Steven Meiner, Mayor, City of Miami Beach

In an interview with Invest:, Steven Meiner, mayor of the City of Miami Beach, discussed public safety, infrastructure, mobility, permitting, and economic growth. “My goal is that Miami Beach should be the safest, cleanest city in America,” Meiner said.

How do you balance protecting residents’ quality of life while maintaining Miami Beach’s tourism-driven economy?

I became mayor a little less than three years ago, and we were gearing up for another spring break. The years prior had been chaos: violence, fatalities, and shootings on Ocean Drive. That was never going to be okay to me, so strict measures were necessary.

Most people were on board, including our residents and businesses. I reached out to the governor to make sure we had additional state trooper law enforcement resources. Since then, we have had three consecutive safe and successful spring breaks.

This year in particular, our numbers were through the roof. Hotel room rates are leading the nation, and we are breaking records for our resort taxes. We have shown that safety and law and order also bring economic success.

How does the supermajority vote requirement reshape Miami Beach’s approach to development?

At the first meeting after I was elected mayor, I introduced legislation to increase density, height, and floor area ratio. Previously, it took a five-sevenths vote. We were seeing several approvals of large projects, and while some are good, they were overwhelming our city with infrastructure and traffic issues. Residents were becoming increasingly frustrated.

I made it a six-sevenths vote. It has slowed things down. We have approved two projects, but in each instance, they had widespread support and served a purpose. The legislation has worked as intended.

What are the most urgent infrastructure and resilience risks the city faces?

We are at the forefront of resiliency efforts. We are raising seawalls, which are mostly privately owned, and we have a grant program to help homeowners elevate them.

We are also upgrading infrastructure across the city. Many of these projects had been stalled for years due to political back and forth. I am proud that we have been able to approve new projects to bring water and sewer capacity online.

We are taking proactive steps to mitigate flooding, and by and large, we are succeeding.

What role does alternative transportation play in addressing congestion?

If you look out over Miami Beach and Biscayne Bay, you see a lot of water but not a lot of boats. The water taxi can be a game changer.

We launched it in late January. It is becoming more popular, and we are filling boats consistently. It runs daily, and we are working to expand it.

Right now, there is one pickup and drop-off point in Miami Beach and one in Miami. I want to expand that to multiple locations across Miami Beach and into Miami. This could connect much of Miami-Dade County.

It has been popular. I even tried to take it with my family, but we could not get on because it was full. We expect to expand it significantly.

What changes have had the biggest operational impact for residents and developers?

On permitting, I called a special commission meeting to direct changes, including issuing a request for proposals for an AI pilot program where permitting could be approved almost instantaneously.

That is important because Miami Beach is being recognized globally, and there is significant capital coming in. We need to capitalize on that and not lose opportunities because of delays.

We now have four public companies headquartered in Miami Beach, which was almost unheard of a few years ago. Businesses need to be able to open quickly.

We also have a convention center hotel under construction, scheduled to open in 2027. It will allow us to attract large conventions that require connected hotel space, and we are already seeing economic ripple effects.

What policies drove the reduction in crime?

There are three main components. First, a more visible police presence. It is important that residents and visitors feel safe and that potential criminals are deterred.

Second, prosecution. Previously, many cases were not being prosecuted. Several years ago, only about 8% of cases were successfully prosecuted. I introduced legislation requiring prosecution, and now we are at about 93%.

Third, homelessness. We provide extensive services, including outreach and shelter. We also passed legislation that prohibits sleeping in public spaces. If someone declines assistance, they can be arrested. Our homeless population is now about 60% lower than before.

Data shows that crime is down, but it is also important that people feel safe. When they do, they go out, support businesses, and contribute to the economy.

What is your vision for Miami Beach over the next decade?

If it is good for residents’ quality of life, it is good for businesses. When I meet with hotel owners and business leaders, they raise the same issues as residents: safety, cleanliness, mobility, and affordability.

Housing is a challenge. We are working to incentivize workforce housing and have completed a project in Collins Park. The state’s Live Local Act has also created incentives for affordable housing development.

My goal is that Miami Beach should be the safest, cleanest city in America. When I first said that, people thought it was unrealistic. Now it is within reach.

We are seeing increased investment and people moving here. With that comes business relocation and job creation. A safe environment attracts talent and supports long-term growth.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

We are breaking records. January and February had the highest resort tax revenues in our history, and March is expected to be strong as well.

Hotel room rates are over $400 a night, significantly higher than in other cities. There is strong demand and positive momentum.

We are also focusing on health and wellness. We hosted major fitness events and are pursuing Blue Zones certification. Additionally, we are attracting investment conferences.

We still have a strong nightlife, but we are also expanding into health, wellness, and investment-focused activities.