Jerry is still working hard on his initial 6-point agenda. But he’s taken the lead on several new initiatives.

Bringing Relief to Condo Owners. Miami Beach is in the epicenter of the foreclosure crisis. Condos have been hit particularly hard. The result has been that unit owners in good standing are being saddled with huge assessments when banks foreclose on other units in their buildings. Jerry has taken a state-wide leadership role in solving this crisis. He held a town-all meeting on the issue last October that garnered national attention to our community’s problem. And he’s working with Florida legislators to enact needed reforms so condo owners who played by the rules aren’t unfairly penalized. 

Keeping Our Beaches Pristine. Jerry is spearheading a public awareness campaign to keep our beaches clean from litter and cigarette butts. The “No Litter, No Butts” campaign has drawn widespread support and praise from residents, environmental groups, and hoteliers for its role in reducing litter. The campaign is expanding in Miami Beach, and other municipalities are using it as a model.  

Providing Workforce Housing. Jerry has been working to establish "workforce housing" within our city for essential service personnel who are priced out of the market. Specifically, Jerry is focusing on innovative ways to provide affordable housing for our teachers, nurses, police and firefighters. Jerry already was successful in having the Miami Beach City Commission modify its RDA (Redevelopment Agreement) with Miami-Dade County to permit the city to use RDA funds for this purpose. Jerry’s now working on receiving the county’s approval and participation in the program.

Providing Free Senior Transportation. Senior citizens are among the most fragile members of our community. That’s why Jerry has been their champion on the city commission, and it’s why he worked so hard to establish a free transportation program for them. Specifically, the city program provides free transportation services for non-profit organizations that serve the elderly in our city.

Making City Hall More Open and Accessible. Since January 2008, Jerry has held  regular “Coffee with the Commissioner’ meetings through out the city. Jerry’s neighborhood meetings, held approximately every six weeks, have attracted an average of 40 residents each. They allow residents  to voice their complaints and concerns about city services directly to the city administration, in a productive and convenient setting. Most important, Jerry ensures that their issues are dealt with in a timely and professional matter by the city administration.