Special Master Karen Jenkins presided over the September 2025 Homestead code‑compliance special master hearing, during which she found violations in dozens of code‑enforcement cases, granted most property owners additional time to secure permits or correct violations and ratified several long‑running fines and one substantial lien mitigation.

The hearing covered a mix of after‑the‑fact permit cases, civil citations for garbage and illegal dumping, and affidavits of noncompliance stemming from work done without permits. Jenkins issued routine compliance deadlines (commonly 30–90 days) and administration fees in many matters; the hearing also included ratified daily fines going back months and years in several long‑running files. The magistrate approved an 85 percent reduction of recorded liens in one longstanding case after hearing the owner’s statement.

Why it matters: Homestead’s special master hearings set deadlines and financial consequences for properties found in violation of city codes. Compliance windows and fines affect mortgage and title clearing, the city’s ability to secure changes to problem properties, and the owners’ costs to legalize work or remediate unsafe conditions.

The most consequential rulings

- Lien mitigation for 730 Northwest 17th Street: The magistrate considered three legacy enforcement files connected to a fire‑damaged property and, after hearing the owner describe lengthy hardship and subsequent permitting activity, approved the maximum mitigation available under city ordinance — reducing the combined assessed amount (originally described in the record as about $259,198.94) to $39,686.44. The magistrate told the owner he had 30 days to accept and arrange payment; the owner and the city representative indicated consent on the record.

- Builder Ingenium LLC (case CE25030096): Found in affidavit of noncompliance for erecting/maintaining a fence without a permit. The magistrate ratified a daily fine of $200 per day retroactive to July 7 and imposed an administration fee in the hearing record.

- Multiple affidavit noncompliance rulings with daily fines: The magistrate ratified daily fines on other long‑running files, including a $200‑per‑day assessment for CE24080108 (Joanna Reyes) retroactive to Jan. 6, 2025; a $175‑per‑day assessment for Homestead 19 LLC (CE22120002) retroactive to Nov. 26, 2023; and daily accruals for earlier cases that remained unresolved (examples below).

- Many permit‑related cases continued with deadlines: For a large group of properties cited for work without permits (commonly cited under City of Homestead code sections such as 6‑36, 6‑206/6‑207 and related sections), the magistrate routinely found violations but granted 30–90 days for owners to complete permits or final inspections, typically imposing an administration fee on the record.

Selected quotes from the hearing

"I do find a violation of City of Homestead for case number CE25060456. I'll go ahead and give you 30 days to go ahead and come into compliance," Special Master Karen Jenkins said repeatedly while announcing rulings.

Property owners described varied circumstances for delays. Patrick Wallace, appearing for a property cited for overgrown vegetation and a damaged fence, said his landscaper stopped returning calls and that a nonprofit and BrightView had offered to remove a tree on Sept. 19 so the fence could be repaired.

Owner Juan Carlos Oro, who sought mitigation on legacy liens tied to a fire‑damaged house he later rebuilt, described family hardships and frustration with payoff information; the magistrate summarized the mitigation calculation and presented the reduced balance on the record.

Votes at a glance (case number → ruling)

- CE25060456 (Margaret T. Welles) — Violation found; 30 days to comply; administration fee imposed.
- CE25020093 (Michael Lucas) — Violation found; 1 week to comply to allow lighting inspection and final; administration fee imposed.
- CE25070484 (Lady Blanco) — Civil citation for illegal dumping; $500 fine remained in the record to be paid; administration fee imposed.
- CE25050184 (Gustavo Adolfo Mejia Montoya) — Nonpermitted work and public nuisance finding; 45 days to comply; administration fee imposed.
- CE25040144 (Sergio Rodriguez & Yvonne Tamara Rodriguez) — Nonpermitted rear terrace; 60 days to comply; administration fee imposed.
- CE25060183 (Pedro Diaz Hernandez & Emiletis Alma) — Permits in process; 60 days to comply; administration fee imposed.
- CE25040126 (Michelle Abru) — Nonpermitted work; permits filed; 60 days to comply; administration fee imposed.
- CE25040129 (Luis Gonzalez Quintero) — Nonpermitted rear terrace; permit on file; 60 days to comply; administration fee imposed.
- CE25030096 (Builder Ingenium LLC) — Affidavit of noncompliance (fence without permit); daily fine ratified at $200/day retroactive to July 7; administration fee imposed.
- CE24080108 (Johanna/Joanna Reyes & Damien Lopez) — Affidavit of noncompliance (multiple after‑the‑fact repairs); daily fine ratified at $200/day retroactive to Jan. 6, 2025; administration fee imposed.
- CE25060207 (Elise Sadowski via Ignacio Duran) — Nonpermitted front door work; permit applied; 60 days to comply; administration fee imposed.
- CE25060096 (Anna Gomez & Walter Gomez) — Front door replaced without permit; permit applied; 60 days to comply; administration fee imposed.
- CE22050025 (Anna & Daniela Mendoza) — Long‑running case from 2022 (trees/terrace); adjudication with 90 days to comply; administration fee imposed.
- CE23050049 (Larry & Catherine Warney) — Fence/permit confusion; 30 days to comply (magistrate offered revisit if more time needed); administration fee imposed.
- CE25050165 (436 LLC / Alejandro Ronberique) — Mini‑split installations; permit in process; 60 days to comply; administration fee imposed.
- CE25070001 (Jessica Nicole Shannon) — Civil citation for improper garbage disposal; owner removed the material and the magistrate granted a one‑time courtesy: no fine but an administration fee recorded.
- CE25080177 (GW Opalaka LLC) — Unit found unfit for habitation issues; owner now pursuing permits; 90 days to comply; administration fee imposed.
- CE25060112 (Rodolfo Munoz / Dayream Munoz) — Nonpermitted work; permit on file; 60 days to comply; administration fee imposed.
- CE25060146 (Annette Love) — Multiple items corrected or in permit process; 60 days to complete remaining corrections; administration fee imposed.
- CE24110083 (Klepco Holdings LLC) — Expired/delinquent business license matter; owner given two weeks to comply; administration fee imposed.
- CE22100075/CE221000758 (Paredes/Jocelyn Paredes) — Affidavit of noncompliance from 2022; magistrate ratified a daily fine of $150/day from Aug. 17, 2023 and recorded an administration fee; owner advised how to seek mitigation after final permits are issued.
- CE25060210 (David Johanie Sierra) — Commercial vehicle issue addressed; fence required permit; 60 days to obtain permit; administration fee imposed.
- CE25040145 (Leonard Dodd) — Rear terrace work; permit on file; 60 days to comply; administration fee imposed.
- CE22120002 (Homestead 19 LLC) — Fire damage repairs; ratified a $175/day fine retroactive to Nov. 26, 2023 and recorded an administration fee.
- CE22030097 (Joseph DeSosa) — Long‑running demolition/driveway/pavers/electrical/plumbing matter; daily fine ratified at $175/day from Aug. 17, 2023; administration fee recorded.
- CE25060390 (KH627 LLC) — Permit applied following trash/junk compliance; 60 days to finalize permit; administration fee imposed.
- CE25040072 & CE25040073 (106 & 120 NE Third Road) — Gravel/parking lot work without permit; permits applied; 60 days to comply; administration fee imposed.
- CE25060208 (Edwin & Claribel Gonzalez) — Front door and shed permits in process; 60 days to comply; administration fee imposed.

What the magistrate emphasized

Jenkins repeatedly distinguished discussion from final action: she announced findings of violation where evidence showed work was performed without required permits, accepted photographic evidence submitted by code officers and then either set compliance deadlines with administration fees or ratified long‑running fines where prior orders had not been satisfied. On mitigation requests, Jenkins said reductions are limited by city ordinance and explained the procedural path (payment or subsequent mitigation petitions) for owners who comply after fines accrue.

Context and next steps

Most owners granted time must follow up with Homestead’s permitting and building departments to finalize corrective work; when permits are issued and work is inspected, owners may then apply for lien reductions or payoff statements where applicable. For owners facing ratified daily fines, the hearing record explained those fines continue to accrue until compliance is achieved, and city staff will provide guidance on mitigation procedures after permits are final.

Special Master Jenkins closed the hearing after handling the remaining docketed items and said unresolved items will return on the next special master calendar.