In this photo taken in Miami-Dade County, you can see workers carefully piecing together sod in jigsaw puzzle fashion to provide the super rich with a perfect golf green for their recreation pleasure. I have heard that membership in the club — to play on the two new courses — is in the $150,000 range. I have also heard there is a fee of approximately $1,000 per month. It is Don Soffer’s golf course.
Don Soffer the developer and NAMER of Aventura has (might be "had" – 2 year old bio) homes in the Bahamas, Aspen, Colorado and Las Vegas, along with a 10,000-square-foot condominium at Porto Vita, in Aventura. He flies his own jets. I read on the Fairmont website that Soffer is spending $100,000 to landscape each hole (think that is too low an estimate).
Soffer is also the shopping center maven. Turnberry Associates, is a company with a portfolio worth about $5 billion.
Sometimes it seems the wealth here is displayed in obscene ways. Whether it be the mega yacht, the Mc Mansion or the fees to play on a precisely manicured golf course green.
The wealth of developers, such as Soffer, Ed Easton and Stuart Miller, is not a secret. To punctuate their wealth we have the other extreme. Within miles of the Soffer, Easton and Miller homes we have a squatters village (Umoja Village) where people are living in one room handmade huts. The village would be Miami’s dirty little secret if the squatters weren’t so vocal.
How can the super rich avert their eyes from the dead bird just ahead of them (what I do when I am in denial)? Some people are paying tens of thousands for super bowl tickets while other people are living in cardboard houses. It doesn’t compute in my brain.
I am not saying that these developers or any others should necessarily give money, although that is not a bad idea, but they could use their extensive power in the community (that money seems to buy) to push for positive change. Most of all, Developers should stop using their money to prop up politicians and hire lobbyists that exploit the poor and ruin Florida in their pursuit of even more money.
I like what Gihan Perera of the Miami Workers Center said in a letter to the editor in today's Miami Herald, because it is on target:
"Government policies support the accumulation of wealth for a few while ignoring the abject poverty of many. Divesting from education, housing and good jobs has created a divided city. Poverty abuts wealthy enclaves; this is Third World."
8 comments:
Gihan Perera summed up what you said...
how can people so rich live near people so poor and not do anything about it. In the paper today it said we in Miami can't even distribute section 8 money to the needy so we are going to lose that money. What is wrong with Miami?
The village is a very sad state of affairs, but i am more interested in joining the golf club. Who do I call?
Must hurry, the 1/2 time is almost over...glad that the people spending thousands are getting wet and I, who couldn't afford the tickets, am dry...reading this blog to boot.
What is happening to the village with all this rain. Cardboad walls are not meant to get wet. I hope the squatters do not lose their makeshift homes. If you hear anything about them, please report.
What has become of Umoja village with yesterday's rain?
For all your handwringing, you are probably obscenely rich compared to the Umojans (do they really exist?). What have you personally done for them?
Last Anonymous: The better question is: What have you personally done?
I am pointing things out - namely, what the affordable housing scandal has spawned and the division of wealth and poverty. I am not a fixer. And my wealth or lack of it hasn't a hill of beans to do with this issue.
You don't even believe they exist. Here is where to go:
Umoja: 6201 NW 17th Ave. go see it for yourself.
Right on genius!
Free Will....you & only you are responsible for your lot in life. I am not rich by any ones standards in the US, but I am happy and have a nice roof over my head & yes a computer. If you are living in America anyone is able to find a way to way to work. We have offered the Umoja community ways to make money around this area, but they can not be bothered. It was beneath them to work in the yard. I guess some humans just want to lay around & let other's take care of them. Not me I have pride it is what gets me through my work week.
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