Miramar’s housing crackdown and property tax fight. Plus, two ways to celebrate
Miramar saw a flurry of news this week, from a crackdown on residential RV living to questions surrounding a city vendor linked to a federal fraud probe and plans for a major Caribbean food festival.
Missed the headlines? Here’s a roundup of the top stories from your city:
- RV crackdown: Miramar commissioners unanimously approved a new ordinance targeting RV living in residential neighborhoods. The amendment establishes storage standards, creates a registration process and adds fines for violators after about 80 RVs in Historic Miramar were suspected of being used as homes.
- Property tax fight: Miramar officials are weighing how to respond to Gov. Ron DeSantis’ property tax cut proposal, which would raise the homestead exemption to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028. Mayor Wayne M. Messam said the bill would slash Miramar’s general fund by $17 million in 2027 and over $30 million in 2028 if voters approve it in November.
- Amphitheater contract: Miramar commissioners voted 4-1 to renew the amphitheater concession contract with Holsen Inc., whose owner Darryl Holsendolph was identified in federal court records as a co-conspirator in a fraud scheme involving the Jackson Health Foundation. The one-year extension is worth about $20,000 annually.
- Caribbean food festival: Miramar will host a free Taste of the Caribbean Islands festival from 5 to 10 p.m. on Saturday, June 13, at City Hall Plaza. The event celebrates National Caribbean American Heritage Month with Haitian, Dominican, Cuban, Jamaican, St. Lucian, Bajan and Trinidadian cuisines, plus live music from She-J Hercules and DJ Lady Terra.
- Juneteenth celebration: Pulitzer Prize-winner Eugene Robinson will headline Miramar’s Juneteenth Family Day on Friday, June 19, at City Hall Plaza from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The former Washington Post columnist will discuss his book “Freedom Lost, Freedom Won” alongside cultural activities including hair braiding, drumming, double dutch and an African art exhibit.
- Hurricane preparedness: Although Miramar sits outside Broward County’s hurricane evacuation zones, emergency officials warn residents remain vulnerable to heavy rain, flooding, destructive winds and power outages. The 2026 Atlantic hurricane season, which began June 1, is forecast to bring eight to 14 named storms, including three to six hurricanes.
- Cold case ID’d: A body found in a Broward field in 1975 has been identified as Robert Russell Freese, an 18-year-old from Long Island, New York, through fingerprint matching. The Broward Sheriff’s Office is seeking tips to locate Freese’s family and identify his killer, with Cold Case Homicide Det. John Curcio reachable at 954-321-4212.
This report was produced with the assistance of a proprietary tool powered by artificial intelligence and using our own originally reported, written and published content. It was reviewed and edited by our journalists.