Hialeah property owner says permitting, enforcement failures hurt tenants and businesses

Property owner David Bader told the council he has seen "chaos, massive inefficiencies, and 0 accountability" in city operations for businesses and commercial tenants, saying the current system is "the worst I have ever experienced." He said tenants have been denied occupational licenses, were told to install costly sprinkler systems, and faced burdensome restroom or surveying requirements that made operations infeasible.

Bader described repeated delays in city services: he said he received a water-account deposit refund 130 days after account closure when the city's stated timeframe is 45 days, and he reported difficulty getting police detectives to return calls after a traffic accident near one of his properties.

"If you keep beating us up, no doubt there will be short term and long term consequences," Bader said, asking whether the Hialeah City Commission has the "wherewithal to fix the mess and to get the job done." The mayor responded that a staff member (Jonathan) is available in the mayor's office to help navigate issues and encouraged the owner to follow up.

The council did not take immediate formal action on the complaints; the mayor and staff offered follow-up through constituent services.