One reason we write is so you can get to know the names that are the “power brokers” in Miami Dade County. You hear the same names over and over on this blog. Hopefully, you will get to know them and when you read the paper, you will say: “Ah, Him/Her again”. These same people are stuck in every crevice of activity, sometimes good — more times bad. Use our Blog Search feature (at top left).
I have reported on two guys over and over who are in the paper today AGAIN, this time in a little story: Wayne Rosen and Michael Latterner. They own a lot of land on the other side of the UDB line and often partner with Lennar on deals. See Update on Lennar, Latterner and Rosen. And see: You Have Heard of Lennar’s Stuart Miller: But What About Latterner and Rosen.
In today’s story Home makeover deteriorates into 'disaster': In December 2005, a woman won a makeover of her modest home -- funded in part by public money. More than two years later, her house is a shambles. The problem is, not the contest but that Latterner and Rosen chose — of all people — former County Manager Steve Shiver to rehab the house for the woman in Homestead:
"Shiver was tapped to run the renovation for developers Michael Latterner and Wayne Rosen, partners in Shores Land Development, when he represented the firm as a consultant.
Latterner and Rosen came up with the contest as a way to reward a disadvantaged family with a home makeover, like the kind seen on TV. They put in $30,000 toward interior improvements. They have since removed themselves from the project, said Judy Brostoff, president of Michael Latterner and Associates."
The Herald also has a companion video - watch it, it is heartbreaking. But, to me, this is really a story of CRA public money gone bad and “How the hell did the Latterner-Rosen team get Steve Shiver to do this and, more importantly, why?”
"The CRA has spent $41,670 for exterior work, including roofing and building a garage.
A nonprofit agency, Homestead Main Street -- of which Shiver is president -- was put in charge of managing the money. The CRA paid the agency's director, Yvonne Knowles, $5,200 in management fees, records show."
15 comments:
according to the SunPost:
Realtor Michael Latterner gave $2500 through his wife, associates to Rolle's campaign.
and a Member Of The Romney Florida Statewide Finance Committee: was Wayne Rosen
Little by little Rebeca Dellagloria of the Herald Neighbors, south, has been exposing Shiver and his cronies. How this crook ever got to be County Manger is a question for Penalas. He was never qualified, just like the city manager Shiver appointed in Homestead (recently resigned Curt Ivey). The people in Homestead finally said "enough" and sent the whole Shiver embeds packing. Wish voters in the county would do the same with the commissioners. Homestead will be a much better place but it will take a few years to clean up the tentacles of Shiver, Ivey, Losner, Porter, Sincore,Roscoe Warren, and the rest of the entrenched old guard.
Do you think the Latterner money was ever really paid? The check in the celebratory picture is rubber. Bounced right back to the donor.
So much more to this story, if only the Herald would dig it up.
The only way to save Homestead is to hire back the Auditor that the prior city council fired.
Over $160,000 so far into this "makeover" look at the video, maybe half of that was spent. How much was pocketed by the real thieves? This whole deal smelled from the start, the city auditor was fired after he looked at the CRA in Homestead, it took Shiver two years to reach the end point now called a disaster by his assistant and by the winner. It was also interesting that the contest occurred right after the 2005 election when the whole area voted for incumbents 95/5, while the rest of the city was close to 50/50.
Does anybody care, investigate, follow the money? No they don't. That is the real crime. I'm sure as the G.O.D. has said little by little more will be revealed.
Great point on the names, always the same ones again and again.
Shiver is losing his grip on everything, the latest is creating non-existent problems for commercial development that he can SOLVE with a phone call. Two stooges on the council are helping this effort, Burgess and Waldman along with trumped up airbase concerns. This new Homestead council and manager appear to be wise to all of the games. The air force pointed out recently that jet engines are loud. Thanks for that, we never knew what that noise was when the aircraft were a couple hundred feet off the deck. Duhhh!
Rosen was also a big player in the foiled Gallagher for Governor campaign.
Maybe Shiver selected them. After all he named himself the general contractor.
Sunday, January 14, 2007
Park of Commerce acres sold
Developers Michael Latterner and Wayne Rosen are selling 15 acres in the Park of Commerce to a real estate investor who is also seeking to purchase the remaining 100 acres of city-owned property in the park.
BY REBECCA DELLAGLORIA
rdellagloria@MiamiHerald.com
As Homestead city officials prepare to start accepting proposals to sell the remaining 100 acres in the Park of Commerce, developer M & H Homestead has worked out a deal to sell 15 acres it owns in the park to a local real estate investor.
Stephen H. Smith, president of ComReal, a Doral-based commercial real estate firm, is purchasing the property under the company name CR Partners X. Smith declined to say how much he is paying for the land.
Smith said his company is also interested in purchasing the remaining 100 acres from the city to develop into a ``first-class business park.''
The city recently put the land out for bid and is expecting to receive proposals during the first week of February. Smith said his company will be submitting a bid.
A main concern of city staff is that whoever buys the property should begin developing quickly, rather than someone interested in land-banking, said Homestead City Manager Curt Ivy. The request for proposal includes a cash penalty for not developing a portion of the property within a certain time frame.
Initially, Michael Latterner and Wayne Rosen's M & H intended to purchase a 118-acre parcel in the park from the city but negotiations on that deal fell apart last year when Ivy agreed to sell one four-acre parcel and one 14-acre parcel to other buyers. The city also backed off from negotiations with a business consortium, including the Homestead Commerce Group, that was set to buy the remaining 100 acres, choosing instead to put the land out to bid.
Judy Brostoff, president of Michael Latterner and Associates, said developing the 15-acre parcel was never in the plans.
''M & H owns various acres of land and that was one of the parcels that was intended to be sold,'' Brostoff said.
Latterner and Rosen have proposed building a Town Center on another 61 acres that M & H still owns in the park. The Town Center would include up to 3,000 units, along with about 200,000 square feet of shops, restaurants and offices. It would span both sides of Kingman Road, adjacent to the Keys Gate community, and include 93 acres now zoned commercial across from the Park of Commerce in addition to the acreage zoned for light industrial use inside the park.
That proposal has already faced scrutiny from the public, although it has not yet been brought forward for approval by the city. Because the property sits in a state-designated Development of Regional Impact area, due to its size, any zoning changes would also need to be approved by the county and the state.
Smith, who said he and Latterner are good friends, said Latterner's interest is ``not the development of the business park but in the ancillary things that would be related to the park.''
''It's never been his shtick to do this,'' Smith said of industrial development.
Another group outbid them for the 100 acres. So now team Shiver along with a few of the old guard are working with airbase officials to make life difficult for the winning bidders. Despite a much higher bid, two of Shiver's former council pals voted to give it to the ComReal people. Who were being financed by Bob Epling's Community Bank. If the property is not developed within a certain time period the deal is rescinded and ComReal is in position for the land. This is how it gets done in South Florida.
You guys do a great job, They had a shell company all lined up and dissolved it after they lost the bid.
Florida Limited Liability Company
HOMESTEAD FOREIGN TRADE ZONE, LLC
Filing Information
Document Number L04000055930
FEI Number APPLIED
Date Filed 07/28/2004
State FL
Status INACTIVE
Last Event ADMIN DISSOLUTION FOR ANNUAL REPORT
Event Date Filed 09/14/2007
Event Effective Date NONE
Principal Address
8725 N.W. 18TH TERRACE
SUITE 105
MIAMI FL 33172 US
Mailing Address
8725 N.W. 18TH TERRACE
SUITE 105
MIAMI FL 33172 US
Registered Agent Name & Address
SMITH, STEPHEN H
8725 N.W. 18TH TERRACE
SUITE 105
MIAMI FL 33172 US
Manager/Member Detail
Name & Address
Title MGRM
SMITH, STEPHEN H
8725 N.W. 18TH TERRACE, #105
MIAMI FL 33172 US
Title MGRM
LATTERNER, MICHAEL P
13 SW 7TH STREET
MIAMI FL 33130 US
Somehow knowing Latterner, he is not done with the Park of Commerce. Legacies of Town Centers die very hard of those who would construct monuments to themselves. Maybe that is why the base is opposed to commerce all of a sudden. Houses are fine for accidents but a business, that's when the air force draws a line in the coral. Does not compute.
Shiver was on the Board of Epling's Community Bank but had to drop off when he became County manager. Epling had his representative on the Homestead Council, a teeny bopper who worked for the bank and pushed through all the bad development in Homestead. 1st National Bank of South Florida had their representative on the council, Steve Losner. When you connect all these dots they form a circle with the same players for generations. Now it's all gone; good for Homestead.
How did Shiver get to be the chair of the JLUS (Joint Land Use Study) to determine how land around the Homestaed Air Base was going to be used? Get this guy out of town!
Shiver has failed at every level, except taking money from government. He has lost all respect from the community and has no credibility.
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