Candido Sosa-Cruz, CRA Executive Director & Deputy City Manager, City of Dania Beach

May 2026 — Invest: sat down with Candido Sosa-Cruz, city manager and CRA executive director of the City of Dania Beach, to discuss how the city is balancing growth, placemaking, and long-term resilience while positioning itself as a competitive destination for investment. “We want to preserve our history, but we want to be modern and compete with any other city in South Florida,” Sosa-Cruz said.

How have shifting economic conditions over the past year influenced how Dania Beach approaches growth, investment, and risk management?

Over the past several years, Dania Beach has seen steady growth in both real estate investment and overall business activity. We’ve had continued interest from developers building residential projects, and we’ve also seen new businesses opening and expanding in the city. A major driver of that momentum has been Dania Pointe, a mixed-use lifestyle destination that blends retail, dining, entertainment, hospitality, living, and working. It has truly become an economic engine for our city.

Dania Pointe attracts visitors from outside Broward County, and not just as consumers. Investors see it as proof of demand, and they’re attracted to the city’s location, especially our proximity to Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport and Port Everglades. That connectivity matters. It shapes how businesses think about access, logistics, and tourism, and how developers think about long-term value.

Our strategy has not been investment for the sake of development. We’ve made deliberate investments that support a stronger identity and a higher quality of life. The city has focused on strategic urban and cultural initiatives, including investing in arts, culture, and special events that bring people into Dania Beach, including visitors who may not have otherwise had a reason to come here. These initiatives support residents and our business community, but they also function as a long-term visibility strategy for the city.

Sustainability and resiliency have also become central to the way we manage growth and risk. As a coastal city, we are directly impacted by sea-level rise and climate change. We anticipate continued investment in infrastructure and resilience to ensure neighborhoods remain safe and the city remains competitive for decades to come. 

And alongside those forward-looking investments, historic preservation has been another focus. Over the past few years, we’ve acquired and preserved historic properties, completed restorations, and moved additional projects into the restoration phase. That matters because protecting history is part of building a place that feels authentic.

What factors are most important for cities trying to remain attractive to investors while protecting community character?

Cities throughout Florida and across the country are competing for development and investment, and they have to differentiate themselves. Dania Beach has natural advantages as a coastal city with a beach, pier, and marina. That lifestyle is attractive, and waterfront communities tend to see strong demand. But strategically, we also emphasize what we call our proximity to Broward County’s major economic engines: the airport and the seaport.

Port Everglades connects businesses globally by sea, and Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport connects them globally by air. Whether a company is focused on trade and logistics, tourism, or corporate operations, that access is real value. Even though the airport is named after Fort Lauderdale and Hollywood, our proximity is a strong selling point, and it becomes part of why businesses and developers consider Dania Beach.

Differentiation also comes from identity. We’ve invested intentionally in public art and cultural placemaking to create a city that feels vibrant and distinct. We created an arts park, expanded murals throughout the city, and incorporated art at the beach and along major infrastructure. We’ve also designated our downtown city center area as the Arts and Entertainment District, where you’ll find galleries, museums, and artist studios.

A key asset in that district is Mad Arts, and we’ve built partnerships that elevate the city through programming. For example, Dania Beach participates in Ignite Broward, a public arts festival supported by Broward County’s cultural department. That festival brings regional attention and helps reinforce that Dania Beach, while smaller than some neighboring cities, has an outsized cultural presence.

We’ve also developed a series of special events that bring people into the city center and support local businesses. These events help residents feel connected to place, and they also help attract outside visitors who may return later as customers, business owners, or investors. It’s all part of building a city people want to spend time in.

Finally, protecting community character also means protecting the fundamentals. Infrastructure and resiliency are a major part of that. Dania Beach is Broward’s first city and one of the oldest, which means we have older infrastructure that requires ongoing investment. Flooding and stormwater management are major issues across South Florida, and we’re investing accordingly. We currently have the largest storm drainage project in the city’s history, a $33 million investment in the southeast section of the city, and we’re continually improving stormwater systems across Dania Beach. If we can’t keep residents safe and protect property, we can’t retain families, and we can’t remain attractive to new residents or new investment.

How is Dania Beach approaching public-private partnerships to deliver affordable housing and higher-quality development?

Partnerships are central to how we approach development. Housing affordability is one of the most significant challenges in South Florida, and it affects workforce retention, business growth, and overall competitiveness. Even as a smaller city, Dania Beach has worked to create partnerships that make projects possible.

One example is CityPlace, a 99-unit affordable housing development located near City Hall. Through a partnership with developer Francisco Rojo, the city contributed a $1 million low-interest loan, and that support helped the developer assemble a broader financing package that included partners like Broward County, United Way of Broward, Truist Bank, and other organizations. The outcome is high-quality, new housing in a central location, with rents that make a meaningful difference for residents.

But a city can’t be made up of only affordable housing, and it also can’t be made up of only luxury housing. A healthy city needs a range of options, including workforce housing that supports teachers, police officers, firefighters, and other essential workers. If the workforce has to live one or two hours away, that’s not sustainable, and it limits a region’s ability to attract and retain businesses.

We’ve also built strong relationships with developers delivering larger residential projects that support that mix and reinforce our placemaking strategy. Developments like Sea View and 101 Dania show how housing, walkability, and city center amenities can work together. These projects are near City Hall, parks, cultural venues, and restaurants, allowing residents to live and spend time in the same district rather than commuting for everything.

Part of those partnerships is also a commitment to public-facing improvements. Developers have contributed significantly to public art and streetscape elements that shape the experience of the city. When developers invest beyond what is required, it signals that they believe in the direction the city is taking and in the value of creating a stronger cultural identity.

Looking ahead, what are the city’s top priorities over the next three to five years?

A major priority is continuing to invest in and redevelop our key corridors, particularly Federal Highway and Dania Beach Boulevard. Dania Beach used to be known as the antique capital of the South, and while that was part of our history, that era is no longer aligned with today’s market. We’ve been working to reposition those corridors to attract businesses that are relevant now and that help differentiate us across the region.

One focus is recruiting unique small businesses and restaurants that draw customers from outside the city. These are places people will go out of their way to visit, and that matters because it increases visibility and supports broader economic activity. We also see our location as a strategic advantage. We’re close to the airport, close to the seaport, and positioned between Miami and Palm Beach. Travelers often extend trips before or after a flight or cruise, and Dania Beach can offer a compelling option that is accessible, authentic, and often more affordable than neighboring destinations.

We also continue to invest in the things that sustain momentum beyond a single project: arts, culture, special events, historic preservation, infrastructure, and resilience. Those investments help create a city that feels cohesive, where people want to live, work, and spend time.

Is there anything else you would like to emphasize about Dania Beach’s long-term vision?

Everything we do goes back to our strategic plan, which guides our priorities and investments over the long term. Big picture, our work is focused on quality of life, economic visibility, and identity. We call ourselves Broward’s First, and we’re proud of our history, but we do not want to be seen as an old city. We want to preserve our history, but we want to be modern and compete with any other city in South Florida, while continuing to invest in the infrastructure and cultural placemaking that supports long-term resilience.