Gun Violence Leads State Of The County Address

Miami FL

02 February, 2022

6:07 PM

Description

A Miami Times Staff Report, the Miami Times Feb 1, 2022 Miami-Dade County's first woman mayor delivered her second state of the county address Monday from Greynolds Park in North Miami Beach, following a blessing delivered by the county commission's vice chair, Oliver Gilbert. The moment was filled with symbolism as Daniella Levine Cava referenced her location with the Oleta River in the distance, while wearing a scarf emblazoned with the face of Chassidy Saunders, the 6-year-old victim of a drive-by shooting on Jan. 16, 2021, who was attending a birthday party on Sixth Place near NW 54th Street in the Model City neighborhood. "I'm wearing this beautiful scarf today in honor of the children whose lives have been taken by senseless acts of gun violence in our community … All of the work that we do to reduce gun violence in our community is in their honor," Levine Cava said. The scarf was given to the mayor by Chassidy's grandmother. Chassidy Saunders was killed in a drive-by shooting Jan. 16, 2021. Her murder remains unresolved. (The Saunders Family) Levine Cava went on to reference what she called a "historic step" taken in June, when county commissioners passed a high-priced, long-term violence prevention and public safety plan, which is in its infancy. "The board of county commissioners, led by Commissioner Keon Hardemon, passed our visionary Peace and Prosperity Plan, made possible by our licensing agreement with the FTX Arena, home of the Miami Heat," said the mayor. The Peace and Prosperity Plan is a 20-year, $90 million investment to create jobs and internships for at-risk youth, along with other evidenced-based prevention, intervention, reentry and enforcement programs. Other mentions included the creation of the Office of Neighborhood Safety, Operation Summer Heat and Operation Community Shield to increase targeted enforcement in the communities most affected by gun violence. Levine Cava asserted that "the results speak clearly" with a 15% reduction in homicides in the past year and a 50% reduction in shootings. "This reversal comes at a time when cities and counties across our nation continue to see heightened levels of violent crime," she said. The funeral for Chassidy Saunders was held at the Peaceful Zion Missionary Baptist Church, where Mayor Daniella Levine Cava was in attendance. (WPLG) Of course, the mayor referenced the Surfside tragedy and the ongoing, deadly pandemic, which she said made gun violence worse. On the subject of affordable housing and evictions, Levine Cava addressed the importance of residents being able to afford to live in the county they call home, stating that Miami-Dade has invested a record $260 million toward the expansion of affordable housing. "By the end of this year, we will have an estimated 14,000 units of affordable and workforce housing in development. And while developing more affordable units is critical, even more measures are needed as housing costs continue to rise. We're expanding our community's incentive program for landlords, offering them financing to cover necessary renovation costs in exchange for keeping rents within reach. Our new housing advocacy division will drive these efforts." Last year, the county distributed more than $80 million in emergency rental assistance, which prevented the eviction of more than 8,000 vulnerable families and ensured that landlords could pay their bills. By October, the county had officially spent 100% of its funds compared to a national average of 30% and a statewide average of 4%. Besides the issue of affordability, Levine Cava also addressed her efforts to combat sea-level rise, which impacts every resident from apartment dwellers to owners of beachfront homes. Addressing minority-owned businesses, the mayor said: "Most of us know that in Miami-Dade County, small businesses are the engine that make our economy go." Then she announced a collaboration with Commissioner Jean Monestime's office to "launch a $1 million Biz-Up program for grants of up to $50,000 in a 'Shark Tank'-inspired pitch challenge." Not wanting to leave the digital divide behind, Levine Cava announced a door-to-door effort that will take place this year to help every household connect to broadband through the Accelerate Miami-Dade program, involving a host of community partners. The Miami Times is the largest Black-owned newspaper in the south serving Miami's Black community since 1923. The award-winning weekly is frequently recognized as the best Black newspaper in the country by the National Newspaper Publishers Association.