As the Miami Downtown Development Authority begins crafting its next budget, a residents’ advocacy group is calling for a larger investment in public safety.
The Downtown Neighbors Alliance (DNA), which represents residents living in Downtown Miami, attended the DDA’s first budget meeting Thursday and urged board members to dedicate $2 million of the agency’s proposed roughly $21 million budget exclusively to the Miami Police Department for public safety efforts downtown.
The group said the money should be restricted for policing and not be redirected toward marketing campaigns, special events or other discretionary programs.
“Our residents have consistently said public safety is their top priority,” the organization said in a statement. “Downtown residents deserve to see their tax dollars invested where they will have the greatest impact: making our streets safer.”
The request comes months after a violent attack on a Downtown Miami resident in May, an incident DNA says heightened concerns among people who live in the urban core. The organization also pointed to ongoing complaints from residents about crime, aggressive behavior and other quality-of-life issues.
DNA argued that residents should be able to walk to their homes, jobs and neighborhood businesses without worrying about their safety.
The organization is also seeking greater oversight of the DDA’s finances. DNA said it has formally requested a budget review of the agency and is awaiting confirmation that it will move forward.
The group called on DDA Chairman Ralph “Rafael” Rosado and Vice Chair Vicky Lopez to support the review as part of this year’s budget process, saying it would help ensure accountability to the residents and businesses the agency serves.
DNA said it plans to continue attending upcoming budget meetings and encouraged Downtown residents to participate in the process by sharing their priorities with the DDA.
The Miami Downtown Development Authority is responsible for promoting economic development, improving public spaces and providing services within the city’s downtown district, which includes a residential population of about 50,000 people.
The agency’s annual budget helps fund initiatives ranging from public safety and sanitation to transportation, beautification and marketing.