ALLAPATTAH PRODUCE MARKET POWER PLAY REVITALIZING A PRODUCE MARKET THROUGH COOPERATION

MIAMI POLICE DEPARTMENT, , 2002

THE PROBLEM: The Allapattah Produce Market has been plagued by social problems including residential burglaries, illegal narcotics sales, a large homeless population, health and sanitation hazards, traffic congestion, and environmental concerns throughout the years. The market was essential to commercial interests and the quality of life in the surrounding neighborhood.

ANALYSIS: Law enforcement personnel reviewed crime statistics for the neighborhood and also used the observations of the patrol units and code enforcement personnel. Between 7:00 p.m. and 2:00 a.m., businesses in the market averaged 23 burglaries a month. A traffic flow study was conducted to address traffic congestion concerns.

RESPONSE: Business owners continued to secure their waste containers, restricting access to outdated produce by the homeless population, virtually eliminating the vagrancy problem and criminal activities. A $600,000 grant from the State of Florida allowed for improvements to the market. A complete road redesign project was scheduled to reduce traffic congestion. Many of the homeless people received job training and are employed at the Market and others have obtained their commercial driver licenses and drive commercial produce trucks to the market. Water samples have shown a decrease in pollution and bacteria. Monthly meetings are held by the Allapattah Business Owners Association identify and address concerns about the market.

ASSESSMENT: Over the past 18 months, criminal activities at the market have decreased Further assessment of the area has revealed the elimination of the homeless population, a reduction of health and sanitation hazards, a substantial decrease in traffic congestion, and a renewed interest in investment opportunities and other infrastructure improvements in the area by local business owners. Over five new businesses have moved into the Market, bringing the total amount of businesses to 180 with annual sales exceeding $400 million dollars.

SCANNING fresh produce for the Southeast , through the Port of , the Miami The City of Miami's Allapattah Produce Market International Airport, and the railroad and is a focal point for the commercial shipping of highway transportation systems. The Produce Market also distributes fresh produce to the local • Allapattah NET code enforcement supermarkets, cruise ships, and "mom & pop personnel and PST officers bodegas" in the area. Multiple garment wholesale outlets as well as some moderately • Commercial produce distributors at the priced, working-class residential communities Produce Market surround this 3 by 5 city block area. Over the past few years, the Produce Market had become • Residents in the adjacent communities an extremely troubled neighborhood, riddled with a wide range of crime, a large homeless • Homeless Assistance Center population, pollution and health hazards, and a general malaise that negatively impacted the • Miami Coalition for the Homeless economic infrastructure and quality of life in the area. Business operators had allowed their • Miami-Dade County Department of facilities to deteriorate, characterized by Environmental Resource Management unpainted structures, garbage-strewn parking lots, overgrown vacant lots, and overflowing • City of Miami Solid Waste Department garbage bins. The neighborhood's streets were unable to support the increasing flow of large • Miami-Dade County Health Department commercial tractor-trailer trucks, which generated major traffic congestion. Produce • State of Florida Department of distributors were illegally disposing of rotted Agriculture and Consumer Services produce, creating a significant health and pollution hazard. An extensive homeless As the focal point for produce distribution population had contributed to the high level of throughout the Southeastern United States, the criminal activity in the neighborhood. Produce Market is a vital component of Miami's economic base. As the Produce Market Officer William Clayton, Problem Solving Team descended into an increasingly deteriorated (PST) police officers, and code enforcement state, the impact was not only economic, but the personnel assigned to the Allapattah overall quality of life in the neighborhood also Neighborhood Enhancement Team (NET) area suffered. This problem became a major priority received numerous complaints concerning the for the City of Miami for several reasons. The pollution problems, health hazards, heavy road illegal disposal of waste produce into the sewer traffic, inadequate parking and staging areas, system was considered a significant pollution illegal dumping, code violations, and homeless factor in the , which is the target for population in the Produce Market. The PST a major revitalization initiative by the City of officers and Officer Clayton noted a heavy Miami. The extensive illegal dumping in the volume of calls for service and an alarmingly area resulted in a major health and sanitation high incidence of illegal narcotics trafficking, hazard for the Produce Market and the strong-arm robberies and burglaries in the area. surrounding residential areas. The unusual high Residents in the neighborhoods adjacent to the crime rate in the area was a major concern, Produce Market expressed concern regarding the creating a fear of crime that disrupted the normal dangers and congestion created by the large social interaction in the neighborhood and tractor-trailer trucks on their small community depressing the property values. The increasing streets, the disturbing levels of street crime and level of truck traffic was creating a safety hazard home burglaries and the large homeless on the residential streets in the surrounding area. population. Produce shippers complained about the inadequate transportation infrastructure as The area's "stakeholders" realized that this well as the pollution and health hazards that situation was continuing to deteriorate and was created a negative impact on their businesses. having an increasingly negative impact on their business interests. The quality of life in the The following agencies were vital in identifying adjacent residential neighborhood was being the nature and extent of the problems: degraded by the crime, pollution and heavy traffic. They understood that a partnership with the law enforcement, code enforcement, and and the criminal element that associates itself regulatory agencies would be absolutely with the homeless problem—illegal narcotics essential to addressing the issues that were traffickers. The homeless population was drawn having a deleterious impact on their businesses to the Produce Market by the ready availability and homes. of outdated, discarded produce and the limited opportunity for work loading and unloading ANALYSIS trucks.

Several analytical approaches and data sources Some homeless people established "gray were utilized. Officer William Clayton and the markets" and illegally sold the outdated produce. PST officers reviewed the results of analysis of Narcotics traffickers preyed upon the homeless calls for service and crime statistics to develop a people. In order to support their "drug habits," better understanding of the c riminal activity in the homeless people became involved in the area. In an effort to develop a comprehensive criminal activities, such as strong-arm robbe ries industrial/commercial street traffic plan for the and burglaries in the surrounding residential area, a traffic analysis was conducted. The goal neighborhoods. of the traffic analysis was to develop a designated commercial access route to the The other major offender elements were some of Produce Market area from the major arterial the business operators, who refused to comply road system, and to avoid the residential with the various health, sanitation, and pollution communities. regulations and codes relevant to the handling and storage of fresh produce. This segment of An extensive zoning analysis of all the the business community continued to illegally commercial enterprises in the area was dump trash and outdated produce on the streets conducted in an effort to develop a plan to and vacant lots in the area. Their garbage bins address the problems of waste disposal, overflowed with outdated produce, attracting pollution, and illegal commercial operations. both the homeless as well as rodents. These This plan would also address the "gray market" offenders were reluctant to expend the resources in discarded produce, code violations and to properly manage their waste products or application of standards for littering and illegal improve their facilities and processes to meet the dumping. Aside from the formal studies and regulatory requirements. Additionally, some of analytical initiatives, Officer William Clayton the produce shippers disregarded the parking and the PST officers established a continuous and traffic control restrictions, continuing to presence, developing an extremely close rapport illegally park trucks along the streets, creating with the business operators and the regulatory major traffic congestion problems for the other agency personnel focused on the area. This businesses in the area. day-to-day observation was a vital source of information on the dynamics of the Produce The victims in this situation were the residents Market and provided keen insight into the ills in the neighboring communities, and the that were impacting the area. business operators who expended the resources to maintain their business infrastructures in The turbulence at the Produce Market is a daily compliance with the regulatory requirements. occurrence, peaking during the early morning The residents were frequently victimized by the hours (2:00 a.m. to 4:00 a.m.) when the large criminal activities in their neighborhoods, and trucks jam the area for the transfer of produce were often exposed to the traffic congestion and from the loading docks to the trucks. The noise created by the large trucks supporting the Produce Market had been deteriorating for the produce distributors. The business owners, who past 10-15 years. In the past few years, the made the efforts to comply with the various Produce Market's infrastructure has been unable codes and regulations, fell victim to the to support the increasing tempo of operations. continued deterioration of their commercial neighborhood. In the situation at the Produce Market, a major group of offenders were the homeless people The damages created by the ongoing with very limited oversight by the various deterioration at the Produce Market were regulatory agencies concerned with health, multiple. The residents in the neighboring sanitation and pollution issues. The volume of residential communities were victimized by the produce being processed had increased over the criminal activities, traffic congestion, and noise years, and operators, under pressure to maintain as well as decreasing property values. Within the the increased tempo of operations, disregarded Produce Market itself, the ongoing failures to health and sanitation standards. comply with various regulatory codes and ordinances resulted in signific ant pollution, The infrastructure designed to process the waste health and sanitation problems. produced became woefully inadequate, and the distributors utilized illegal means to dispose of As non-compliant businesses allowed their unusable produce, resulting in an extremely facilities to deteriorate, the overall quality of life serious health and sanitation problem as well as and economic well-being, in general, suffered. forming the breeding ground for the Individual businesses were unable to retain development of the homeless population. The competent employees, as the Produce Market development of the homeless population resulted was perceived as a "below standard" workplace. in an increase in criminal activities. The illegal Business owners were reluctant to reinvest, as disposal of waste into the sewers eventually the economic future grew dimmer. The homeless began to pollute the Miami River. Attendant population in the area was frequently the source with this increase in operations, there was an for criminal activities, including pilferage from equally significant increase in the transportation the businesses, illegal narcotics sales, as well as requirements. The increase in transportation was street robberies and residential burglaries. not matched with appropriate transportation infrastructure improvements, resulting in major Prior to assignment of the PST officers, the congestion problems. problems at the Produce Market were addressed by more traditional law enforcement and code To develop a more detailed understanding of the enforcement procedures. Police officers reacted overall problem at the Produce Market, it was to criminal activities in response to complaints essential that the PST become knowledgeable as and calls for service. Regulatory agencies to the functions and internal processes of the periodically conducted inspections and issued various businesses that comprise the market. The violations and levied fines on non-complying PST developed vital insight into the timelines businesses. An antagonistic attitude existed inherent in the transshipment of fresh produce, between the businesses and the law enforcement where the majority of the activities were and code enforcement officials. conducted during the early morning hours (2:00 a.m. to 4:00 a.m.). There was a minimum of Analysis of the situation at the Produce Market activity during the daylight hours, when the indicated that the improper and illegal disposal transshipment of produce was directed p rimarily of waste and outdated produce resulted in the at the small markets. evolution of the homeless population, which in turn created the basis for increases in criminal The PST also needed to understand the activities in the area. Failures to comply with economic pressures that impacted upon the health, sanitation and pollution codes and business operators. The smaller, less prosperous regulations resulted in a wide range of problems operations depended upon quicker "turnover" of that resulted in serious deficiencies and hazards fresh produce, thus did not invest resources in in those areas. Analysis of the traffic congestion long term storage and refrigeration facilities. issue revealed that the transportation These operations frequently conducted their infrastructure was inadequate to support the loading/unloading activities along the streets expanding transshipment requirements. contributing to the traffic congestion. These smaller operations were often reluctant to The analysis revealed that the fundamental expend the resources on the requirements for problem at the Produce Market was that the compliance with the various codes and business operators had been allowed to operate regulations related to health, sanitation and pollution. Additionally, they were less inclined officers and the code enforcement personnel to improve the quality of their facilities, leaving worked closely with all the commercial entities their installations unfenced and their garbage to address code violation issues, as well as bins overflowing with discarded produce. The improved methods of disposing of waste larger scale operations processed greater produce. In response to the urging of the PST amounts of produce via loading docks officers and Officer William Clayton, business supporting larger tractor-trailer trucks, and often operators are building locked stockade-fence encountered difficulties related to longer term enclosures around their individual trash bins. parking of the vehicles and disposing of larger amounts of outdated produce. This effort not only enhances the beautification effort in the area, but also prevents access to the In general, the more insight the PST developed outdated produce that is disposed in these in the overall process of operations in the dumpsters. The PST officers have advised all Produce Market, the more effective their business operators regarding the requirements to relationships with the business operators enclose their trash bins and continue to monitor became. Additionally, the location of the the construction and repair of the enclosures. Produce Market was a major factor contributing Businesses continuously failing to comply are to the traffic congestion and noise problem. The cited and fined until they are brought into transportation infrastructure that was developed compliance. PST officers have arranged for to support the residential communities adjacent increased trash collection services in an effort to to the Produce Market had proven to be decrease the amounts of trash accumulating in woefully inadequate to support the increased the area. traffic related to the expanded Produce Market. The PST officers also worked with the Discussions of the problems were conducted in commercial operators to develop improved several venues. The City of Miami Solid Waste parking, unloading, and turn-around facilities for Department hosted a meeting with the business the large trucks serving the businesses in the owners and officials from the various city, area. PST officers, along with Officer William county and state regulatory and law enforcement Clayton, continuously patrol the area, warning agencies focused on the Produce Market. The business operators about illegally parked purpose of the meeting was to inform the vehicles, and eventually arranging for towing of business owners as to the process to be utilized vehicles that are frequently in violation of in support of the code enforcement and parking restrictions. PST officers have located inspection regime. This meeting allowed the vacant lots and alleyways that could serve as business owners to raise their concerns related to off-street parking (and turnaround areas) and the enforcement procedures, and enabled the encouraged owners to remove the trash and regulatory agencies to establish rapport with the overgrown shrubbery, replacing it with fenced, commercial interests. The end result of the paved areas to support the parking requirements. meeting was that both elements developed an At the urging of PST officers, the Florida East understanding of the requirements for Coast Railroad has agreed to lease its property compliance and the overall inspection and adjacent to the railroad tracks to the business review process to be implemented. Additionally, owners, who, in turn, will clear the area and PST officers frequently met with business develop parking spaces. operators, regulatory officials as well as local residents to discuss various issues involving the With the support of the PST officers, business Produce Center. owners have undertaken a variety of beautification projects, focused primarily on RESPONSE plating trees and shrubbery. Multiple agencies involved with environmental and pollution The issues that were creating the deterioration at issues focused their efforts on the methodologies the Produce Market demanded a se ri es of that the businesses disposed of their outdated responses beyond the more traditional law and produce and the impact those procedures had on code enforcement methodologies. The PST the sewer systems and other environmental elements. The PST officers collaborated closely with the Homeless Assistance Center to address • Reduce the traffic congestion in the problems associated with the large homeless neighborhood streets and enhance the population and caseworkers interviewed the transportation infrastructure in the homeless people, offering shelter, drug Produce Market. treatment, mental health counseling and assistance in job searches. • Reduce the criminal activity in the area thus reducing the fear of crime in the The focus of the response initiatives was neighboring residential areas. directed at those fundamental problems, causes and underlying conditions discovered during the • Reduce the homeless population in the analysis. The PST officers and the personnel area by eliminating the various from the various regulatory agencies focused inducements that attract the homeless their efforts on enforcing the health, sanitation population to the area. and pollution codes and regulations. Access to waste produce by the homeless was eliminated • Promote a partnership between the by enclosing and securing the trash bins. Denied commercial entities and the City of access to outdated produce, the homeless Miami officials responsible for population diminished, and the crime rate in the enhancing the overall quality of life in neighborhood dropped significantly. The traffic the community. congestion issue was the focus of a traffic flow study and PST officers implemented parking • Create a unique "Farmer's Market" restrictions to improve the traffic flow in the venue open to the public. area. Additionally, funding has been identified to implement the more extensive aspects of the • Encourage the business operators to traffic flow study. Day-to-day interaction cooperate in a self-policing agreement between the PST officers and die business focused on overall improvement in the operators resulted in a renewed interest in quality of life and enhancement of their enhancing the commercial facilities and long-term commercial interests. supporting infrastructure. Business owners improved their buildings and loading docks, The following agencies contributed to the secured their parking lots and removed the trash problem-solving effort: and litter from their property. • Allapattah NET code enforcement Prior to the implementation of the response, personnel and PST officers some traditional law enforcement criteria were utilized to establish a perspective on the issue. A • Commercial produce distributors primary criterion was the level of calls for service and increasing criminal activities in the • Residents in the adjacent communities neighborhood. The department was sensitive to the impact the deterioration at the Produce • Homeless Assistance Center Market was having on the quality of life and social values in the community, and determined • Miami-Dade County Department of that the most expedient and cost effective Environmental Resource Management approach would be the implementation of the problem solving approach. • Environmental Protection Agency

The goals of the response plan were to: • City of Miami Solid Waste Department

• Significantly reduce the pollution • Miami-Dade County Health Department created by improper disposal of waste. • State of Florida Department of • Improve sanitation and health standards. Agriculture and Consumer Services The effort at the Produce Market is a "work in The major difficulty encountered during progress" and, as such, the evaluation is an response implementation was the inability of ongoing process. PST officers and their city and county agencies to deploy resources and counterparts in the city and county agencies are react with the same level of intensity that continuously evaluating the effectiveness of characterizes the PST officer's approach. This their efforts, and making the appropriate shortfall is generally the result of resource adjustments as necessary. The major problems constraints within the agencies and bureaucratic were resource constraints impacting on various difficulties in coordinating the efforts of city and county agencies, which limited their multiple organizations focused on a wide range capability to focus on the produce market issue. of problems beyond the issue at the Produce Problems also developed in coordinating the Market. efforts of multiple agencies with citywide responsibilities. ASSESSMENT The homeless population has been virtually In general, the situation at the Produce Market eliminated. Criminal activity has been has been remarkably transformed. As a result of significantly reduced. The improper disposal of a series of discussions and meetings between the discarded outdated produce has been eliminated. business operators and the various regulatory The PST officers and the business operators agencies responsible for health, sanitation and have formed a partnership dedicated to the pollution issues, code enforcement procedures improvement of the quality of life and economic have been clarified and businesses are rapidly well being of the area. The business owners have approaching compliance. created a merchants association designed to focus on a wide range of issues and to become a The homeless population has been virtually vital focal point for interfacing with the various eliminated and the crime rate in the official organizations responsible for code neighborhood has been significantly reduced. enforcement, environmental concerns, sanitation Business owners and operators have undertaken and heath hazards, transportation issues as well a wide range of initiatives to improve their as law enforcement. There has been a significant facilities and support infrastructure—buildings increase in understanding and compliance with have been repainted, parking lots enclosed, trash health, sanitation and pollution codes and bins enclosed and secured, trash and litter has regulations on the on the part of the business been reduced to a minimum, and volunteer operators in the area. Funding has been beautification projects have been undertaken. In identified for the implementation of the traffic an effort to enhance the quality of life and to flow study. Business owners have demonstrated improve their commercial opportunities, the an interest in reinvesting and revitalizing the business owners have created a merchants economy in the Produce Market. association. Analysis of the calls for service and the crime The newly created association will become a statistics revealed that the criminal had been vital focal point for interfacing with the various significantly reduced. Substantial reinvestment official organizations responsible for code in the area by various business owners indicates enforcement, environmental concerns, sanitation that there is a renewed confidence in the and health hazards, transportation issues as well economic opportunities. Direct observation and as law enforcement. There has been a renewed anecdotal evidence verified that the homeless interest in investment in the area, and population area had been virtually eliminated. construction of a major storage facility is underway. Business owners have expressed The effectiveness of the response could have interest in purchasing a large, condemned been enhanced with improved liaison with the baseball stadium as a site for a "farmers market" various city and county agencies with an interest venue. in the Produce Market issue. A better understanding of the resources and constraints impacting the various agencies as well as the mutual goals of the effort would have served to FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION improve the coordination process focused on the Produce Market. Officer William Clayton Allapattah Problem Solving Team Whenever there is a migration of homeless Phone: (305)575-5128 people away from an area, there is a conce rn that Fax: (305)575-5129 the homeless are simply being displaced to Email: [email protected] another sector of the community. The Homeless Assistance Center has been responsive in NOTES providing a wide range of counseling and support to the homeless people that left the 1. The PST police officers assigned to the Produce Market. This effort is directed at NET in coordination with the crime preventing the displacement of the Produce analysis support personnel at the City of Market homeless population to another . neighborhood. 2. Officers and managers received 16 Some aspects of the response pl an will require hours of problem-solving training. continued monitoring and a continuing effort to maintain the results. PST officers will continue 3. The major incentive to the officers to maintain close interaction with the business engaged in this problem-solving issue is owners and encourage an ongoing dialogue the development of experience and regarding mutual interests in the area. Traffic expertise in community policing issues will require continuous monitoring to methodologies and philosophies and the ensure that parking restrictions are complied implementation of problem solving with and that loading/unloading operations are techniques to the issue that affect the conducted in the approp ri ate locations. quality of life in their communities. Enforcement of health, sanitation and pollution codes and regulations will require periodic 4. Officers involved in this initiative revisits to ensure total compliance on the part of utilized standard problem-solving the business operators. Routine police patrols techniques. The Miami Police will be required to enforce a wide range of Department has produced federal, state and local law enforcement statutes. problem-solving forms, Community Policing manuals and videos.

5. The problem-oriented model was appropriate in addressing this issue.

6. PST officers assigned to the Allapattah NET were committed to this project. Resources were within the departmental budget.