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https://www.miamitodaynews.com/2026/05/27/two-best-of-miami-sections-spotlight-communitys-bright-stars/
Two Best of Miami Sections spotlight community’s bright stars This keepsake edition marks the conclusion of Miami Today’s 43rd year of serving this community by examining some of the best of Miami individuals and institutions over a broad array of categories. All are chosen not by Miami Today but by a select team of knowledgeable and thoughtful observers for their contributions to the present and future of this region as among the best in specific categories.
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https://www.miamitodaynews.com/2026/05/20/mental-health-center-ok-sidetracked-for-a-jackson-health-review/
Mental health center OK sidetracked for a Jackson Health review The Miami Center for Mental Health and Recovery, which is completed and long has awaited an opening, took another twist Tuesday when county commission Chairman Anthony Rodriguez moved to direct the county’s Jackson Health System to study the project’s soundness.
His motion directed Mayor Daniella Levine Cava to provide Jackson with all proposals and supporting documents submitted for the project and directed Jackson’s leaders to evaluate whether the proposed scope of services, staffing, operational assumptions, and projected costs are sufficient to adequately serve the intended patients.
The aim is for Jackson to provide a written assessment of the mental health center project before a June 16 commission hearing on the center’s future.
Echoing concerns of some commissioner that the center’s financial burden could not be sustained for more than two years that are fully funded, Mr. Rodriguez asked that the independent review examine the long-term operational and financial sustainability of the facility at 2200 NW Second Ave. to help ensure continuity of care and avoid future operational or fiscal shortfalls that could negatively impact patients, staff, and taxpayers.
“I remain committed to not simply opening a mental health facility, but ensuring it is built with the structure, resources, operational support, and long-term planning needed to provide sustainable, high-quality care for our community for years to come,” Mr. Rodriguez said in a written statement. “This facility must be positioned to truly serve patients, protect taxpayers, and deliver measurable outcomes in treatment, recovery, and public safety.”
Mr. Rodriguez expressed support for key components, including the inclusion of a courtroom, the relocation of the New Direction Residential Treatment Program, and the inclusion of behavioral health and transitional housing beds associated with the Homeless Trust. However, he stressed that additional verification and oversight are necessary before final approval.
“The focus must remain on developing a system that functions effectively, not simply opening a facility,” he said.
The seven-story, 181,000-square-foot center has been fully built, renovated and certified for occupancy since 2023, but has sat empty due to concerns about operational costs.
Once open, it is designed to provide a comprehensive, one-stop system of care for residents with serious mental illnesses, offering crisis stabilization, substance use treatment, residential and outpatient care, primary medical services, vocational training, transitional housing, and an on-site courtroom to expedite diversion from jail into treatment.
Funding for the first two years of operation is secured through federal and opioid settlement dollars, and additional revenue streams would ensure long-term stability.
Medicaid reimbursement is to cover part of the center’s mental health and dental services, as well as a substantial portion of primary care, ophthalmology and podiatry. The Miami-Dade Homeless Trust is to fund housing components. Workforce Florida is to support the Culinary Supportive Employment Program.
Retired Miami-Dade County Judge Steve Leifman has championed the project for years, saying that Miami-Dade is spending millions annually to maintain the fully built facility while it sits idle.
Miami-Dade County jails have become the largest psychiatric facility in Florida, with thousands of persons with serious mental illnesses incarcerated on any given day. Most are charged with nonviolent offenses and lack access to appropriate treatment. The county currently spends roughly $1.1 million daily, or $414 million a year, incarcerating people with mental health needs.
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Mental health center OK sidetracked for a Jackson Health review Mental health center OK sidetracked for a Jackson Health review by at MiamiTodayNews.com.

https://www.miamitodaynews.com/2026/05/13/miami-may-branch-out-to-add-to-tree-canopy/
Miami may branch out to add to tree canopy As Miami weighs changes to its tree protections, residents could soon play a more direct role in shaping how the city preserves and expands its urban canopy through a new citizen-led advisory board.
City commissioners are to hear a proposal today (5/14) to create the Miami Tree Ordinance Advisory Committee, a 10-resident panel that would help guide policies surrounding tree preservation, canopy protection and urban forestry. The move comes as Miami continues a broader review of its tree regulations following months of public debate over how the city should balance development with protecting and expanding its urban canopy.
As one of the nation’s fastest-growing urban centers, Miami is increasingly confronting the environmental consequences of rapid development and shrinking shade coverage. Despite a countywide goal established more than a decade ago to reach 30% tree canopy coverage, Miami remains near 20%, according to a 2023 Miami-Dade County report, with one in five ZIP codes falling below 10% coverage – well under the national average of 27.1% for major US cities and far from the 40% benchmark recommended by conservation nonprofit American Forests for regions east of the Mississippi River.
The proposed advisory committee follows a broader city effort launched last May to comprehensively review Miami’s tree protections and environmental regulations to determine whether existing policies align with current best practices. The review examines not only the substance of the city’s regulations but also how they are enforced administratively, including permitting, inspections, fines and restoration requirements when trees are removed or damaged.
The assessment also compares Miami’s policies with those of municipalities recognized for strong environmental stewardship, with the goal of identifying weaknesses and recommending updates to the city code.
In July 2025, the city hired The Consensus Center at Florida State University to oversee public engagement surrounding possible revisions to the tree ordinance, a topic that has generated sustained concern among residents and environmental advocates. The Consensus Center, housed within FSU’s Conflict Resolution Consortium and established by the Florida Legislature in 1987, serves as a neutral public resource that facilitates mediation, collaborative planning and dispute resolution on complex public policy issues.
Officials said the outside facilitation was intended to rebuild confidence in the city’s process and ensure any future ordinance changes reflect broad community input. Proposed revisions to Miami’s tree regulations have drawn skepticism from residents who fear existing protections could be weakened amid continued development pressure.
“We ended up going to FSU because there seemed to be so many biases involved … we wanted to go to some place that had expertise and a best practice reputation for being able to run a consensus process,” Commissioner Damian Pardo said last July. “The lack of trust with our city was obvious in a lot of these interactions. What we’re trying to do is place it in an independent place that people will trust will follow a good process … so that in the end, we grow the canopy, preserve our trees and preserve private property rights.”
Under the city’s agreement with FSU, the outreach is divided into two phases. The first phase includes stakeholder outreach, five public workshops – one in each city commission district – and a final report summarizing public feedback and findings. A second, optional phase would allow the Consensus Center to continue assisting during ordinance drafting or facilitate additional workshops depending on the outcome of the initial process.
The newly proposed advisory committee would serve as the next step in that effort. Sponsored by Mr. Pardo, the resolution would formally establish a resident-led body to advise the commission on potential revisions to Miami’s tree ordinance and broader urban canopy policy.
Under the proposal, each of Miami’s five commissioners would appoint two residents from their respective districts, creating a 10-member committee intended to reflect a broad range of perspectives on tree preservation, resiliency, neighborhood character and quality of life.
The committee would review reports, presentations, technical data and policy materials related to urban forestry, canopy equity and tree preservation practices. Members would also assist in collecting and evaluating community feedback from residents, advocacy groups, businesses and neighborhood organizations participating in the outreach led by the Consensus Center and consulting firm Orthon Group.
The committee would ultimately develop recommendations for the city commission regarding potential amendments to Miami’s tree ordinance and related policies governing the protection, maintenance and...

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