Miami-Dade Commissioners Giving Away Land To Favored Groups

If Abraham Lincoln had the Homestead Act—the 1862 law that granted 160 acres of public land to almost any American willing to cultivate it—Miami-Dade County has the Homestead Town Center.

In a neighborhood where land development can sell for upwards of $1 million per acre, the 24-acre Homestead Town Center was sold for just $12.4 million in a no-bid transaction, part of the county’s efforts to dispose of what it deemed “surplus” land. The buyers, two would-be developers, are planning to create an entertainment complex featuring restaurants inside repurposed cargo containers.

This sale is one of three surplus land deals made since 2023 and, by far, the most expensive. The other two came at no cost to the developers, much like Lincoln’s land grants. In all three deals, favored groups were able to acquire properties without competition or much scrutiny. In return, these no-bid winners have promised to build hundreds of affordable housing units or create numerous jobs.

The Miami-Dade County Commission authorized the Homestead sale despite warnings from the county’s Inspector General, who noted that staff had failed to get independent appraisals to determine the land’s fair value. The Inspector General also found that the new owners, Ahmand Johnson and Jossua Parini, had been vague about their project’s financing and their financial backers.

These no-bid land sales are made possible by a 2022 county administrative order, which permits any Miami-Dade official to support a developer’s proposal for underused government properties. A local affordable housing builder, who spoke on condition of anonymity, explained that this process bypasses competitive bidding.

“You only hear about these deals when they appear on a commission agenda. By then, everything is already settled,” the developer said.

Robert Jarvis, an ethics law professor at Nova Southeastern University, expressed concerns about the legality of such processes.

“It could be that these projects offer the most benefit to the county, but without competitive bidding, the county doesn’t know if it’s getting the best deal,” Jarvis said.

Hundreds of county documents and video footage from commission meetings reveal how these agreements passed despite concerns raised by elected officials.

Homestead Town Center

The new owners of Homestead Town Center are not experienced developers. Johnson is a Miami-based sports and entertainment lawyer, and Parini is an events producer. Despite having no background in construction, they secured approval for their project—a containerized entertainment park featuring mini-golf, a dog park, and an amphitheater. Their pitch promised hundreds of new jobs, and the county commission approved the deal by a 7-1 vote in 2023. Commissioner Danielle Cohen Higgins voted against it after questioning the project’s credibility.

The project was backed by County Commissioner Kionne McGhee, who represents the district where the land is located. The deal was made contingent on the developers proving their financial ability to carry out the estimated $18.7 million project.

Before the vote, the Miami-Dade Inspector General warned that Johnson and Parini had agreed to a stipulation not to build multifamily units for 15 years and were relying on a $16 million equity investment from the Montvale, New Jersey-based Cider Moon Investment Group to cover the $12.4 million land cost. Cider Moon was to own 50% of the project. However, the Inspector General also pointed out that county staff only used a property appraiser’s valuation to determine the sale price, which may have been too simplistic.

In the end, the duo revised their proposal in 2024, suggesting they might add affordable and workforce housing to the project. However, Cider Moon’s involvement was ultimately scrapped, with Cider Moon’s managing partner confirming that they had never participated in the project.

Terra’s South Dade Project

Commissioner Cohen Higgins also supported a no-bid deal for Terra, a Miami-based developer, to lease 10.6 acres of county-owned land for a 500-unit workforce housing project. The land, valued at $15 million, was leased to Terra for 99 years, with a projected $227 million rent over the lease’s term if the project is fully developed. Terra would also make an initial rent payment of $5.7 million once construction financing is secured.

Although this deal faced little competition, Commissioner Eileen Higgins raised concerns that the rent Terra agreed to pay was too low, given the land’s value. In response, the lease terms were amended to reserve 10% of the units for low-income residents. The commission later approved the lease in a 10-1 vote.

Cohen Higgins defended the deal, emphasizing that it would help address Miami-Dade’s housing crisis and generate revenue for the county.

Miami River Project

The third no-bid deal involved a half-acre parcel on the Miami River, which was given away for free to Goldstein Kite Environmental, a firm specializing in environmental cleanup. In exchange, the firm proposed to build an eight-story building with 104 affordable and workforce housing units. The firm had no experience in residential development but promised to clean up the land and develop the project in exchange for a sweetheart deal.

Commissioner Marleine Bastien strongly advocated for the deal, arguing that it was crucial for addressing the region’s housing shortage. The commission approved the deal in a 12-1 vote despite concerns about the firm’s lack of experience.

Conclusion

No-bid government land deals are typically justified in emergency situations, such as post-disaster recovery. However, as Jarvis points out, “There is no emergency here, and without a competitive process, the county can’t be sure it’s getting the best deal possible.”

Source: The Real Deal