Editorial
Pride of Ownership
Pride of ownership is a phrase often used to describe the pride owners of single homes have for their property and the attention put into that property to keep it in top notch condition. By Amal Solh Kabbani.
But what if the homeowner’s property is a condo in a community? For some reason, that term disappears from our vocabulary. Also, for some reason, it loses the psychological benefit since HOAs have been known to handle the maintenance of all the common areas and condo living is more about a relaxed lifestyle than one that invests in home improvement to keep up with market real estate trends.
But is that how it should be? Why do we stop being vested in our surroundings, even when it has a direct impact on the value of our apartments? Those are questions that need further inquiry.
Community
DNA takes pride in seeing its members participate in programs that help beautify the neighborhood. Simple things such as gathering to clean-up our Bay, which we did this past December, and supports projects such as a mural planned for Avenue 3.
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Of course, the DNA and our local government can do more. One step forward this avenue is convening the community and our elected leaders and authorities to assess what has to be done and together formulate solutions. On January 19, I was delighted to see the great turnout to a zoom-meeting DNA organized to facilitate a dialogue between Mayor Francis Suarez, County Commissioner Eileen Higgins, City Commissioner Ken Russell, Police Commander Regueira and our downtown residents.
Mayor Suarez touched upon a feeling of despondency residents have been experiencing: Brickell, Midtown, the Design District, the neighborhoods known generally as the greater downtown are all thriving, all except the downtown proper. And the mayor committed to making our neighborhood a priority, as did the commissioners and Commander Regeira. If Miami aspires to be a world-class city, the consensus was, it should start by showing pride for its downtown.
Sure, it helps that the city through its various agencies provides financial incentives to new companies looking to relocate to our urban core, but a thriving urban core remains the best incentive for people looking to relocate.
Let’s call it a community pride of ownership!
Amal Solh Kabbani, President of the Downtown Neighbors Alliance.
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