Southeast Overtown Park West CRA unanimously approves grants, lease, $2.4M program and auditor panel

Southeast Overtown Park West Community Redevelopment Agency commissioners voted unanimously Oct. 23 to approve six agenda items ranging from historic-church repairs to vendor selections for neighborhood programming and the formation of an auditor selection committee.

The board, chaired by Chairwoman Christine King, approved a grant not to exceed $360,000 to Temple Missionary Baptist Church, Inc., for urgent repairs and rehabilitation of its property at 1723 Northwest Third Avenue; a grant not to exceed $350,000 to Green Chicken Overtown LLC to underwrite build-out costs for The Green Chicken restaurant at 350 Northwest First Avenue, Suite 130; a one-year lease (with four successive one-year renewal options) for CRA property at 480 Northwest Eleventh Street at an annual rent of $1; authorization to piggyback the City of Miami Landscape Services prequalification pool (IFP number as read into the record); allocation of up to $2,415,000 to 11 selected proposers in response to Request for Proposals No. 2054 for innovation, crime-reduction and intervention programming in the redevelopment area; and establishment of the SCOPWCRA Small Business Grant Program with funding not to exceed $250,000. A separate agenda item (RE7) was moved and carried to withdraw that item from the record. The board also approved a pocket item establishing an Auditor Selection Committee pursuant to Section 218.391, Florida Statutes.

Why it matters: The votes direct capital and program funding into Overtown redevelopment priorities, preserve a long-standing community institution and create an internal procurement and oversight step (auditor selection) required under state statute.

Public comment focused on the Temple Missionary Baptist Church grant and the museum lease. Denise DeBauro, a 43-year member of Temple Missionary Baptist Church, told commissioners, “Temple is a pillar and has been a pillar in our community for 95 years.” Talisa Lyons Washington, who said she represents five generations of her family who have attended the church, said the project would “allow us to continue to serve those in the Overtown community.” Reverend Robert Rowe, associate pastor at Temple Missionary Baptist Church, said the renovation would help keep the church “not only a house of worship, but also a center of service and empowerment for generations to come.”

Terrence Cribbs Laurent, director of the City of Miami Black Police Precinct Courthouse Museum, spoke in support of the lease at 480 Northwest Eleventh Street and said the location carried “great importance” for preserving Miami’s history and providing public access.

Board action and records: Commissioners present adopted the resolutions “as is,” with the chair noting that updated financial information forms would be submitted into the record as backup documents. The motions to withdraw RE7 and to adopt the remaining items carried unanimously. The meeting record shows the motions were moved and seconded; individual mover and seconder names were not given during the roll call in the transcript.

What was not specified: The transcript records approved dollar amounts and the lease terms as read into the record, but does not specify the CRA funding source(s) for the grants and program allocations, nor the names of the moving and seconding commissioners for each motion. The selection list for the RFP is referenced as Exhibit A/B in the resolution language but individual proposer names beyond the general reference were not read into the spoken record excerpt.

The Southeast Overtown Park West CRA meeting concluded after the unanimous votes and confirmation that backup financial forms would be added to the record.