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Homestead CRA approves park sale with reverter clause and directs further negotiation on downtown Chrome property
Summary
The Community Redevelopment Agency approved a sale-and‑improve proposal to create a neighborhood park on CRA lots, adding a reverter clause and enforceable programming; the board separately directed staff to negotiate terms for a downtown Chrome Avenue revitalization and return with detailed numbers by July.
The City of Homestead’s Community Redevelopment Agency on Wednesday approved two distinct property actions: the acceptance of a developer’s proposal to purchase CRA‑owned lots and convert them into a public park under deed restrictions, and a board motion directing staff to negotiate more detailed financial terms for a proposed downtown Chrome Avenue redevelopment and return to the CRA not later than the July meeting.
Park proposal: Robert Rubin, representing Homestead Narrative 1 LLC, told the board his team would pay fair value for two small CRA lots on Southwest 4th Street and invest at least the appraised value of improvements to build an open, publicly accessible neighborhood park with native trees, a children’s play area, ADA paths and space for community programming. Jerry Proctor, the proposer’s attorney, said the developer was prepared to include covenants guaranteeing perpetual public dedication and maintenance and asked the CRA to help with a street‑closure (alley) to assemble the park space.
Board conditions and protections: Several board members pressed for a reverter clause and explicit HOA programming obligations. Board member Ondolos said the agreement should include an enforceable plan to avoid the park becoming underused open space and pressed for language requiring the HOA to curate programming and community activation; the CRA inserted a reverter into the resolution and ratified the purchase and development authorization by roll call.
Downtown negotiation directive: Separately, the CRA discussed a related downtown site sometimes referenced as the Chrome Marketplace. Board members expressed skepticism about certain line items in the proposers’ initial cost estimates (notably professional and legal‑consulting fees) and whether the package represented a sale or a lease. Vice Chair Bailey moved and the CRA seconded a direction to staff to negotiate more detailed numbers, explore lease vs. sale options and return to the CRA by July with a deadline for negotiations; the motion carried on roll call.
Why it matters: the park sale converts underused CRA land to an activated neighborhood asset with enforceable maintenance covenants, while the negotiation directive aims to move a larger downtown catalytic project forward with clearer fiscal safeguards for the CRA.
Next steps: staff will finalize the park development agreement to include the reverter and programming commitments and will conduct further negotiations for the Chrome Avenue proposal and report back to the CRA at the July meeting.
