Tabla de Contenido/ Table of Contents
- 1 Keon Hardemon in the Crosshairs Affordable Housing or Empty Promises? Between Political Alleys and Renowned Streets: Miami-Dade’s Housing Drama
- 2 The Irony of Names: Symbolism vs. Reality
- 3 The Great Disconnect: Symbolic Policies vs. Real Needs in District 3
- 4 Is the housing program really affordable?
- 5 The political dispute: Who is blocking progress?
- 6 Streets with names, families without homes: the failure of local leadership
- 7 For a District 3 where streets not only have names, but a future. 🔥🏡
Keon Hardemon in the Crosshairs Affordable Housing or Empty Promises? Between Political Alleys and Renowned Streets: Miami-Dade’s Housing Drama
An analysis of the systemic obstacles and power disputes behind delays in social housing projects in Liberty City.
“Priorities or Distractions? The Paradox of Leadership in Miami-Dade District 3.”
While Liberty City drowns in septic tanks and Little Haiti cries out for decent housing, Commissioner Keon Hardemon invests time and $560,000 in a controversial project: renaming streets with song titles and popular phrases. Is this the leadership a district in distress needs?
District 3: A mosaic of ignored emergencies
District 3, home to 250,000 residents, groups historic communities such as:
- Liberty City (pop. 25,000, 98% African American, sewer crisis).
- Little Haiti (population 34,000, 68% Haitian migrants, 1 health center).
- Allapattah (pop. 60,000, 85% Hispanic, overcrowded schools).
Critical issues vs. Commissioner’s priorities
| Real Emergencies | Hardemon shares |
|---|---|
| 12,000 septic tanks contaminating aquifers | $560,000 in names such as “Act Up Street” or “Trick Love The Kids Street.” |
| 40% of streets with deep cracks | Suspension of public hearings to avoid community debate. |
| 1 out of every 3 families spends 50% of income on rent | Promotion of codes such as “Big Money Baller Street” in areas of extreme poverty. |
Why spend on this?
- Opportunity Cost: The $560,000 could repair 112 septic tanks or provide scholarships to 50 students in technical programs.
Keon Hardemon (in Board session):
“We want to attract tourism and give identity to the community.”
The Irony of Names: Symbolism vs. Reality
- “Peace In Da Hood Street”: In Liberty City, shootings increased 22% in 2024.
- “My House Street”: 4,200 families in the district are homeless.
- “We The Best Terrace: Schools like Miami Northwestern operate with electrical systems from the 1960s.
Resident reviews:
“How do you explain directions like “Turn on Poor Little Rich Girl Street”? This is a circus, not government.”
What streets are getting new names in Liberty City?
Between NW 18th Avenue and NW 19th Avenue, the following names will be added to the existing designations:
- What’s My Name Street on NW 62nd Street
- City Girls Street at NW 63rd St.
- Soul Ties Street at NW 64th St.
- Post & Delete Street at NW 65th St.
- Chase Dis Money Street (Chase this money) at NW 66th Street.
- Born N Raised Street at NW 67th St.
- Big Money Baller Street at NW 68th St.
- We the Best Terrace on the NW 68th Terrace
- Still Da Baddest Street at NW 69th St.
- Trick Loves the Kids Street at NW 69 Terrace
- It’s Your Birthday Street at NW 70th St.
- Bad Boys Bad Boys Street (Bad Boys, Bad Boys) at NW 71st St.
Between NW 18th Avenue and the jurisdictional boundary with the City of Miami:
- Welcome to the MIA Terrace at NW 62nd Terrace
- I Luv My Dawgs Street (Amo a mis panas) at NW 63rd St.
- I Deserve It All Street at NW 64th St.
- Closer to My Dreams Street at NW 65th St.
- Tunnel Vision Street at NW 66th Street
- Welcome to My House Street at NW 67th Street
- You Go Girl Street (Good for you, girl!) at NW 68th Street.
- People Change at NW 68 Terrace
- Lovers and Friends Street at NW 69th St.
- Peace In Da Hood Street (Peace In Da Hood Street ) at NW 69th Terrace
- Run Da Yard Street (Dominates the neighborhood) at NW 70th Street.
Between NW 17th Avenue and NW 18th Avenue:
- No Pain, No Gain Street at NW 71st Street.
Between NW 62nd Terrace and NW 71st Street:
- Memory Lane Avenue at NW 18th Ave.
The Great Disconnect: Symbolic Policies vs. Real Needs in District 3
- 30 families have been waiting since 2017 for housing in Liberty City, with prices escalating due to delays.
- 8 lots with stalled construction and 22 vacant lots under Neighbors and Neighbors Association (NANA) management, according to the organization.
- List of affordable housing District 3
Is the housing program really affordable?
- Wage vs. price gap: The median income in Miami-Dade is 57,000 per year. To buy a 305,000 home, a salary of $85,000 is required (as calculated by the National Low Income Housing Coalition).
- Insufficient subsidies: Although the county offers $10 lots, infrastructure costs(sewer, permits) fall on developers, limiting profits and discouraging participation.
Expert Voices: A fractured system
- Urban Institute report (2024): Only 12% of the 1,200 homes promised under the infill housing program since 2015 were completed, a figure the county has not disproved.
District Voices: Frustration vs. Rhetoric
Jeffery, Liberty City resident:
“Jeffery Johnson has been waiting to buy a home for nearly a decade.”.
Angela Albury, Little Haiti:
“”I attend meetings and keep asking, but there are no clear answers.””
Alternatives and community claims
- NANA proposal: Create an emergency fund for infrastructure costs, financed by taxes on luxury developers.
- Mobilizations: The Circle of Brotherhood plans a march on April 15 in front of the Stephen P. Clark Center, demanding transparency in the allocation of lots.
MIAMI-DADE – Housing and Community Development
701 NW 1st Court, 16th Floor
Miami, FL 33136-3914
T 786-469-4100 – F 786-469-4199
miamidade.gov
Emailed and mailed
February 25, 2025
NANA & CRC AFFORDABLE HOUSING LLC
William Young & Leroy Jones
5120 NW 24 AVE
MIAMI, FL 33142
Subject: Notice of Non-Compliance – Folio No.: See Annex A
Dear Mr. Young and Mr. Jones:
You are hereby notified that thirty (30) properties, attached hereto as Exhibit A, which were transferred to NANA & CRC Affordable Housing LLC (“NANA”) by Miami-Dade County, are in default of the restrictions set forth in the county deeds for such properties. On November 1, 2016 and May 16, 2017, the Board of County Commissioners adopted Resolution Nos. R-958-16 and R-556-17, respectively, authorizing the transfer of properties to NANA & CRC Affordable Housing LLC (“NANA”) by deed from the County for the development of affordable housing under the County’s Infill Housing Program (“Infill Housing Program”).
Each deed contains specific requirements related to those properties, including whether they are to be developed as affordable rental or workforce housing, affordable multifamily for-sale housing, or affordable single-family for-sale housing, pursuant to Infill Housing Program requirements. In addition, each deed establishes a time frame within which construction must be completed and the Final Certificate of Occupancy issued for each property. Several properties transferred to NANA also received extensions from the Board of County Commissioners through deeds amended and restated to comply with such requirements.¹ Other properties received extensions through a Notice of Reversionary Interest and Extension.²
Upon further review, the County has determined that NANA failed to comply with the restrictions set forth in the county deeds for the thirty (30) properties listed on Exhibit A. Specifically, NANA has failed to develop and obtain Certificates of Occupancy for the properties in accordance with the established timelines. In addition, some of the properties remain vacant and there is no evidence that any development activity has occurred since they were transferred to NANA.
Accordingly, they are hereby notified that NANA is in default and has 30 days to cure such default in accordance with the County’s deeds. If NANA, its successors or assigns fail to cure the default within 30 days, title to the properties shall revert to the County, at the County’s discretion, and the County shall be entitled to immediate possession of the properties, including all improvements made, at no cost to the County. Under no circumstances, during the 30-day period or thereafter, may NANA assign its interest in the properties without the consent of the Board of County Commissioners.
If you have any questions or require additional information, please do not hesitate to contact Oscar Barco at (786) 469-4226.
Yours sincerely,
Amina Newsome, Division Director
Planning and Land Management Strategies Division
Footnotes
¹ On December 6, 2022, the Board of County Commissioners approved Resolution No. R-1170-22, which granted NANA an extension by Amended and Restated Deed for several properties. The Amended and Restated Deed for Folio No. 30-3115-005-2920 is attached hereto as Exhibit B. The Amended and Restated Deed for Folio Nos. 30-3111-023-0260, 30-3111-035-1250, 30-3111-038-0210, 30-3115-005-2110, 30-3115-005-2970, 30-3115-005-3780, 30-3115-005-3800, 30-3115-005-5250, 30-3122-000-0071, 01-3113-042-1250, 01-3113-051-0100, 01-3113-065-1170, 01-3114-018-0090, 01-3122-014-1180, 01-3122-047-0060, 30-3115-010-0180, 30-3121-000-0050, 30-3121-033-0760, and 30-3115-005-2411 is attached hereto as Exhibit C. On May 2, 2023, the Board of County Commissioners approved Resolution No. R-432-23, which granted NANA an additional extension by Amended and Restated Deed for Folio Nos. 30-3115-005-5590 and 01-3114-018-1180, attached as Exhibit G.
² On May 5, 2020, the Board of County Commissioners adopted Resolution No. R-394-20, which authorized a two-year extension for NANA to comply with the terms of the deed pertaining to Folio Nos. 01-3122-035-0871, 01-3113-060-0270, 01-3112-012-0450, 01-3112-013-0170, 01-3112-013-0510, 01-3113-051-0020, 30-3121-000-0400, 30-3115-018-0640. On May 5, 2021, the County recorded a Notice of Reversionary Interest and Extension for the same properties, attached hereto as Exhibit D. The County’s deed for Folio No. 01-3122-035-0871 is attached hereto as Exhibit E. The deed for the remaining properties is attached hereto as Exhibit F.
INFILL HOUSING INITIATIVE PROGRAM GUIDELINES
The political dispute: Who is blocking progress?
Allegations against Keon Hardemon (District 3 Commissioner):
- NANA alleges that Hardemon has not approved a requested deadline extension from 2023 to complete the homes, despite written commitments.
- Historical context: Hardemon succeeded Audrey Edmonson, an ally of Leroy Jones (NANA director), in 2020 amid partisan tensions.
County Response:
- Miami-Dade notified NANA in February 2025 of the return of 30 lots for non-compliance with deadlines, demanding solutions in 30 days.
- Hardemon declined to comment specifically on the allegations, but criticized the NGOs’“mismanagement” in a statement to the Miami Herald.
Solutions in sight?
While Hardemon and NANA trade barbs, the clock is ticking for families like the Johnson family. With a shortfall of 120,000 affordable housing units in the county (according to Miami Homes for All), this case exposes structural flaws: politicization of social programs, poorly designed subsidies and lack of oversight.
The question remains: Will these homes be a legacy of equity or a monument to inefficiency? The answer could define Miami-Dade’s urban future.
Do you have information about housing projects in your community?
📧 S hare your story: newsmiamidade305@gmail.com
🔗 View official data: Miami-Dade Housing Dashboard
Streets with names, families without homes: the failure of local leadership
Acute problems in District 3
DOH Septic System
Description:
The term “DOH” probably refers to the Department of Health, which regulates safe septic systems. A septic system is a wastewater treatment solution for areas without access to centralized sewage. It includes a subway tank that separates solids and liquids, and a drainfield where treated liquids percolate into the ground.
Importance:
- Prevents groundwater and soil contamination.
- Requires regular maintenance (e.g., pumping every 3-5 years) to avoid failure.
2. Sewer Overflow
Description:
Occurs when the sewer system becomes saturated, usually by:
- Heavy rainfall (in combined stormwater and wastewater systems).
- Blockages due to grease, wipes or solid residues.
- Aging or insufficient infrastructure.
Consequences:
- Release of untreated wastewater into rivers, streets or urban areas.
- Public health risks (e.g., diseases caused by pathogens).
- Ecological damage to aquatic ecosystems.
3. Contaminated Site
Description:
An area where the soil, water, or air is contaminated by hazardous substances, such as:
- Industrial chemicals (e.g., heavy metals, hydrocarbons).
- Agricultural residues (e.g., pesticides, nitrates).
- Spills of fuels or untreated wastewater.
Key actions:
- Technical evaluation to identify contaminants.
- Remediation techniques: bioremediation, soil excavation, physical barriers.
- Prevention through strict regulations and environmental monitoring.
Relationship between concepts:
- A faulty septic system can leach pathogens or chemicals, creating a contaminated site.
- A sewer overflow aggravates pollution in rivers or soil, especially in urban areas.
- DOH intervention is key to regulate both systems and mitigate risks.
Definition of maintenance categories
Under “Street Maintenance”, the responsible entities are specified:
- City Maintained:
- Streets and roads maintained by municipal governments (e.g., city of Miami).
- Includes repairs, cleaning and signage in urban areas.
- County Maintained:
- Roads under the responsibility of Miami-Dade County, such as major highways or intercity routes.
- Private ROW County:
- Right-of-Way areas on private property, but where the county has authority to intervene ( e.g., lot accesses).
- State Maintained:
- State highways (e.g., highways such as I-95) managed by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT).
- Private City:
- Roads on private land within municipal boundaries, maintained by owners or businesses (e.g., private parking lots).
- Unknown:
- Areas without a clearly identified entity responsible.
- County Maintained Within City:
- Streets in municipal areas where the county assumes maintenance, usually through intergovernmental agreements.
- Undeveloped ROW:
- Rights-of-way in undeveloped areas or areas without infrastructure, even under county jurisdiction.
- Airport/Port Maintained:
- Roads within airports (e.g., MIA) or ports (e.g., PortMiami), managed by their corresponding authorities.
- County/City Maintained:
- Collaborative projects between the county and a municipality to maintain certain roadways.
- Miami-Dade Parks:
- Roads or trails in county public parks, maintained by the parks department.
- Miami-Dade Solid Waste Management:
- Roads associated with garbage collection routes or waste facilities managed by this department.
Importance of classification
This structure reflects the complexity of infrastructure management in a metropolitan region such as Miami-Dade, where multiple jurisdictions and stakeholders coexist. 🚧🗺️
- Coordination: Allows responsibilities to be distributed among county, city, state and private entities.
- Efficiency: Facilitates resource allocation and rapid response to problems (e.g., potholes, flooding).
- Transparency: Residents can identify who to contact by type of road.
What’s next? Call to action
District 3 deserves leaders who prioritize:
- Clean water: Replace septic tanks.
- Housing, not slogans: Accelerate projects like Liberty Square (only 700 units for thousands on waiting list).
- Infrastructure, not ironies: Repair 1,200 critical potholes before changing names.
🗳️ Will you allow symbolism to overshadow solutions?
📢 Demand Accountability: Attend the next hearing at the Stephen P. Clark Center and get involved!
📞 Contact Hardemon: Office: 305-636-2331 | Mail: district3@miamidade.gov
For a District 3 where streets not only have names, but a future. 🔥🏡
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