FYI Miami: July 6, 2023

Bellow are some of the FYIs in this week’s edition. The entire content of this week’s FYIs and Insider sections is available by subscription only. To subscribe click here.

VIOLENT CRIME RISES: Violent crimes handled by Miami-Dade’s Police Department rose almost 6% in the first four months of the year from the same period of 2022, figures released by the mayor’s office last week reveal. By category, murders rose 45%, robberies rose 7%, shoplifting was up almost 11%, and thefts from cars were up 3%. But there were significant crime decreases as well: rapes were down 27%, burglaries decreased 11% and car theft was down 10%. The figures include only areas covered by the county police force, and not cities that have their own police departments.

REPUTABLE AND RICH: Pointing to the 2021 sale of the name of the county’s basketball arena where the Miami Heat plays to FTX and the subsequent embarrassment as FTX went up in flames, a resolution before county commissioners today (7/6) seeks to require due diligence if Miami-Dade aims to sell names on its “cultural facilities, government operations buildings and regional parks and libraries that may attract third-party interest.” The measure by Sen. René García also would require that a commissioner sponsor such a name sale, but limited no longer to the commissioner in whose district the facility sits. It is critical, the measure says, “that the county only sells facility naming rights to entities that are reputable, stable, will not cause the county public embarrassment and can meet the significant long-term financial commitment.” The arena now is Kaseya Center after a more than $100 million name sale.

TENANT-LANDLORD RESET: A new law will lead to Florida law overriding local regulations involving landlords and tenants. In recent years, cities and counties, including Miami-Dade, Broward, Orange, Hillsborough and Pinellas counties, have passed ordinances – frequently called a tenant “bill of rights” – that go beyond a state law known as the Florida Residential Landlord and Tenant Act. The ordinances deal with a variety of issues, such as notices about rent increases, notices about fees and notices about changes of ownership. But the law signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis last week leads to the state law trumping – or “preempting” – the local ordinances.

MIAMI GARDENS FILMING OK: Miami-Dade commissioners voted 9-0 to renew an agreement to license filming projects in Miami Gardens, one of 14 municipalities for which the county handles film permits. Applicants pay the county $125 for a permit for filming, television and still photography. Without such agreements with cities, companies would face filming obstacles at municipal boundaries. The one-stop permitting agreement is for five years, renewable for five more.