COMMUNIST MIAMI? HOW THE CITY OF MIAMI DEMOLISHES PRIVATE PROPERTY WITH NO DUE PROCESS. ARE YOU NEXT?

The saga to save some of the last remaining historic buildings in the City of Miami's "Historic Overtown" neighborhood, the Mitchell Rooming House and Phillip Allen Billianrds, continued today in a hearing with Judge Valerie Manno-Shurr of the Eleventh Circuit Court.  Attorneys from both sides squared off but central to the hearing was a decision by the Miami-Dade County Unsafe Structures Board to issue a demolition order due to the owner being a "no show" to the hearing.  The demolition order request, which was originated by the City of Miami Unsafe Structures Official Cedric Mar, claimed falsely that the reason for demolition was due to the building being "vacant, open, and abandoned," obviously not the case as the building has been occupied by the Apostolic Revival Temple, a vibrant church whose Sunday services were recently recorded by local news media such as WSVN Channel 7 News.  In an attempt to justify his claim, Mr Mar submitted misleading photos showing only a small portion of the building housing the Church, attempting to group it with the abandoned building next door.  "The photos are not of the Church," said Pastor Allen of the Temple, "those photos are of the building next door, we have been here for 13 years."  Doris Hall, representative of the owner of the property said "the case wasn't even heard and debated as Rev Nevin was not properly noticed and was not even aware of the hearing, so a default demolition order was issued." 

CRA VIOLATES DEMOLITION STAY ORDER, NEIGHBORHOOD CLEANS UP SO CALLED 'CRACK DEN' DESPITE GRANT REFUSAL

Late Friday evening the City of Miami Community Redevelopment Agency cut electrical service to the threatened building housing the Apostolic Revival Temple,  proceding with the demolition process despite a Miami-Dade County Judge's temporary stay on the demolition order.  "We think it was done illegally," Pastor Allen of the Temple stated, "I called FPL and they said there was no cut off order for my service, and how can they do that - I thought there was a stay on the demolition until Friday?" he said, "what if we win? - how are we going to have service next Sunday without power?"  Doris Hall, representative of the property owner said "this again shows how the CRA is manipulating the system to get what they want - they probably showed FPL the demolition order and 'forgot' to show them the Judge's stay order." she noted "we will inform the Judge first thing Monday morning of this blatant disregard and violation of her order."  James Villacorta, Executive Director of the CRA, gleefully watched as the power was cut. "he's out here all happy and jumping up and down acting like he did yesterday when they demolished Moe's garage," said a local resident, getting emotional, "it's not right - this is all we have left."  Ernest King, a well known local artist who had been looking to put a live/work art gallery in the old Moe's Garage property confronted Villacorta, who had been attempting to lobby support for the CRA.  "don't come out here all boasting about your big projects," he said, "It's disrespectful to us 'cause we know we aren't part of them."   

 

Ms. Hall also blasted the CRA in a letter to Jim Villacorta for refusing a $4,000 grant request to eliminate the 'crack den' stating:

"If the urgency of the demolition stems from the public liability from people entering the property and the trash strewn around the property, why would you not allocate funds on an emergency basis, as you are allowed to fund up to $4,500 without Board approval.  Would this not be considered negligence on your part, since the CRA trust fund is holding over $70 million dollars needing to be reinvested with the taxpayers and residents in Overtown to create jobs and revitalization of these properties?..  We believe that the true intent of the CRA is to demolish and acquire the properties through an eminent-domain like procedure in violation of Federal, State, and Local laws, in order to assemble the remaining parcels for a large development project."

R.I.P. MOE'S GARAGE, CRA CONTINUES DEMOLITION OF HISTORIC OVERTOWN IN SPITE OF NEIGHBORHOOD OUTRAGE

Despite a Miami-Dade Judge's order to stay the demolition of two historic properties, stating that she "didn't see the rush," the City of Miami's Community Redevelopment Agency continued with its plans to demolish what little is left of Historic Overtown yesterday with the demolition of the former Moe's Garage building, which was located at 163 NW 11th street.  The building, which was structurally sound and completely secured against vagrants, simply needed the roof replaced in order to revitailize the property.  Plans were underway to propose an adaptive reuse of the property, which included a live/work art gallery for local artists who currently must paint in the street as well as several apartments which would help increase the supply of affordable housing stock in Overtown, the shortage of which is another major problem for the community.

The timing of the demolition was indeed suspect and appeared to be in spite of community outrage against the demolition of the last few remaining stuctures in the "Historic Overtown" neighborhood.  The Overtown Community Advisory Board unanimously voted to request a stay on the demolitions and Irby McKnight, well known local activist in a letter to Commissionere Dunn, noted that the CRA is "charged with redevelopment as well as preservation."  In strongly worded letter to Commissioner Dunn The Black Archives, guardian of Overtown's historical legacy stated:

"There is a repeated offense being perpetuated against a once vibrant community which has done so much for the establishment of the City..what makes these structures historic is the fact that they represent the last remaining remnants of what Second Avenue once was.  While other neighborhoods are allowed to build off of its historic nature and offer house and neighborhood tours, as well as the opportunity to point to their past by hand, Overtown has been given the finger."

Frank Rollason, former Executive Director of the CRA said in an e-mail that former Commissioner Michelle Spence-Jones and Chairman of the CRA had plans to demolish the historic Ward Rooming House for a big affordable housing project, even after the CRA had spent more than $600,000 to rebuild the entire building.  "What is wrong with this picture," he said, "here you are the black Commissioner representing Overtown wanting to tear down what is obviously a historic part of what is to become the Lyric Village and here I am, a white boy, arguing with you to save it!.

JUDGE ISSUES TEMPORARY STAY, CRA CRITICIZED FOR NOT FUNDING CLEANUP REQUEST

As reported by a WSVN Channel 7 News report, Judge Valerie Manno-Schurr ordered a temporary stay to the demolition of three historic buildings in Overtown Tuesday until a full hearing could be held within two weeks.  "the order is more than a year old," she said, "I don't see a rush to demolish it now."  However, no one can enter the building until the formal hearing, which means that the Apostolic Revival Church is without a home, albeit temporarily.  For Pastor Allen of the Temple, it was just another consequence of the misrepresentation by the City of Miami Community Redevelopment Agency of the two different buildings, one abandoned and the other structurally sound and containing the church as one and the same.   "This is not the church." he said frustratingly pointing to a picture of the abandoned building next door, "THIS is the church."

The CRA, meanwhile continued its campaign to categorize the three very different properties as "the building", "overrun by drug addicts", "locks can't even keep out the crime" and a "liability to the City" which was echoed in the news media.  "It might come down at any time" said the City Attorney after the Judge's ruling.  "I guess that's why we have a City Agency Director inviting the news media and camera crews inside the building for tours every day, why isn't that a liability to the City?" said Brad Knoefler, whose organization applied for a CRA emergency grant more than a week ago that would have cleaned up and secured the property against tresspassers, the very things the CRA claim make it urgently need to be demolished.

EMERGENCY HEARING SET, CRA CONTINUES TO HARASS CHURCH

The battle to save the Historic Mitchell Rooming House continued today and over the weekend.  In an attempt to raise awareness of the issue, activists placed banners depicting the Michell Rooming House in all its glory with the caption "Save Historic Overtown".  The Apostolic Revival Temple held its potentially last service on Sunday, which was covered by WSVN Channel 7 News.  Inside the service, the Pastor reassured his church that the demolition of the building would not be the end of the church. "What is important here is the word of God," said the Pastor, "we need to submit to the word of God, and it will lead us." he said.

Meanwhile the City of Miami Community Redevelopment Agency continued its harassment campaign to force the church to move out.  "Mr Villacorta, the Director of the CRA, telephoned over the weekend to say the electricity would be cut off, but I keep calling FPL and they say they have received no cut off order." said Pastor Allen of the Temple  "the CRA also said I need to move out by Monday but we still have received no eviction notice from the City and they have not began closing off the sidewalk and securing the site so we don't know what to believe," he said. 

Early Monday morning the police were called to the site when the banners depicting the historic building were vandalized by City of Miami CRA employees at the behest of the CRA Director, Jim Villacorta.  "I asked him with what authority he was destroying the banners and he told me he had all the authority he needs.have them removed." said Pastor Allen."  Local activists were shocked that historical photos put up to to inform the community of the preservation issue were destroyed by City of Miami employees.  "how can the government vandalize private property and violate our right of free speech in this day and age," said Bradley Knoefler, member of the group.  The group plans to file charges and potentially request a restraining order against Mr. Villacorta.