Miami, FL
Miami County leaders take action to get disaster aid after Hillsdale devastated by tornado damage
KSHB 41 reporter Ryan Gamboa covers Miami County in Kansas and Cass County in Missouri. He also covers agricultural topics. Ryan has extensively covered stories in Miami County over the past two years. The Sheriff’s Department took him on a tour of the damage in Hillsdale on Tuesday. If you want to share your story and what the path forward looks like, reach out. Share your story idea with Ryan.
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Miami County leaders are preparing to sign a state of emergency on Wednesday as Hillsdale residents clean up from Monday night’s tornado before the next batch of storms arrive.
Miami County leaders take action to get disaster aid after Hillsdale tornado
The Miami County government will officially sign the declaration to secure outside resources and aid for a rebuild.
The county of 44,000 people does not budget for disasters of this scale.
Ryan Gamboa/KSHB
Presiding Commissioner George Pretz told KSHB 41 News Miami County Reporter Ryan Gamboa that he (Pretz) entered into a verbal agreement on Monday night, but the county will officially declare a disaster declaration at its Wednesday meeting.
“It’s get with it, and get through it, and take care of the people as quick as you can,” Pretz said.
The move follows action taken by Kansas Governor Laura Kelly, who issued her own declaration of disaster on Monday night for areas impacted by major storms.
Ryan Gamboa/KSHB
“Due to the severe weather that impacted the state overnight, I’ve declared a disaster emergency to ensure state assistance was readily available if needed,” Gov. Kelly said in a news release. “I encourage all Kansans to have an emergency kit and a family plan in preparation for a tornado. Stay updated on local weather conditions by listening to a NOAA weather radio or local TV and radio stations. Once a warning is activated, it is important to take cover.”
The Kansas Division of Management has activated the State Emergency Operations Center and is monitoring the situation, according to a news release.
Ryan Gamboa/KSHB
Miami County Undersheriff Matt Kelly said the declaration is necessary to facilitate a remedy to the disaster.
“More resources, funding, things like that to get the community back to where it was prior to the storm,” Kelly said. “There was verbal declarations done early last night when the storms came through, and because of that, we were able to get the resources that we did. We were seeing state resources coming in as far away as Pottawatomie County and south as far as Wichita to help us.”
Ryan Gamboa/KSHB
Those declarations go farther at the county level according to Pretz.
It opens of the county to more resources and the county can even apply for additional federal aid.
78-year-old Ron Warhurst spent Tuesday afternoon operating a chainsaw to help his friend, Carol, clean up her property. The tornado passed about 100 yards from Carol’s home, damaging trees and her car. Warhurst also worked to save a sapling trapped under a fallen tree.
Ryan Gamboa/KSHB
“Over there is where the tornado came through,” Warhurst said to Gamboa.
Neighbors in unincorporated Hillsdale are leaving brush piles along the road for collection on Wednesday.
“The county is supposed to come by tomorrow,” Warhurst said.
Ryan Gamboa/KSHB
Miami County Undersheriff Kelly told Gamboa that Tuesday’s efforts were to ensure the roads, structures, and community were safe to move around in.
A larger effort to clear debris and get rid of trash will begin on Wednesday, weather permitting.
“Tomorrow, we will start the cleanup phase,” Kelly said. “Without taking care of that, we can’t do the clean-up phase. That’s where we are at because we’re looking at more weather today… We couldn’t have been able to do that without these declarations, and that’s why they’re so important and crucial to make these successful recoveries.”
Ryan Gamboa/KSHB
For now, the ultimate goal for the community is to get back to regular life.
Pretz estimates a large bulk of the clean-up, if the storms hold off, should be much better by Friday. He said the goal is to get all power restored by late Wednesday.
“This is truly local government here, all hands on deck, making a difference,” Pretz added. “Miami County government has got to do everything we can to get them [Hillsdale] up and going.”
Ryan Gamboa/KSHB
Undersheriff Kelly released the latest details on the impacted structures in the Hillsdale area on Tuesday afternoon.
- Nearly 300 structures were searched
- 113 structures affected
- 41 structures significantly damaged or destroyed
- All residents have been accounted for
- Only one minor injury has been reported
Volunteers are needed to assist in the clean-up effort on Wednesday morning. Those who want to help are asked to sign up at Hillsdale Presbyterian Church, 22875 W 255th Street.
The cleanup is expected to begin at 8:30 a.m.
“We’re already seeing people step up in this community,” Kelly said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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Miami-Dade County is one of the most desirable places to live in the country, but its median listing price of $595,868 is pushing many everyday people out of the market.
That’s why an affordable alternative is drawing attention.
Cottage Grove, a manufactured housing community under construction in South Miami-Dade, will feature 349 single-family homes with prices starting at just $129,900. It will be the first new manufactured housing development in Miami-Dade in decades.
“The interest has been tremendous,” Ross Partrich, the CEO of RHP Properties, which owns Cottage Grove, tells Realtor.com®. “The market is showing there’s a real need—we’ve had over 1,000 inquiries.”
RHP Properties has built manufactured housing communities across 31 states, including Florida, but this is its first project in Miami-Dade.
“Cottage Grove addresses a critical gap in the housing supply at a time when rising home prices and construction costs are putting homeownership out of reach for many families and when supply is shrinking due to redevelopment,” says Partrich.
According to the Manufactured Housing Institute, approximately 22 million Americans reside in manufactured homes. These homes are faster and cheaper to build.
“There’s much less waste and more precision when you’re building in a factory,” says Partrich. “The economies of scale are better, and we’re passing on the savings to our residents.”
About the community
At Cottage Grove, homeowners will own their houses but lease the land beneath them, paying $1,445 a month in lot rent.
Partrich says residents of the community will enjoy five-star amenities.
“That includes a beautifully maintained pool with a large sun deck, contemporary clubhouse, fitness center, yoga and lounge rooms, scenic biking and walking trails, and serene gazebos,” he says.
While many manufactured housing communities in Florida are age-restricted to 55 and older, this 92-acre community will welcome residents of all ages.
“The playground, expansive green spaces, and gated entrance add to the community’s appeal for families,” says Partrich.
Partrich says people have already begun putting down deposits on the homes—each of which has four bedrooms and is around 1,600 square feet.
“They’re spacious, with open floor plans, multiple living areas, and kitchens equipped with stainless-steel appliances and islands,” he explains.
The first group of homes is expected to be completed and move-in-ready by late summer.
Durability and long-term value
In hurricane-prone Florida, durability and safety are key considerations.
Homes in Cottage Grove meet a set of quality standards from the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
They’re set on concrete foundations, and Partrich says they’re able to withstand hurricane-force winds—which gives residents added peace of mind.
Over the past seven years, manufactured homes sold without land have appreciated by 51.6%, according to the Realtor.com Perks of the Park: Mobile Homes as an Affordable Alternative Report.
By comparison, median single-family homes rose 58.6% over the same period.
“Financing has typically been more challenging to obtain on manufactured homes, with fewer lenders and higher interest rates,” Florida real estate agent Cara Ameer tells Realtor.com.
“Most manufactured housing communities use land leases, adding a monthly fee that can make it harder for some buyers to qualify or stay long-term. As a result, appreciation has historically been more limited,” Ameer explains.
But Florida real estate broker Jeff Lichtenstein, CEO of Echo Fine Properties, says he believes manufactured houses will only continue to rise in popularity, especially in the Sunshine State.
“Stronger manufactured homes are going to be big,” he says. “The reason is that people just want a piece of the American dream and don’t want to be stuck in rentals. These, in many cases, are stepping-stone communities that let someone get started and not be forced to move two counties away. It solves the problem of homeownership, individual placement, and a sense of community.”
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Four men were convicted in Miami for their roles in the 2021 assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse that further destabilized the government and led to years of violence in the country.
Jurors returned guilty verdicts Friday against the men, who prosecutors said had organized the plot using Colombian mercenaries and Haitian gang members to violently oust Moïse and replace him with a friendly successor to allow them to obtain lucrative contracts with the government. The group helped supply equipment from Florida to aid in the killing, prosecutors said.
Miami, FL
Future of Miami historic landmark continues in limbo after redevelopment plan rejected by zoning board
The fight over the future of the Coconut Grove Playhouse continues after a controversial redevelopment plan was rejected by a city zoning hearing on Wednesday.
The historic landmark, built in 1927, has been a dilapidated eyesore since it closed its doors in 2006. Developers had previously come in for renovations, but the project stalled following a partial collapse. The site is currently covered under a black tarp as the city continues to disagree on its final plans.
The city zoning hearing reviewing the proposal for the Coconut Grove Playhouse went late into the night on Wednesday. Miami-Dade County leaders plan to redevelop the site into an open campus with a new theater, shops, and parking. However, not all residents are for it.
“This is a place that is a treasure in Coconut Grove,” said Carl Hawks, a Coconut Grove resident.
Marlene Erven, with the Coconut Grove Women’s Club, explained the neighborhood’s concerns.
“We are fighting to preserve as much as we can for the intent of the property, which is a cultural use and to help the neighborhood be protected from the commercial intrusion of all of the development,” Erven said.
In the end, the plan was rejected, which thrilled residents like Erven.
“I think yesterday was a win to some extent for saving the Playhouse and the residents of West Grove,” Erven said.
While most “Grovites” disagree with the county’s major plan, they do say something needs to be done, all while keeping the history of the site alive.
The developers will now have to return to the drawing board. It is unknown when those new plans will be presented. The saga of the Coconut Grove Playhouse continues.
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