Block Grants; HOME
Investment Partnership, and Neighborhood Stabilization Programs 1 & 3, as well as the
State Housing Initiatives Program.
As the Community Services Division Director, Ms. Ruiz is also responsible for oversight
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City Commission Memorandum-Ruiz Director
January 15, 2014
Page 2 of 2
of the City's Answer Center; Emergency Food and Shelter Program; Morning All Stars (a
Children's Trust-funded program servicing sixth and seventh grade students); Parent-
Child Home Program (a Children's Trust-funded program providing home visitation and
free books and toys to infants and toddlers); Success University (a Children's Trust-
funded program intended to strengthen the City's community-based services and its
providers); City of Miami Beach Travel & Tourism Scholarship Program; Citywide grants
oversight; Elder outreach and service coordination including Alliance for Aging site and
the ACCESS Florida service site.
In her 18 years of service with the City, Ms. Ruiz has worked with and provided direct
support to several other departments including the Log Cabin Training Center, Building
Department and the Office of Code Compllance.
Ms. Ruiz serves as the Chief Executive Officer of the Miami Beach Service Partnership,
a collaborative among profit and non-profit human service providers to improve services
for our community's youth and families.
Her experience is wide as she has worked in other disciplines or industries including
non-government agencies (NGO), human services, state government, education,
manufacturing, agriculture and construction. She is a graduate of the University of Miami
with degrees in Communication and Criminal Justice and is certified in several curricula
including 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, 7 Habits of Highly Effective Families, 7
Habits of Highly Effective Teens, Family Group Conferencing and All Stars.
Ms. Ruiz' community service has included work with Barry University's Physician
Assistant Program, the Aqua Foundation for Women, and Miami Beach Community
Health Center. She was named a Woman Worth Knowing in 2000 and is a past recipient
of the Green Family Foundation's United Way American Values award.
CONCLUSION
Mr. Ruiz has proven to be an effective leader who is strongly committed to maintaining
transparency throughout this organization. I am confident that her excellent
management skills and exceptional work habits will prove to be successful as we
continue to implement positive changes throughout this organization.
Pursuant to the requirements of Article IV, Section 4.02, of the City Charter, it is
recommended that the Mayor and City Commission adopt the resolution consenting and
confir,. Maria Ruiz as the Director of the Office of Housing and Community
Devel ent.
JLM/K ~SC-T/CMG
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794
RESOLUTION NO. ____ _
A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE
CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, CONSENTING TO THE
APPOINTMENT OF MARIA RUIZ AS THE DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE
OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FOR THE CITY OF
MIAMI BEACH.
WHEREAS, the City Manager has designated the Office of Housing and
Community Development as a standalone department;
WHEREAS, the City Manager has appointed Maria Ruiz as the Director of the
Office of Housing and Community Development for the City of Miami Beach; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to Article IV, Section 4.02, of the City of Miami Beach
Charter, as well as Section 2-3 of the City Code, the City Manager has power to appoint
directors of the City departments with the consent of the Mayor and the City
Commission; and
WHEREAS, the Mayor and the City Commission wish to consent to and confirm
the appointment of Maria Ruiz as the Director of the Office of Housing and Community
Development for the City of Miami Beach.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT DULY RESOLVED THAT THE MAYOR AND CITY
COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, have consented to and
confirmed the appointment of Maria Ruiz as the Director of the Office of Housing and
Community Development for the City of Miami Beach.
PASSED and ADOPTED this __ day of--------' 2014.
ATTEST:
RAFAEL GRANADO, CITY CLERK
T:\AGENDA\2014\January\Maria Ruiz\Ruiz Director Resolution docx
795
PHILIP LEVINE, MAYOR
APPROVED AS TO
fOR:\\ 8t li\,NGUAOE
& FOR EXECUTION