I want to begin with a note of thanks to the Code Enforcement Officers in the City of South Miami.
The job they do is pretty much thankless. They have to go out and make sure that the ordinances of the city are properly and fairly enforced and quiet often, code violators yell, scream and threaten them.
Under our Charter, the manager has the power to hire and fire employees and to direct their work. The members on the city commission, including our mayor can give directions to the manager and they are not supposed to deal with employees, including and not limited to the folks in the code enforcement department.
But it doesn’t look like that’s the way things work in South Miami. It’s a dirty little secret that members of the commission frequently pick up the phone and call staff and tell them what to do. Can’t help but wonder of that happens to Code Enforcement?
Drive through city in any direction starting at City Hall and you will notice that there are certain parts of the city that the streets are clean, where life is calm and beautiful. Then there are some neighborhoods where it looks like the code enforcement folks and the Public Works Department have not been there in years.
There are boats in backyards without tags that have been sitting around for what seems to be years just rusting away. Cars are on concrete blocks being repaired, sitting there without licenses.
There even are some homes that the plants, trees, weeds and landscaping go all the way to the street blocking the right a way. Property owners have a responsibility to cut the grass on the swale, but they can’t treat the property like they own it. And yet some do.
A quick drive along Commerce and Progress lanes seems to show a few violations including, but not limited to cars with faded decals and some without any license plates at all. Makes me wonder, once again, what the city should and can. Sure looks like a favorite few get special treatment.
Why the difference in treatment?
We know that some commissioners have no hesitation in picking up the phone and telling Code Enforcement officers where to find violations and demand quick action. We also are aware of plenty of situations where friends of commissioners or a contributor are cut a great deal of slack. Yet, folks that are not connected are more apt to be hit with hefty fines and told to make things right quickly.
Back in the 1980s the “broken window” theory of governing emerged. It goes along the lines that where code enforcement is uneven and things like broken windows are tolerated, the quality of life in those neighborhoods begins to nosedive. Where the laws are not enforced the theory goes, crime and decay begin to seep in.
We are starting to see that here in South Miami.
What’s the solution? The city needs to treat the people and the neighborhoods equally and fairly. It doesn’t matter if the scofflaw is a friend of the mayor or a commissioner. If something is wrong, it must be set right.
We also need to tell our commissioners to take the phone numbers of the Code Enforcement staff and the department officials off their speed dial. If they have a beef, they need to call the city manager and raise the issue, just like the charter requires. If the manager can’t resolve it, there’s also a process in the charter.
The mayor and commission ought to consider bringing up their code enforcement concerns at a properly noticed commission meeting and do it in the sunshine where it is beamed by Channel 77 into the homes throughout the city.
And if a commissioner is going to ask for a favor for a friend, he should do it on the record so that everyone knows who is doing what and why.
The residents and taxpayers in South Miami deserve to be treated fairly and equally. Your quality of life in South Miami should not change based on who you know.
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Like so many other cities and their “flaws”, South Miami is still a great place to live.
(Unless, of course, you happen to reside anywhere near one of these defects.
—google maps/havana harry$/reviews/photos or you tube, coral gables restaurant guide.
“As part of an ongoing effort to enhance the health, safety and welfare of the citizens of Coral Gables.”
~City hall
“People save for years to be able to afford…a house in the Gables. They want to live here for the quality of life.”
~Margaret Pass, past Coral Gables building & zoning director.
The neighbors “should just go die.”
~havana harrys, a 24/7/365 nightmare.)
………..
~Sure miss that wonderful aroma of fresh bread perpetually emanating from the Holsum Bakery….
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Totally agree, where is the evidence? Also doesn’t make much sense that commissioners would pull favors for people with rundown homes, cars and rusty boats. It’s usually money that talks, not the lack thereof. There are plenty of homes with code enforcement violations that are ignored or simply the owners cannot afford to comply, doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a special favor. Not one to defend government officials but this is a ridiculous claim w/o evidence. Poorly written to boot!
How about some facts? Which, when, who, what, where? Generalities are hard to counter. And, generalities usually sound truthful when there are some actual instances as examples. Oh, x + y can = z , but only certain x’s and certain y’s will add up to z. Recently I read and article which said that causes + marches = violence. Once and a while, that is true, but not usually. So, if it’s a dirty secret, how do you know? If plants in swales are bad, why doesn’t code enforcement pull out the trees that are being planted?
GRANT YOU ARE RIGHT IN ALL THAT YOU STATED . AND MAYBE IT IS UNFAIR THAT SOME AREAS OF THE CITY ARE NOT AS WELL ENFORCED AS OTHERS .( YES HERE IT COMES . ) BUT AFTER LIVING HERE FOR OVER 40 PLUS YEARS (NO NOT SOUTH MIAMI WORKED THERE WAY BACK WHEN HOLSUM WAS IN TOWN )I MISS THE OLD MIAMI WITH MY AREA THE GRASS IN THE SUMMER WAS MAYBE CUT ONCE A MONTH IF THAT , WHERE THERE WAS A 1957 CHEVY IN THE FRONT YARD WITH A TREE GROWING THRU THE DOOR HANDLE . DOG WITH OR WITHOUT TAGS RUNNING LOOSE . And with all that a whole lot of less stress . Yes we got laws , to keep all square and fair but sometimes i miss those simpler times .
Well said! From illicit cement “ponds” to overgrown shrubs and unkempt public swales that have been illegally confiscated by the property owner. Only in South Miami!
I always look forward to reading your articles. Keep up the good work! Hopefully by you making the community aware of these issues they will get resolved.
GREAT Article, well said!