Eileen Higgins, Miami Mayoral Candidate - 9/13/2025

We were fortunate to host Eileen Higgins at our September neighborhood meeting. Ken Russell was not able to attend due to a scheduling error by his team. Below is a summary of the transcript from the meeting followed by the full recording.

Key Topics

1. Permitting and bureaucratic inefficiencies in the city of Miami:

   • Lengthy delays in getting permits for simple home renovations like window replacements

   • Comparison to other cities like Honolulu that have streamlined their permitting processes

   • Potential solutions using AI and technology to automate simple permit approvals

2. Affordable housing and the "Live Local" law:

   • Concerns about the one-mile radius requirement leading to inappropriate density in single-family neighborhoods

   • Desire to make the city easier to work with so developers have incentive to go through the public hearing process

3. Environmental initiatives and sustainability:

   • Banning fertilizer use during rainy season to protect the Biscayne Bay

   • Efforts to promote composting and reduce single-use plastics in county facilities

   • Support for modern waste-to-energy facilities over landfilling

4. Transportation and infrastructure:

   • Issues with the city's trolley system and lack of coordination with the county

   • Concerns about the proposed expansion of 46th Street and its impact on the neighborhood

   • Desire to improve pedestrian and cyclist safety through traffic calming measures

5. Historic preservation and cultural institutions:

   • Challenges with the city's code enforcement and permitting processes for historic buildings

   • Plans for the Olympia Theater redevelopment and balancing historic preservation with financial viability

   • Importance of supporting and funding the arts and cultural institutions across all neighborhoods

Insights and Takeaways

• The city of Miami faces significant bureaucratic inefficiencies and challenges that hinder progress on important issues like affordable housing, environmental sustainability, and infrastructure improvements.

• Streamlining the permitting process through the use of technology and AI could unlock substantial time and cost savings for residents and businesses.

• Balancing historic preservation, affordable housing, and economic development requires nuanced policymaking and a willingness to make difficult trade-offs.

• Improving coordination and communication between the city and county governments is crucial for addressing complex, cross-jurisdictional issues.

• The candidate has a strong background in management, engineering, and environmental issues, which could bring a different perspective and problem-solving approach to the mayor's office.

Conclusions and Decisions

• The candidate is committed to addressing the city's permitting and bureaucratic challenges, potentially through the implementation of AI-powered systems and partnerships with tech companies.

• On affordable housing and the "Live Local" law, the candidate aims to make the city more developer-friendly to incentivize going through the public hearing process, while still maintaining some negotiating power.

• The candidate strongly supports environmental initiatives, such as banning fertilizer use during rainy season, promoting composting, and transitioning to modern waste-to-energy facilities.

• Improving transportation and infrastructure, particularly for pedestrians and cyclists, is a key priority, along with addressing the proposed expansion of 46th Street.

• The candidate recognizes the importance of historic preservation and cultural institutions, but believes a balanced approach is necessary to ensure financial viability and equitable access across all neighborhoods.

• Overall, the candidate's background and policy positions suggest a pragmatic, data-driven, and collaborative approach to addressing the city's challenges, with a focus on efficiency, sustainability, and inclusive development.

Full Transcript:

You can access the full recording below.

After introductions, Eileen Higgins began speaking about the inefficiencies within the city. Recording of Meeting