Homestead council approves $26,773 settlement to resolve long‑standing code lien at 730 NW 17th St

The Homestead City Council voted 5–1 on Nov. 12 to approve a settlement that reduces a long-standing code-enforcement lien on 730 Northwest 17th Street to $26,773.94, payable within 60 calendar days.

The council’s decision followed a staff presentation detailing a series of code actions dating to 2015 after fire damage and condemnation of the structure. According to code-division staff, the total lien had grown to $259,198.94 before the special magistrate previously reduced it to $40,006.35. Staff told council the city recorded a lien with Miami‑Dade County on Feb. 18, 2021, and that multiple certified-mail attempts and on‑site postings were made as required by Florida statute 162.

An unidentified property owner who said they bought the parcel in 2017 urged the council to consider personal hardships, describing family deaths and difficulty completing permits. The owner also said they had attempted to communicate with staff by email and asserted they had not received mailed notices.

Mayor Lawson and other council members pressed the owner and staff on the record‑keeping and delivery of notices. “I can’t support any further reduction. This is, to me, an egregious case of really not caring about the condition of the neighborhood,” the mayor said, arguing the neighborhood impact and the duration of the violation counseled against a deeper cut.

Councilman Roth moved to reduce the lien further from the magistrate’s amount, proposing a package that staff calculated as a 90% reduction of the original lien plus nonwaivable recording and hard costs, resulting in $26,773.94. Roth amended the offer to set the payment deadline at 60 days; the motion was seconded and then carried on a roll call (Councilman Cannonball, Councilman Roth, Councilwoman Konski, Councilwoman Avila and Vice Mayor Bailey voted yes; Mayor Lawson voted no).

Staff said the daily accrual of fines ends when a final certificate of occupancy is issued, not at the time of permit application, and advised the council that some communications were posted at the property and also sent via certified mail. Councilmembers emphasized that the concession reflected unique, extenuating circumstances and urged the owner to ensure correct mailing and contact information to avoid future lien accruals.

The settlement does not waive the city’s right to enforce code in the future; council members warned that similar concessions would not be automatic. The council’s clerk recorded the settlement condition that the reduced amount must be paid within 60 calendar days for the mitigation to remain in effect.