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| January 24th 2012, Resolution Approving the Almost $11 Million Bond Funds for Cutler Bay Affordable Housing |
According the Miami Herald:
"The $11 million project is being funded mosty from the Building Better Communities General Obligation Bond, a $2.9 billion county program that uses long-term bonds to fund various local projects. Maurice R. Hernandez, an aide to Bell, said he didn’t know where the rest of the money will come from." But Hernandez also did say: "The county’s Public Housing department will own the apartments when complete."If you read the 2 press releases from Lynda Bell, and compare it to the above resolution in the graphic, you will see why I was flummoxed. Press Release Number 1 was titled: Commission Vice Chair Lynda Bell to break ground on new senior community center in Cutler Bay. And Number 2 was titled: Vice Chair Lynda Bell dedicates and breaks ground on Marilyn Hope's Place, the newest senior community center in Cutler Bay.
In my view it isn't a senior center at all. It is affordable housing, as described in the resolution, that MAY include recreational actiivities space for the elderly WITHIN THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT. So can neighboring oldsters also go there? Is it truly for the community? Doesn't seem so, thus, I don't think it is a COMMUNITY Senior Center -- that is what she said she was dedicating to her mom in the title of her press releases.
I wanted to make sure that it wasn't a developer subsidized affordable housing project: That would have made my Second Blog a moot point because it would have been a privately owned building. If her damn press releases were accurate, I wouldn't have had to write this preamble post. Now in a twist, the land is owned by Lynda Bell's landlord on her district office. The Corporation bought the land from another Corporation in 2012 (same officer) for $1 Million (that the other corporation had paid $2 Million for this land in 2006, including another tract, and subdivided it).
So, it seems that there is enough public money involved and the County will also own the affordable housing building/future complex(?). Now I am secure in calling it a public complex/building and, thus, my next blog stands. NOW: READ MY SECOND BLOG.
(Hit read more to read the 2 full press releases. You might ask yourself why this press release is worded so wacky compared to the resolution authorizing it). These misleading (calling it a "Community Center") and poorly worded press releases caused me to do all this extra research.
Press Release NUMBER 1:
Commission Vice Chair Lynda Bell to break ground
on new senior community center in Cutler Bay
(Miami-Dade County, FL) --
Commission Vice Chair Lynda Bell, along with County Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez, County Administrators, municipal leaders, and local residents will assemble on Thursday, March 21, 2013 at 10:00 AM to officially break ground on the new District 8 Senior Community Center in the Town of Cutler Bay. The new, state-of-the-art, LEED Certified facility will accommodate 101 individual apartments with over 7,000 square feet in living space for low and moderate income residents 55 years of age and older. Among the many amenities this new facility will have, once completed, will be a full dining room/activity room, exercise room, laundry facilities and a computer room for all the residents to use.
Public Parking Conveniently Located at the South Miami-Dade Cultural Arts Center
Who: Commission Vice Chair Lynda Bell
What: Groundbreaking Ceremony - District 8 Senior Community Center
When: March 21, 2013, 10:00 a.m.
Where: Behind Conitnucare Medical Center
11000 S.W. 211th Street
Cutler Bay, Florida 33189
(Parking for Media Satellite Trucks available at Continucare Center)
# # #
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY COMMISSIONER LYNDA BELL DISTRICT 8
--------------------
Press release NUMBER 2:
For Immediate Release:
March 22, 2013
Media Contact:
Maurice R. Hernandez - 305-378-6677
Vice Chair Lynda Bell dedicates and breaks ground on Marilyn Hope's Place, the newest senior community center in Cutler Bay
(Miami-Dade County, FL) --
In a moving ceremony attended by County Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez, Commissioner Dennis Moss, and municipal leaders from around the county, as well as residents and close family members alike, Commission Vice Chair Lynda Bell broke ground on Marilyn Hope’s Place, the newest, state-of-the-art, Senior Community Center in Cutler Bay. Once completed, the new LEED Certified facility will accommodate 101 individual apartments with over 7,000 square feet in living space for low to moderate income residents 55 years of age and older. Additionally, the four-story building complex will include one of the few complete dining/activity rooms in District 8, as well as an exercise room, laundry facilities, and a computer room for its tenants.
Vice Chair Bell expressed the reasons why she decided to spearhead this ambitious project: “Given the need to provide more affordable and better quality housing facilities for our community’s senior residents, I felt it was imperative for the county to develop this project as soon as possible,” Said Vice Chair Bell. Marilyn Hope’s Place will be a multifunctional residential facility where eligible seniors can live in comfort, receive subsidized meals, so no one will ever go hungry here, and be able to participate in group and/or individual activities in peace and security. Moreover, Marilyn Hope’s Place will be located adjacent to the South Miami-Dade Government Center, the South Miami-Dade Cultural Arts Center, the Headquarters of the Miami-Dade County Police Department’s South District, and just across the street, there’s shopping, dining and entertainment waiting for them at Southland Mall, explained Mrs. Bell.
The new facility is named after Vice Chair Bell’s mother, Marilyn. A woman who excelled as an executive and as an entrepreneur while raising six minor children as a single mother in the 1970’s. “My mother was a natural born leader who taught us the values of responsibility and compassion for others. It is my genuine hope that this facility will make justice to her memory and that everyone who lives here will find it an oasis from the everyday, and a great place to call home.” Added Vice Chair Bell. Marilyn Hope’s Place, developed by Siltek Group, Inc., is being funded in part by the Building Better Communities General Obligation Bond Project Number 249, which was approved by the Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners on January 24, 2012.
# # #
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY COMMISSIONER LYNDA BELL DISTRICT 8
(Siltek on their website calls the project: ELDERLY HOUSING)
18 comments:
From the press release it is unclear what is going on. Maybe a Community Center will be built later? I don't get what she was dedicating. Perhaps the whole complex?
What did the Cutler Bay Council do or say about this? Did they have any say at all? Interesting.
The project has a name "The Cutler Bay Centre Project". Lynda Bell you are in my opinion a disgusting elected official. You make Natasha Seijas look great. She would never have done anything like this.
Sounds like Federal HUD do not think county is in the business of providing publicly funded affordable housing....
Lynda Bell's evil.
If we have ten million of bond money, translates to our tax dollars, in this building, it had better be a public building. Who is screwing around? Mixed development? Is Bell for real, who is crossing these major thoroughfares?
By the way, Bell is buying the senior voters Lunch. Her newest use of our Tax dollars to get re elected along with naming buildings using tax dollars. This just came through:
"As we usher in the Month of Flowers, let’s give the beloved senior residents of District 8 (55 years of age and older) a hearty appreciation luncheon on Wednesday, May 1, 2013 at the XXXXXXXXX For further details, click on the Pic. Thank you."
I'm not advertising for her which is why I X'd out the location. I wonder if people are going to have to show photo idea and then she'll use that list for her campaign! She did that last time she gave stuff away for "free" (asked for ID) which is our tax money! Don't other Seniors deserve a free lunch with our tax money? I'm just surprised it doesn't say registered voters and/or have a booth to sign up for absentee ballots!
She needs to go.
She won't be going. Unless you take upon yourself to educate seniors and reach out to friends in the district or else she will remain in office for 10 more years. What are you doing on Facebook writing platitudes and posting pretty photos?Get local!!
Bell is the worst Commissioner on the worst Commission in this Country in an urbanized area. I'm glad to be moving away while these self serving politicians chip away at public service and the rights of the people day by day. God left this place others just destroyed what was left via means of the County Commission. Everyone should be embarrassed by this on the County Commission. Good bye Dade as it sinks in to oblivion hopefully some will be in jail near the water!
Hasn't anyone told her staff studies show that 55 is the beginning of the new middle age? Studies released in sept of 2012 state that 55 is not elderly. I am offended that I have been tossed into old age by a bunch of 20 year old something's.
Hah.... Not so old... Expect a slate of legislation that benefits 55 year olds. They are young enough to drive themselves to polls... And since they are looking at absentees so closely, it is harder for her to pull the tricks the next election.
What about the Rebeca Sosa Multipurpose Facility in West Miami or the Rebeca Sosa Theater in Miami Springs? No problem with that egocentric arrogance at taxpayer expense?
I would have hoped they would have named something after Sosa after she retired. Although I bet she will never get in much trouble. She isn't the type...but I am often wrong.
I would have preferred Lynda named it after herself then after her mother. She at least did do public service, badly, but she did it.
The developer is listed as Andy Atrio. Is this the same Andy Atrio who is the landlord for Bell's lavish Palmetto Bay offices? It is beginning to smell as if someone has a sweetheart business conection to Bell.
I'll believe it when I see it. Where are the bulldozers and the cement blocks? This will be a project that will wait for her next election will be paid for by one of her "developer" cronies. The demographics of the over 55 crowd will win her next election. Just as her local office is located in Palmetto Bay to win over the Village folks who supported Flinn, she is courting the huge voting block of the over 55's.
Everybody keeps complaining but so far no one is "manning up". So who's going to run against her? I'm not seeing any hands go up. Stop whining or get someone to run. Better be a few of you to pick off some of her constituent groups to form a coalition to bring in the bucks. The most money didn't make the winner the last time.
To the who's going to run comment - just because Bell came out early doesn't mean everyone else has to. She's testing the waters and anyone smart enough isn't going to announce anything for a while. They will work under a PAC until they have to announce. That's who I would vote for. Anyone stupid enough to let Bell know too far in advance isn't doing their own campaign a service and will in fact handicap them. The less time Bell has to mull over a challenger the better.
Let me get this straight:
The Corporation CUTLER BAY CENTRE ASSOCIATES LLC bought the land from another Corporation CUTLER BAY CENTER LLC in 2012 (same officer) for $1 Million (Cutler Bay Center LLC had paid $2 Million for this land in 2006, including another tract, and subdivided it).
We are putting $10 1/2 million of bond money to build a building on a piece of land owned by a developer. The building will be owned by the county (according to lynda's aide)?
Why what is this guy getting for his land? Did anything go out to bid on the contractor building it or on the land where it is going? What is going on with this deal. Was there ever a resolution about the land or the contractors?
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