NALCAB Allapattah’s 17th Avenue: An Equitable Development Action Plan for Thriving Commercial Districts Miami, Florida Developed in partnership with Mission SFCDC’s mission is to expand the capacity of the community development field to develop affordable housing and economic opportunities for low and moderate income individuals while promoting collaborative, inclusive policy and practice to invest in people, neighborhoods and social capital throughout Miami-Dade County. Allapattah’s 17th Avenue: An Equitable Development Action Plan for Thriving Commercial Districts Miami, Florida Table of Contents 01 | Introduction 4 02 | Planning Process 6 03 | About the Neighborhood 8 04 | Challenges & Opportunities For Small Businesses 18 05 | Vision for the Neighborhood 20 06 | Action Plan Goals, Strategies & Actions 22 07 | Enabling Environment 26 08 | Conclusion 32 Appendix 34 nalcab.org • 3 01 | Introduction The goal of this project is to create an Equitable This plan complements and supports various Development Action Plan (EDAP) focused on initiatives occurring in Miami that are focused retaining and growing small businesses at risk of on making the city a more equitable place to displacement in Miami, FL. The study focuses on live, work, and play. a target area defined by NW 17th Avenue between 20th and 36th Street in the Allapattah neighborhood. Ultimately, the combined effort will ensure Miami’s cultural neighborhoods are preserved The overall vision is to develop a plan that provides and thrive with inclusive, equitable, and sustainable a pathway to equitable development without community development policies and practices that displacement and emphasizes policies and programs promote wealth building and upward mobility that benefit existing small businesses within the for its residents. neighborhood. To achieve this, the project has gathered data on the target area’s small businesses and other stakeholders to develop a shared vision and identify key opportunities/strategies to reach the goal. 4 • nalcab.org Area Background 1980s Riots, Immigration & Disinvestment 1990s Microbusiness Development 2003 Little Santo Domingo JPD Park naming JPD 17th Avenue naming 2013 City of Miami Design Guidelines Community Visionary Process Bait & Switch 2015 Rush of Developers nalcab.org • 5 The recommendations in this equitable development action plan stem from various community conversations, surveys, data analysis, meetings with community partners, as well as monthly meetings with the 17th Avenue Steering Committee. 02 | Planning Process The nine-member Steering Committee met to review demographic and community trends data, identify problems, and brainstorm solutions. In these gatherings, steering committee members also identified programs, policies, and process optimization that would ameliorate the current community pressures that lead to social inequities including gentrifica- tion and displacement of residents and small businesses. The Steering The Steering Committee curated a Small Business Survey and a Community Survey to further understand the community’s challenges, Committee is needs, and opportunities. Outcomes of the survey, interviews, and composed of local online research are included in Section 4 of the appendix of this report. The surveys included a detailed confidentiality clause explaining to business owners, respondents how data will be used and protected. Also, a spreadsheet of all the businesses in the target area was created to maintain updated residents, service information and analyze pertinent data. providers, and In addition to the survey, the planning process engaged community local experts. members through community meetings and gatherings, as well as conversations with small business owners. We also gathered insights from long-time practitioners and community organizations who proposed pathways to achieve community goals in the short and long-term. 6 • nalcab.org As we collected data from the City of Miami, required to file yearly business receipts as well as Miami-Dade County records, and private entities obtain occupational licenses among other requirements. such as Co-Star, we noticed that information was not Because of the inaccuracy of these records, we decided updated with the frequency necessary to be proactive to conduct a physical survey of each business and in assisting businesses in the target corridor. Basic community asset on 17th Avenue between 20th information such as the correct name of business, the Street to 36th Street. The physical survey assisted name of the business owner, or type of industry was in identifying 18 business franchises/branches, 60 out-of-date. For example, a business established in small businesses, and 20 non-targeted businesses 2015 was not on the list and businesses that were (vacant spaces, vacant lots, non-profits, residential displaced in 2016 were still listed. It was surprising dwellings). Information was gleaned from active that the data was not updated nor available from small businesses through the survey tool, interviews, local government entities since all businesses are and online research. nalcab.org • 7 03 | About the Neighborhood Location contribution to the area led the City of Miami in 2003 to name a portion of Allapattah “Little Santo Allapattah, one of Miami’s oldest neighborhoods, Domingo” to pay homage to the settlement and is located northwest of Downtown Miami, west contribution of the Dominican community in the of Wynwood, and approximately five miles from City of Miami. Furthermore, the collaboration with Miami International Airport. It is a working-class local officials and community partners allowed for neighborhood with a mixture of residential, the City of Miami to name the neighborhood park commercial, and industrial uses. and main thoroughfare after the Dominican hero Juan Pablo Duarte. Population Income The area has gone through many transitions with regards to its population and prosperity. Until the According to the Urban Institute’s 2016 State of 1950’s, the neighborhood was primarily populated by Low and Middle-Income Housing in Miami-Dade, non-Hispanic white individuals, but the construction the neighborhood is over 80% Hispanic, 8 in 10 of I-95 through Overtown led to the migration of households are low to middle-income, and the black individuals to the area. It would later become median income in 2015 was $22,995. The median home to an influx of Cuban immigrants following income slightly decreased in 2017 to $22,914 (ACS the Cuban Revolution in 1959 and then an influx 2013-2017 5-Year Estimates). The City of Miami of Dominicans in the 1980’s and 1990’s. Allapattah Consolidated Plan 2014-2019 designated Allapattah is now considered a melting pot of residents from as one of the Neighborhood Development Zones the Caribbean and Latin America. The settlement (NDZ), which are “distressed neighborhoods that of the Dominican community in Miami, FL and its are in most need of assistance.” 8 • nalcab.org Housing its share of single-unit dwellings decreased from 43 percent to 31 percent (Urban Institute, 2016). This According to the University of Miami MAP tool, has caused increased rent prices and displaced res- the neighborhood has several affordable housing idents since over 80% of Allapattah’s residents are developments and a higher share of below-average renters (Urban Institute, 2016). Since 2000, the area rent relative to the rest of the City. These housing has seen increases in home values and rents that have units have been referred to as Naturally Occurring outpaced income growth (see following page). The Affordable Housing (NOAH), and some are Urban Institute report also indicates that Allapattah in substandard condition. The housing stock in is on the verge of tremendous change and gentrifica- Allapattah is changing dramatically due to newly tion due to its proximity to Downtown, Edgewater, found interest and investment in the area. Most hous- and Wynwood — areas that have seen rapid change ing units were built before the 1970’s, and many of and growth. Artists facing increasing prices in Wyn- these structures are being demolished or flipped by wood have relocated their galleries to Allapattah. investors. Between 2000 and 2015, Allapattah saw 52,218 80% 18% 17,790 $22,914 Total Latino Black or African Total Average Median Population Population American Population Households Income Source: ACS 2013-2017 5-Year Estimates nalcab.org • 9 Median Price per Square Foot - MLS $220 $210 $200 Zip: 33142 $190 City: Miami, FL County $180 $170 $160 2018 2018 2018 2018 2018 2018 2018 2019 2019 2019 2019 2019 2019 Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun The median price per square foot for sold homes based on MLS sales. An increase in the median price per square foot — particularly if the median size of sold homes has not also increased — indicates that buyers are willing to pay more for the similarly sized homes. When the median price per square foot decreases, property values may be generally decreasing, or less costly homes are selling more briskly than higher valued ones. Median Household Income Median Home Rent Median Home Value Change 2000-2016 Change 2000-2016 Change 2000-2016 Source: PolicyMap Housing Units 1 Mile 3 Miles 5 Miles 2019 Housing Units 13,698 155,111 271,042 2019 Vacant Housing Units 1,394 10.2% 19,609 12.6% 31,258 11.5% 2019 Occupied Housing Units 12,304 89.8% 135,503 87.4% 239,784 88.5% 2019 Owner Occupied Housing Units 1,773 12.9% 39,258 25.3% 77,245 28.5% 2019 Renter Occupied Housing Units 10,531 76.9% 96,245 62.0% 162,539 60.0% Source: CBRE, Esri Page 9 ProjectID:461949 Industry centers, biotechnology industries, research institutions and testing laboratories. Allapattah is also known Allapattah is home to the Civic Center, which for its produce market in the Allapattah Produce includes the Health District, the civil court and many District, the textile industries along 20th Street, city, municipal, state and federal offices. According and the trade of imports/exports along the Miami to the City of Miami Consolidated Plan, the Health River.