The fight to save Overtown's community oversight: What's at stake
The Miami Times
By Amelia Orjuela Da Silva
This article originally appeared in The Miami Times.
Chairwoman Christine King said she will work with the SEOPW CRA to re-evaluate and possibly reinvigorate the Overtown Community Oversight Board.
(Amelia Orjuela Da Silva for The Miami Times)
Residents worry dissolution of board could erode transparency and accountability
At a meeting last week, the City of Miami Commission voted to do away with several inactive boards and committees, removing references to seven such bodies from the city code. The city intends to take over any responsibilities previously handled by these committees. Among the boards included in the proposal was the Overtown Community Oversight Board (OCOB), previously known as the Overtown Advisory Board.
However, the OCOB was excluded from this dissolution at the last minute after Chairwoman Christine King raised concerns about its relationship with the Southeast Overtown/Park West Community Redevelopment Agency (SEOPW CRA). She referenced a public commenter’s statement that the CRA requires the Overtown board’s existence.
The Miami Times spoke with the SEOPW CRA about the board's compliance.
The City of Miami voted on Feb. 13, 2025, to dissolve some community boards due to lack of attendance and meetings.
“No state legislation requires the CRA to have an advisory board,” SEOPW CRA Executive Director James McQueen said in a statement. “Additionally, an advisory board only works if the board is active. Since becoming the Executive Director of the CRA (in 2021), I have not heard about any Overtown Advisory Board meetings happening.”
To make up for the board’s failure to convene, McQueen says he initiated quarterly meetings, inviting the public to discuss new projects on the horizon and gathering community feedback.
Pictured here is an aerial view of Miami. OCOB members say that development has risen in Overtown without community input.
City clerk Todd B. Hannon explained that many boards have been inactive for years. The OCOB’s last meeting was in May 2018. Hannon said that finding new members has proven challenging due to stringent requirements, including training and financial disclosures.
Still, King clarified her decision to hand the OCOB a temporary lifeline at last week’s commission meeting.
“In doing so, the SEOPW CRA and I can re-evaluate and possibly reinvigorate the board in a manner that will encourage participation and make sense for everyone,” she said in a statement to The Miami Times.
A liaison for the community
The OCOB was established in 1980 as part of the federal Citizen Participation Plan to support housing, job creation, economic development, education and cultural preservation in Overtown while advising the city commission.
Many community members, including former board members, oppose its dissolution, arguing the board was essential for transparency and accountability in the face of rapid urban development.
Nicole Crooks, a former OCOB member, expressed her concerns about its dissolution during public input.
“This board was established to ensure transparency, accountability, and community input in the face of ongoing development in our neighborhood,” said Nicole Crooks, a former board member currently serving as Catalyst Miami’s Community Engagement Manager for Overtown. “Ending the oversight board could further erode trust between the community and elected officials.”
Crooks pointed to ongoing issues such as the displacement of residents in Town Park Village and the loss of green spaces in the neighborhood.
"Our community deserves a seat at the table, not just as an afterthought, but as a priority,” she added. “Otherwise, it’s not urban renewal; it’s urban replacement.”
Block 55 at Sawyer's Walk is one of the newest developments in Overtown, at times criticized by residents who say it does not help the affordable housing crisis.
Reginald Munnings, who began serving on the board in 2002, agreed with Crooks.
“We bring the concerns to the commission. We are a liaison for the people of the community, from the community to the commission and city government,” he said.
What happened to the board?
According to the city’s website, the OCOB is comprised of 11 members: five elected by the community and six appointed by the commission. It also requires that two youth members be appointed, one by the District 5 commissioner and another by the board itself.
In 2018, the board stopped meeting, and the city planned to dissolve it due to low attendance.
However, former members argue that the issue stemmed from a lack of city support and unfilled appointments. Terrance Cribbs-Lorrant, a member since 2005 and former vice chair, reflected on the board’s dissipation, noting that the community did its part to see that an election was held.
“The board ended up being suspended or dismantled, and the varying reasons were being granted,” Cribbs-Lorrant said. “They couldn’t find nominations, there were the nominations, but then there were elections. I was actually out there campaigning for my position on the board; it gave the community an opportunity to see who they were selecting.”
Meanwhile, Cribbs-Lorrant said, there were delays on the city’s end.
“They wanted to make decisions and do certain things without getting community approval or feedback,” he explained. “Leaving out transparency in leadership is the first sign that impropriety actions could occur.”
Besides nominating a youth member, the District 5 commissioner is also responsible for appointing four of the OCOB’s voting members. In 2018, that seat belonged to Keon Hardemon, now a Miami-Dade County commissioner.
Hardemon’s office did not respond to this publication’s repeated requests for comment.
“There were a number of issues that we had to really go at a snail's pace with our community because they weren’t fully on board,” Cribbs-Lorrant continued. “For government, that can sometimes make things frustrating, that can sometimes prolong it because time is everything.”
Cribbs-Lorrant recalled that when King campaigned for the District 5 seat, one of the questions she was asked was whether she would support reinstating the OCOB. She said she would, but as of today, the board remains but a mere idea.
Overtown without the OCOB
Since the OCOB’s disbandment, many residents feel their concerns have been ignored. Munnings observed that certain developments, like new businesses and housing projects, seem to cater to outside interests with little regard for long-time residents.
Back when it was active, the OCOB played a key role in advocating for projects like the Lotus House, which helps individuals experiencing homelessness and struggling with addiction. However, Munnings fears that without the board, such community-driven projects will be overlooked in favor of corporate interests.
Nicole Crooks tours historic Overtown with other community members.
Crooks also believes that community concerns have been sidelined. She says Overtown is now being transformed solely for outsiders.
“A lot of demolition has occurred. A lot of buildings have gone up and continue to go up with no oversight from the community,” she said. “It’s like wrapping this community up in nostalgia but writing the people out of the story.”
Crooks stressed that the oversight board ensured development projects included community input. Without it, she says, even “affordable” housing often remains out of reach for locals.
Nicole Crooks, Former OCOB Member
“The salaries are much lower for people who’ve lived here,” Crooks explained. “It’s not affordable for a single mom working minimum wage.”
Reflecting on the board’s role, Crooks believes it could have protected vulnerable groups, like the elderly, from being displaced by new developments in recent years. Former members agree the board was crucial in holding developers and politicians accountable.
“The oversight board has always been an opportunity and a voice of reason and a great access point for leadership, for government to be able to say, ‘I am truly about my constituents,’” Cribbs-Lorrant said.
King, on the other hand, insists that community input remains a priority.
“James McQueen and I are intentional about providing opportunities for community input,” she said. “Although the OCOB had not met since 2018, Overtown residents’ voices were and continue to be heard.”
She encouraged residents to express their concerns during her office’s “Constituent Tuesdays,” at CRA meetings, or with organizations like the Overtown Business Association, which plays a role in driving the neighborhood’s renaissance.
While the OCOB’s future remains unclear, for Cribbs-Lorrant, the core issue remains: to ensure accountability.
“Where would those checks and balances be to ensure that the elected officials are hearing the voice of the community?” he wondered.
Crooks echoed this concern:
"I want to see the leaders align authentically with the well-being of the people and not by way of a multitude of profit-driven agendas."
By Amelia Orjuela Da Silva
This article originally appeared in The Miami Times.
Chairwoman Christine King said she will work with the SEOPW CRA to re-evaluate and possibly reinvigorate the Overtown Community Oversight Board.
(Amelia Orjuela Da Silva for The Miami Times)
Residents worry dissolution of board could erode transparency and accountability
At a meeting last week, the City of Miami Commission voted to do away with several inactive boards and committees, removing references to seven such bodies from the city code. The city intends to take over any responsibilities previously handled by these committees. Among the boards included in the proposal was the Overtown Community Oversight Board (OCOB), previously known as the Overtown Advisory Board.
However, the OCOB was excluded from this dissolution at the last minute after Chairwoman Christine King raised concerns about its relationship with the Southeast Overtown/Park West Community Redevelopment Agency (SEOPW CRA). She referenced a public commenter’s statement that the CRA requires the Overtown board’s existence.
The Miami Times spoke with the SEOPW CRA about the board's compliance.
The City of Miami voted on Feb. 13, 2025, to dissolve some community boards due to lack of attendance and meetings.
“No state legislation requires the CRA to have an advisory board,” SEOPW CRA Executive Director James McQueen said in a statement. “Additionally, an advisory board only works if the board is active. Since becoming the Executive Director of the CRA (in 2021), I have not heard about any Overtown Advisory Board meetings happening.”
To make up for the board’s failure to convene, McQueen says he initiated quarterly meetings, inviting the public to discuss new projects on the horizon and gathering community feedback.
Pictured here is an aerial view of Miami. OCOB members say that development has risen in Overtown without community input.
City clerk Todd B. Hannon explained that many boards have been inactive for years. The OCOB’s last meeting was in May 2018. Hannon said that finding new members has proven challenging due to stringent requirements, including training and financial disclosures.
Still, King clarified her decision to hand the OCOB a temporary lifeline at last week’s commission meeting.
“In doing so, the SEOPW CRA and I can re-evaluate and possibly reinvigorate the board in a manner that will encourage participation and make sense for everyone,” she said in a statement to The Miami Times.
A liaison for the community
The OCOB was established in 1980 as part of the federal Citizen Participation Plan to support housing, job creation, economic development, education and cultural preservation in Overtown while advising the city commission.
Many community members, including former board members, oppose its dissolution, arguing the board was essential for transparency and accountability in the face of rapid urban development.
Nicole Crooks, a former OCOB member, expressed her concerns about its dissolution during public input.
“This board was established to ensure transparency, accountability, and community input in the face of ongoing development in our neighborhood,” said Nicole Crooks, a former board member currently serving as Catalyst Miami’s Community Engagement Manager for Overtown. “Ending the oversight board could further erode trust between the community and elected officials.”
Crooks pointed to ongoing issues such as the displacement of residents in Town Park Village and the loss of green spaces in the neighborhood.
"Our community deserves a seat at the table, not just as an afterthought, but as a priority,” she added. “Otherwise, it’s not urban renewal; it’s urban replacement.”
Block 55 at Sawyer's Walk is one of the newest developments in Overtown, at times criticized by residents who say it does not help the affordable housing crisis.
Reginald Munnings, who began serving on the board in 2002, agreed with Crooks.
“We bring the concerns to the commission. We are a liaison for the people of the community, from the community to the commission and city government,” he said.
What happened to the board?
According to the city’s website, the OCOB is comprised of 11 members: five elected by the community and six appointed by the commission. It also requires that two youth members be appointed, one by the District 5 commissioner and another by the board itself.
In 2018, the board stopped meeting, and the city planned to dissolve it due to low attendance.
However, former members argue that the issue stemmed from a lack of city support and unfilled appointments. Terrance Cribbs-Lorrant, a member since 2005 and former vice chair, reflected on the board’s dissipation, noting that the community did its part to see that an election was held.
“The board ended up being suspended or dismantled, and the varying reasons were being granted,” Cribbs-Lorrant said. “They couldn’t find nominations, there were the nominations, but then there were elections. I was actually out there campaigning for my position on the board; it gave the community an opportunity to see who they were selecting.”
Meanwhile, Cribbs-Lorrant said, there were delays on the city’s end.
“They wanted to make decisions and do certain things without getting community approval or feedback,” he explained. “Leaving out transparency in leadership is the first sign that impropriety actions could occur.”
Besides nominating a youth member, the District 5 commissioner is also responsible for appointing four of the OCOB’s voting members. In 2018, that seat belonged to Keon Hardemon, now a Miami-Dade County commissioner.
Hardemon’s office did not respond to this publication’s repeated requests for comment.
“There were a number of issues that we had to really go at a snail's pace with our community because they weren’t fully on board,” Cribbs-Lorrant continued. “For government, that can sometimes make things frustrating, that can sometimes prolong it because time is everything.”
Cribbs-Lorrant recalled that when King campaigned for the District 5 seat, one of the questions she was asked was whether she would support reinstating the OCOB. She said she would, but as of today, the board remains but a mere idea.
Overtown without the OCOB
Since the OCOB’s disbandment, many residents feel their concerns have been ignored. Munnings observed that certain developments, like new businesses and housing projects, seem to cater to outside interests with little regard for long-time residents.
Back when it was active, the OCOB played a key role in advocating for projects like the Lotus House, which helps individuals experiencing homelessness and struggling with addiction. However, Munnings fears that without the board, such community-driven projects will be overlooked in favor of corporate interests.
Nicole Crooks tours historic Overtown with other community members.
Crooks also believes that community concerns have been sidelined. She says Overtown is now being transformed solely for outsiders.
“A lot of demolition has occurred. A lot of buildings have gone up and continue to go up with no oversight from the community,” she said. “It’s like wrapping this community up in nostalgia but writing the people out of the story.”
Crooks stressed that the oversight board ensured development projects included community input. Without it, she says, even “affordable” housing often remains out of reach for locals.
Nicole Crooks, Former OCOB Member
“The salaries are much lower for people who’ve lived here,” Crooks explained. “It’s not affordable for a single mom working minimum wage.”
Reflecting on the board’s role, Crooks believes it could have protected vulnerable groups, like the elderly, from being displaced by new developments in recent years. Former members agree the board was crucial in holding developers and politicians accountable.
“The oversight board has always been an opportunity and a voice of reason and a great access point for leadership, for government to be able to say, ‘I am truly about my constituents,’” Cribbs-Lorrant said.
King, on the other hand, insists that community input remains a priority.
“James McQueen and I are intentional about providing opportunities for community input,” she said. “Although the OCOB had not met since 2018, Overtown residents’ voices were and continue to be heard.”
She encouraged residents to express their concerns during her office’s “Constituent Tuesdays,” at CRA meetings, or with organizations like the Overtown Business Association, which plays a role in driving the neighborhood’s renaissance.
While the OCOB’s future remains unclear, for Cribbs-Lorrant, the core issue remains: to ensure accountability.
“Where would those checks and balances be to ensure that the elected officials are hearing the voice of the community?” he wondered.
Crooks echoed this concern:
"I want to see the leaders align authentically with the well-being of the people and not by way of a multitude of profit-driven agendas."
