Commission directs $1 million from Bayfront Park Trust for downtown homelessness; Bayfront budget deferred to Sept. 25

The Miami City Commission on Sept. 13 directed Bayfront Park Trust staff to allocate $1 million in the trust’s fiscal‑year 2025‑26 management budget for homelessness assistance in the downtown area and deferred final action on the Bayfront Trust budget to the Sept. 25 budget hearing.

Why it happened: Commissioners pressed Bayfront Park Trust staff about revenues, contract guarantees for billboards and concessions, and large reserve balances. Vice Chair and other commissioners expressed concern that Bayfront’s reported revenues and projected line‑item income in the draft budget appeared understated versus known billboard and concession guarantees. The commission asked for clearer account breakdowns and for the CFO or finance staff to appear at the Sept. 25 hearing to answer detailed questions.

Action taken - Allocation direction: The commission approved an allocation of $1,000,000 from the Bayfront Park Trust management budget to address homelessness in downtown; the allocation was described by the commission as a fiscal‑year 2025–26 budget item to be reflected in the trust’s materials. - Deferral: The commission deferred formal approval of the Bayfront Park Trust budget to the Sept. 25 final hearing so staff can provide requested financial details and responding material.

What commissioners asked for: Commissioners requested a clearer breakdown of Bayfront revenues and accounts (for example, the amounts collected from food‑truck fees, monument/LED signage, billboard contracts and antenna tower leases), a reconciliation of funds labeled for Maurice A. Ferre Park (the “Maurice Ferre” account) and clarification of existing reserve and carryover balances.

Trust staff response: Interim Bayfront executive staff said they were compiling detailed revenue information and would coordinate with the city CFO and finance team; the trust’s interim executive acknowledged some records required reconciliation and that a forensic audit and prior accounting questions remained active.

Quote from the hearing: “Because there’s so many questions, would this commission consider deferring this item to our second budget hearing where I would like the CFO to come and answer some of these?” a commissioner asked; the commission then deferred the item.

Next steps: Bayfront staff were directed to bring the requested account and revenue documentation, and the Sept. 25 hearing will include a presentation and final vote on the trust’s budget. The $1 million homelessness allocation was recorded as a direction for the trust to include in its fiscal‑year 2025‑26 budget materials.