Audio By Carbonatix
So I just had a Scooby Doo WTF? moment. This past June 10, at its annual Orchids & Onions Awards Presentation, the Urban Environment League recognized Miami-Dade County Commissioner Natacha Seijas for her efforts to make sure foreclosed houses don’t get trashed.
Earlier this year, Seijas sponsored legislation that requires lenders to maintain their vacant properties, including mowing the lawn and picking up any junk. In addition, lenders are now required to disclose to potential homebuyers if a house has building or zoning violations, as well as how much it would cost to fix the problems.
Apparently the Urban Environment League thinks that is just awesome. At least, the UEL still socked it to Seijas for her pro-development votes to allow new construction outside the urban development boundary and the Marlins stadium. Instead of getting an orchid or an onion, Seijas got her own special award: The Hybrid. Waa Waa Wee Waa.
Apparently, Natacha gave a speech, which you can read here. One environmentalist, Alan Farago, aka Gimleteye, over at Eye On Miami, wasn’t too keen on bestowing green consciousness on Seijas, and rightly so. Of all the 13 county commissioners, Seijas is perhaps the most beholden to developers and the bankers who finance them.
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