Civil and Municipal - Jan 22

30 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 3, ISSUE 1 When it comes to housing, Dania Beach is using the same progressive approach it takes to almost every decision they make. They want the city to be an inviting place to everyone, with housing opportunities available to a wide range of incomes. They have championed the need for affordable housing and have created opportunities to develop it within the city. Garcia acknowledges, “Our goal continues to be having diversity in our team, diversity in our restaurants, in our recreational opportunities, and also diversity in our housing citywide for everyone.” They are also going one step further. “We really have to look at how we can put our residents in the best situation to be a homeowner,” James explains. “If that means we have to give a little more, then we have to give a little more. And that’s something the commission has done. We have committed to making sure To help attract people to the city’s smaller businesses, Dania Beach’s staff and commission has put a major focus on drawing people to the downtown core. James reports, “We have a lot of events. You can literally walk out and get a bite to eat and understand the different cultures within our city.” Events include celebrations for Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa, as well as the monthly Dania After Dark street festival that includes live performances, art, makers, food trucks, drinks, and more. Focus has also been placed on helping to make the downtown a more walkable place by highlighting road and streetscaping, as well as making sure the city is ADA accessible. “We want to be an inviting city and make sure that we are able to compete with other major cities so that when transportation opportunities like Brightline (high-speed rail) come along we are more of an attractive city,” says James.