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Residents push for parks, after-school programs and east‑side investment during Homestead City CDBG/HOME briefing
Summary
During a Homestead City online briefing about CDBG and HOME funds, commenters urged more parks, east‑side commercial investment and expanded youth programs; city staff said small-business assistance is eligible and noted next steps for the annual action plan and follow-up on specific parcel addresses.
City staff closed the presentation portion of a virtual CDBG/HOME briefing by taking questions and reading social‑media comments. Camilla, the city’s chief public information officer, read resident comments and logged requests for follow-up.
Tamika Smith‑Hampton (comment) told staff: “We need parks and recreation with aftercare programs for children.” Other commenters asked for summer jobs for youth, workforce development, and more commercial activity on Homestead’s east side. A user identified as cocaz99 asked simply for “Add more jobs for youth and less crime.”
Staff recorded the comments for departmental follow-up and said the city will consider small‑business assistance proposals; when asked “What about funding for businesses?” staff replied that small‑business funding has been eligible in the past and that specific proposals would be evaluated for HUD eligibility.
On the neighborhood pocket park question, staff said the pocket‑park work relates to a county‑owned parcel in the CRA area and that the city would follow up with exact parcel details; staff later provided an address for one pocket‑park parcel as 503 Southwest 8th Avenue for clarification.
Multiple commenters asked specifically for after‑school programming in multiple neighborhoods and for a Boys & Girls Club or YMCA on the east side; staff noted existing after‑school and summer‑camp registration and encouraged residents to watch homesteadfl.gov for registration windows and program details.
The session ended with staff reminding residents that the draft annual action plan will be posted for 30 days and that the plan is scheduled for City Council consideration on July 22; the city invited written comments at cdhs@homesteadfl.gov and said it will publish program application details ahead of any launches.
