From parks to pumps to housing, Miami approves spending plan for $137M in federal aid
Miami commissioners will use millions in federal aid to fund senior meals, housing projects and job training programs under a plan to spend $137.6 million provided by Washington through the American Rescue Plan.
Commissioners unanimously voted Monday to spend $23.9 million directly on those programs. They chose to absorb the remaining $113.7 million into city coffers to offset the costs of dozens of city projects ranging from anti-flooding pumps, parks upgrades, parades, tech initiatives pushed by Mayor Francis Suarez and homeless assistance programs.
The spending plan creates a budget for the city’s entire allocation from the American Rescue Plan, passed by Congress to help offset the financial consequences of the pandemic. The city received nearly $69 million on June 24, and the federal government is expected to send the city the rest in early 2022.
Even though the city received half of the federal dollars earlier this summer, commissioners had not yet discussed how to divide the money up. The politics of five district commissioners eyeing millions of dollars slowed the process. Suarez, who does not have a vote and is permitted to meet privately with Miami’s other elected officials, met with individual commissioners to hash out funding for district projects.
In the end, each district is receiving about $14 million.
Under the plan a slew of Allapattah parks are slated to undergo improvements, including Antonio Maceo, Juan Pablo Duarte and Melrose parks. Along Miami’s waterfront, Bayshore Drive will receive drainage upgrades and funding for septic-to-sewer conversions. In Little Havana, the city will set aside money to buy land for affordable housing, sponsor parades and launch a tourist guide mobile app. In Flagami, the Badia Senior Center will be expanded and West End Park will be renovated. The Little Haiti Soccer Park will get new turf and flood-prone Shorecrest will receive a pump station and other drainage fixes.
Suarez’s office will receive about $17 million for citywide initiatives, including programs to support tech startups and reduce the number of people experiencing homelessness.
The mayor has advocated for more direct support from Washington since the first round of COVID relief was approved in 2020. In February, he was part of a small summit with President Joe Biden where other mayors and governors discussed how federal dollars could help state and local governments. Suarez told the Miami Herald commissioners respected his attempt to build consensus based on his advocacy.
“It’s a recognition of the fact that I was involved in that,” he said.
The American Rescue Plan money helps support an overall $1.3 billion budget that commissioners discussed late Monday. The budget, which will receive a final vote Sept. 23, includes the addition of more than two dozen building inspectors, additional police and firefighters and the return of several city-sponsored cultural events such as the Goombay Festival in Coconut Grove.
This story was originally published September 13, 2021 at 8:14 PM.
