Steven Losner, Mayor, City of Homestead

Invest: spoke with Steven Losner, mayor of the city of Homestead, about the city’s strategic plan, infrastructure priorities, efforts to build a stronger live-work-play community, and the importance of digital modernization. “Everything has a timestamp and a receipt, which helps applicants and helps our staff manage workflows more consistently,” Losner said.

Homestead recently released its strategic plan for the coming years. How did resident feedback shape that plan, and what results will tell you it’s been successful?

We created multiple opportunities for residents to participate, and they showed up. The final plan reflects input from elected officials, business leaders, and community members, and it has been well received.

Success will look like the plan doing what it was meant to do: serving as a clear guidepost for where we are going and why. We’re in the early stages of implementation now, but it was overdue, and the response reinforced that this is the right framework for decision-making.

What are the most impactful infrastructure projects underway right now, and how will residents feel those benefits day to day?

The biggest project is the transformation of the former Homestead Sports Complex, now Homestead Regional Park. In partnership with a group advancing what they call the Sports Performance Hub, roughly 90 acres will be reimagined with new fields, a mix of turf and natural grass, updated lighting, landscaping, and a full site reconfiguration.

For residents, that means a world-class park that is usable and welcoming. For the city, it’s also a major economic driver tied to sports activity, a hotel component, and a multi-purpose venue. It will become the new home for the Miami FC professional soccer team, and the historic Homestead Rodeo, which recently marked its 77th year. The private investment is expected to exceed $300 million.

What matters to us is credibility and a fair structure. We have seen proposals over decades that brought a lot of talk and little capacity. This group has the experience and financial resources, and we have addressed public access and cost allocation so the partnership works for taxpayers and the community.

Downtown Homestead continues to be a focus for revitalization. What is the city doing to attract new businesses while preserving the character and history of the area?

Downtown’s next chapter depends on getting the basics right. We found that the existing water and wastewater infrastructure is inadequate for the kind of revitalization we want, including restaurants, entertainment, and other higher-intensity uses.

We have a little over $8 million in federal funding to rebuild the downtown streetscape with new paving, sidewalks, landscaping, and street elements. But we’re sequencing the work properly. Before we invest on the surface, we are securing funding and moving forward with the underground water and wastewater improvements first, so we do not rebuild and then dig everything back up. That work is not glamorous, but it is the foundation for the private investment people want to see.

Traffic and mobility are challenges across South Florida. Where do things stand on roadway improvements, and what changes do you expect residents to notice first?

Voters approved a local roads bond of about $38 million to improve road condition and capacity, and we’re also pushing for a fairer approach to road impact fees. Development has paid significant impact fees into county funds over many years, and under the current structure, too little comes back to the area where the growth occurred.

We’re working with the county to reallocate a portion of those funds to supplement the bond program. Residents should see progress as projects move from planning into construction, and they should also see targeted operational fixes. Traffic relief is not always a massive widening project. Sometimes, smaller improvements, done consistently, can meaningfully improve flow.

Economic development is a major priority for the city. What industries or types of employers are you focused on attracting, and how does that translate into job creation?

Our goal is a broader mix of jobs so fewer residents have to commute long distances every day. If people can work closer to home, it improves their quality of life and strengthens the local economy.

One area we are optimistic about is aerospace and related defense and research activity tied to Homestead Air Reserve Base and surrounding lands. We have at least one defense contractor moving into our Park of Commerce with research, manufacturing, and launch-related work. When that becomes public, I believe it will draw attention from other firms and help build momentum.

With rising costs across South Florida, how is the city balancing fiscal responsibility with the need to invest in infrastructure and services?

We are always looking for efficiencies, but the reality is that the scale of infrastructure needs requires partnerships and outside funding. Many of our water and wastewater projects are supported through state and federal grants, and our proximity to environmentally sensitive areas makes those projects a strong fit for those programs.

Grant funding helps keep costs from falling directly on taxpayers. The roads program is different because residents voted to tax themselves over time to fund improvements, and we have an obligation to deliver results responsibly.

We are also watching policy discussions in Tallahassee about property taxes. Any major shift would require every city to be leaner and more deliberate. That means both controlling costs and responsibly growing other legitimate revenue streams.

The city has expanded online services and digital tools for residents and businesses. How has this modernization changed the way people interact with City Hall?

It has been positive. I value human interaction, but electronic submission improves accountability and efficiency. When documents are filed online, everything has a timestamp and a receipt, which helps applicants and helps our staff manage workflows more consistently.

It also reduces friction for businesses and residents who no longer need to spend time in line or deliver large paper packages. It is a practical modernization, and the feedback has been strong from both users and our internal teams.

Looking ahead, what do you see as the biggest opportunity for Homestead’s future, and how is the city positioning itself to take advantage of it?

For years, Homestead functioned as a distinct, self-sustaining community. Over time, we became more of a bedroom community, with many residents working, shopping, and spending time elsewhere.

Our opportunity is to return to being more well-rounded. With job creation, downtown reinvestment, and major projects coming online, we want a future where people can meet more of their daily needs here, including work. That is the direction we are planning for. Our city motto is The Future Lives Here. 

We are open for business, but we are focused on the right kind of business. We want credible, financially viable partners who are here for the long haul and who share a long-term vision for Homestead.

We also have to navigate state-level pressures that can limit local decision-making, including policies that allow certain high-density projects to move forward without the same level of local oversight or infrastructure commitments. Those issues affect quality of life, and quality of life is essential to attracting and retaining employers.

The momentum here is real. Healthcare and senior living capacity are expanding, and demand signals continue to strengthen. Our job is to keep raising the bar on professionalism and delivery, and to keep making the case that Homestead is a place where growth can be planned, credible, and community-driven.