What incentives does North Miami offer to investors?
Through the North Miami Community Redevelopment Agency (NMCRA) we have a lot of incentive programs such as assistance for acquisition, buildout and renovation grants. Through the NMCRA we are able to help pay the county impact fees for businesses in North Miami. These figures can be high for some of these businesses and we are able to help them. One of our new programs with the NMCRA is tax rebates. We do it through a tax increment finance agreement where, if you bring your business and create a number of jobs, we will give you a rebate of a portion of the property taxes generated by the business.
How are cities such as North Miami setting a good example when it comes to combating crime?
We have seen a reduction in our crime over the past several years. Our police department engages in the community and tries to be responsive to get ahead in areas where we see potential issues. We have added a number of resource officers into downtown and into the 7th Ave. corridor. These officers will be on Segways so that they are accessible to the community. Their presence creates an air of safety, and they have been successful in stopping crimes. This then creates awareness. Crime has not been a great issue in our city.
What is your vision for North Miami?
My vision is to help internally with the things people don’t see, such as improving our processes and making it easy to do business. We can provide incentives, attract businesses and provide basic services, but we also need to attract big projects. We are working diligently to invite the world into our city. We want to embrace the past and keep the charm of what was North Miami, with new developments and businesses. You have the opportunity to live, work and play in our city. We are open for business.
