Homestead CRA adopts $13.5 million FY2026 budget; board pauses Homestead Live and reallocates $550,000 to infrastructure

The Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) of the City of Homestead adopted its fiscal year 2026 budget Tuesday, approving a plan that programs roughly $13.5 million in tax-increment and other funds for downtown redevelopment, capital projects and incentives.

The measure, carried by a roll-call vote, funds capital projects and incentives including a $1.5 million allocation for the Triangle project’s water and sewer and utility undergrounding obligations, $500,000 for the Chrome Marketplace project, support for land acquisitions and stormwater and “pocket park” improvements in the Southwest neighborhood, and a carryover of about $1.5 million in capital projects with public works.

The budget also preserves recurring CRA commitments: about $350,000 in debt service, annual public safety and landscape-maintenance allocations, and roughly $1.2 million in total employee costs. The CRA set aside $260,000 to support business relocation and expansion incentives and programmed new incentive types including a tax-increment rebate for larger redevelopment projects, a commercial hardship and emergency repair grant for small downtown businesses, a landscape and façade improvement program, and an increase in the CRA down-payment assistance maximum to $30,000 to match a city program.

Why it matters: The CRA budget directs private and public investment in downtown Homestead and adjacent neighborhoods. Board members flagged an urgent infrastructure constraint — sewer capacity served by Pump Station 11 — that already prevents some approved developments from obtaining permits; board discussion linked the station’s needed upgrades to prioritization of capital spending and possible federal funding.

Budget highlights and board direction - Total tax-increment revenues were described as growing to about $6.5 million for the year, with a total program budget of roughly $13.5 million when combined with carryover and other funds. The agency noted ongoing rebate obligations to Miami-Dade County and potential county rebate catch-ups. - New or continued program funding: $1.5 million (Triangle project), $500,000 (Chrome Marketplace), funds for land acquisition, stormwater and pocket park work, a $30,000 down-payment assistance cap, $260,000 for business relocation/expansion incentives, and a proposed commercial hardship/emergency grant program. - Administrative and contingency items include a $400,000 allocation to the city’s general fund (standard practice), $350,000 in debt service, and an employee-cost budget around $1.2 million to support recruitment and repositioned staff roles for economic development and business attraction.

Board vote and procedural notes The CRA resolution adopting the FY2026 budget was moved by Board Member Bailey and seconded by Vice Chairman Fletcher and passed by roll call (Board Members Davis, Cannonball, Ross, Avila, Bailey, Vice Chairman Fletcher and Chairman Lawson voted yes). The motion carried.

Homestead Live: pause and reallocation Board members held a substantial discussion of Homestead Live, a proposed outdoor entertainment venue originally budgeted with an intended total cost of about $1.25 million and a current CRA allocation of roughly $300,000. Staff presented site constraints — limited visibility, parking supply (the CRA-owned lot near the site contains about 15 spaces), and proximity to other redevelopment activity — and suggested alternative CRA- or city-owned locations could be considered.

Following discussion, the CRA reached staff consensus to hold the Homestead Live project in abeyance and to reallocate approximately $550,000 previously proposed for that project into a general infrastructure category to address higher-priority needs, including water/sewer and gateway beautification work. Staff flagged that a formal motion was not required because they had consensus to proceed with that direction and would bring back any formal budget adjustments if the board chooses later.

Infrastructure and the Goodyear property discussion Several board members raised concerns about the pending acquisition of the former Goodyear property (advertised at $2.8 million) while the city still faces constrained sewer capacity in parts of the CRA. Staff and board members clarified the acquisition payment schedule is phased (an initial payment of about $1 million in year one was described), and the purchase was described as a separate decision the council had previously discussed. Staff said acquisition funds for unspecified properties are currently included in the CRA budget as a placeholder (about $900,000 allocated for land purchases) but not earmarked to a specific parcel by the CRA board.

Board members repeatedly emphasized that Pump Station 11 and other sewer upgrades are a high priority because several developments cannot proceed with building permits until capacity issues are resolved. Staff said design work and funding options are under active review, including potential federal appropriations that could reduce the local funding need. Directors from the city’s public works division said a design consultant was recently engaged to analyze rehabilitation options that could accommodate existing and anticipated flows.

What’s next Staff will proceed with the CRA FY2026 budget as adopted, continue negotiation on property acquisitions with the city attorney and manager where appropriate, and pause active work on the Homestead Live site while the board evaluates other locations and awaits further infrastructure clarity. Any formal budget amendments resulting from the Homestead Live reallocation will be returned to the board for approval.

Ending note: The CRA action sets program priorities for the coming year while board members pushed staff to accelerate work on sewer capacity upgrades they and developers have said are blocking permitted projects.