Homestead, Florida

Homestead, Florida
City

Seal
Motto: "Gateway to Everglades & Biscayne National Parks" & "Discover The Opportunities"

Location in Miami-Dade County and the state of Florida

U.S. Census Bureau map showing city limits
Coordinates: 25°28′16.28″N 80°28′5.24″W / 25.4711889°N 80.4681222°W / 25.4711889; -80.4681222Coordinates: 25°28′16.28″N 80°28′5.24″W / 25.4711889°N 80.4681222°W / 25.4711889; -80.4681222
Country  United States of America
State  Florida
County Miami-Dade
Incorporated February 8, 1913
Government
 • Type Council-Manager
 • Mayor Jeffrey "Jeff" D. Porter
 • Vice Mayor Patrica Fairclough-McCormick
 • Councilmembers Jon Burgess, Patrica Fairclough-McCormick, Elvis R. Maldonado, Judy Waldman, and Jimmie L. Williams, III
 • City Manager George Gretsas
 • City Clerk Elizabeth Sewell
Area
 • Total 14.4 sq mi (37.2 km2)
 • Land 14.3 sq mi (37.0 km2)
 • Water 0.1 sq mi (0.2 km2)  0.63%
Elevation 3 ft (1 m)
Population (2010)
 • Total 60,512
 • Density 3,996.9/sq mi (1,543.2/km2)
Time zone Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
 • Summer (DST) EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP codes 33000-33099
Area code(s) 305, 786
FIPS code 12-32275[1]
GNIS feature ID 0284214[2]
Website www.CityOfHomestead.com

Homestead is a city within Miami-Dade County in the U.S. state of Florida, nestled between Biscayne National Park to the east and Everglades National Park to the west. Homestead is primarily a Miami suburb and a major agricultural area.

Homestead was incorporated in 1913 and is the second oldest city in Miami-Dade County next to the city of Miami. It is located approximately 35 miles (56 km) southwest of Miami, and 25 miles (40 km) northwest of Key Largo. The name originates from when the Florida East Coast Railway extension to Key West was being built. The rail line was passing through an area opened up for homesteading, and as the construction camp at the end of the line did not have a particular name, construction materials and supplies for the workers were consigned to "Homestead Country", shortened to "Homestead" by the engineers who mapped the area.[3] The population was 60,512 at the 2010 census. Homestead and neighboring South Miami-Dade County communities bore the brunt of Category 5 Hurricane Andrew on August 24, 1992.

The city of Homestead is located near the southern terminus of the Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike where it ends at its junction with U.S. 1. Homestead is immediately north and east of Florida City, and these two cities comprise the greater Homestead-Florida City area. Some of the notable unincorporated communities in the area are Redland, Leisure City, Naranja, and Princeton.

Its race track is the annual finale of the NASCAR Sprint Cup as well as the two minor championships of NASCAR.

Geography

Homestead is located at 25°28′16″N 80°28′5″W / 25.47111°N 80.46806°W / 25.47111; -80.46806 (25.471190, -80.468122).[4]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 14.4 square miles (37 km2). 14.3 square miles (37 km2) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km2) of it (0.63%) is water.

Homestead is a small-sized city. At its greatest north-south points – along SW 137th Avenue (Speedway Boulevard) – its city limits extend only 4 miles (6 km) – from SW 288th Street (Biscayne Drive) at the north end to (theoretical) SW 352nd Street at the south end. At its greatest east-west points – along SW 328th Street (North Canal Drive / Lucy Street) – its city limits extend 6 miles (10 km) – from (theoretical) SW 132nd Avenue at the east end to SW 192nd Avenue at the west end. U.S. 1 – known as Homestead Boulevard within the city limits – extends through a rather narrow northeast / southwest corridor of the city from SW 304th Street (Kings Highway) at the north end to SW 328th Street (Lucy Street) at the south end. It is at this point at the south end that Homestead and Florida City share a common border. (North of the north end at SW 304th Street is known as Unincorporated Miami-Dade County, but it is locally known as the community of Leisure City).

Major east-west streets within Homestead include SW 304th Street / NE & NW 15th Street (Kings Highway), SW 312th Street / NE & NW 8th Street (Campbell Drive), SW 320th Street (Mowry Drive), SW 328th Street / SE & SW 8th Street (North Canal Drive / Lucy Street), and SW 344th Street / SE 24th Street (Palm Drive).

The original Homestead Air Force Base was once located several miles to the northeast of Homestead, but due to annexation of formerly unincorporated land immediately to the east and northeast of the original city limits during the late-1990s the city and the far southwestern perimeter of the (now) Homestead Air Reserve Base share a common border for a small portion along SW 137th Avenue (Speedway Boulevard).

A noteworthy tourist attraction within Leisure City is the mysterious Coral Castle, built by a jilted lover, Edward Leedskalnin, over the course of 28 years from 1923 to 1951.[5] The Fruit and Spice Park is also of interest.

Climate

Homestead experiences a tropical monsoon climate (Köppen climate classification Am) that borders on a tropical savanna climate. Summers are hot and humid and high temperatures average between 88° and 92 °F (31° to 33 °C). Winters are mild, but average cooler than nearby coastal areas. The all-time record high temperature is 100 °F (38 °C), on 21 July 1942. Lows in summer average between 70° and 75 °F (21° to 24 °C), with low temperatures in all times of year averaging 5–15 degrees cooler than coastal Miami, mainly because of its inland and rural location. In winter, the area sees cold fronts bring cold weather for short periods from November to March. The lowest temperature ever recorded is 26 °F (-3 °C), on 13 December 1934, which was recorded at Homestead Air Force Base, some 10 miles east of the town. In the farm areas west of downtown, frosts and freezes are common 5–10 times per year. High temperatures in winter average between 68° and 80 °F (18° to 26 °C), and lows average between 57° and 64 °F (8° to 14 °C).[6] Summer is the season when most of the rain occurs. Homestead has a wet season lasting from mid-May to early October. The dry season sees little if any rain, with most of it coming with the passing of cold fronts. Snowfall has been recorded once at Homestead Air Force Base, on January 20, 1977, and marked the farthest south that snowfall has ever been reported in the lower 48 United States.

Hurricanes pose a threat to the area, and even though it is not located on the immediate coast, Homestead has been affected by hurricanes before. The only recent strong one was Hurricane Andrew, in 1992, which devastated the town. It took five to ten years for things to recover. Hurricanes Katrina and Wilma brushed by in 2005, but did not pass directly over Homestead.

Climate data for Homestead General Aviation Airport, Florida (1981-2010)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °F (°C) 76.5
(24.7)		 78.2
(25.7)		 80.2
(26.8)		 83.4
(28.6)		 86.6
(30.3)		 89.3
(31.8)		 90.5
(32.5)		 90.8
(32.7)		 89.3
(31.8)		 85.5
(29.7)		 80.9
(27.2)		 77.5
(25.3)		 84.1
(28.9)
Average low °F (°C) 55.0
(12.8)		 56.5
(13.6)		 59.6
(15.3)		 62.4
(16.9)		 67.9
(19.9)		 72.3
(22.4)		 73.2
(22.9)		 73.9
(23.3)		 73.1
(22.8)		 69.8
(21)		 63.1
(17.3)		 58.2
(14.6)		 65.4
(18.6)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 1.42
(36.1)		 2.16
(54.9)		 2.50
(63.5)		 3.05
(77.5)		 5.87
(149.1)		 9.37
(238)		 6.82
(173.2)		 9.24
(234.7)		 8.40
(213.4)		 6.51
(165.4)		 2.59
(65.8)		 1.59
(40.4)		 59.52
(1,512)
Source: National Weather Service [7]

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
19201,307—
19302,31977.4%
19403,15436.0%
19504,57345.0%
19609,152100.1%
197013,67449.4%
198020,66851.1%
199026,86630.0%
200031,90918.8%
201060,51289.6%
Est. 201465,524[8]8.3%
U.S. Decennial Census[9]
Homestead Demographics
2010 CensusHomesteadMiami-Dade CountyFlorida
Total population60,5122,496,43518,801,310
Population, percent change, 2000 to 2010+89.6%+10.8%+17.6%
Population density3,996.9/sq mi1,315.5/sq mi350.6/sq mi
White or Caucasian (including White Hispanic)66.9%73.8%75.0%
(Non-Hispanic White or Caucasian)16.0%15.4%57.9%
Black or African-American20.4%18.9%16.0%
Hispanic or Latino (of any race)62.9%65.0%22.5%
Asian1.2%1.5%2.4%
Native American or Native Alaskan0.4%0.2%0.4%
Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian0.1%0.0%0.1%
Two or more races (Multiracial)3.8%2.4%2.5%
Some Other Race7.2%3.2%3.6%

As of 2010, there were 23,419 households out of which 18.9% were vacant.[10] As of 2000, 42.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.0% were married couples living together, 22.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.1% were non-families. 20.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.10 and the average family size was 3.54.

In 2000, the city population was spread out with 33.2% under the age of 18, 12.8% from 18 to 24, 31.2% from 25 to 44, 15.0% from 45 to 64, and 7.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 27 years. For every 100 females there were 107.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 108.2 males.

In 2000, the median income for a household in the city was $26,775, and the median income for a family was $26,409. Males had a median income of $23,118 versus $20,261 for females. The per capita income for the city was $11,357. About 29.1% of families and 31.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 43.9% of those under age 18 and 20.0% of those age 65 or over.

As of 2000, speakers of Spanish as a first language accounted for 51.10%, while English was at 43.22%, and Haitian Creole made up 4.71% of the population.[11]

Media

The city of Homestead is served by the Miami market for local radio and television. Homestead has its own newspaper, the South Dade News Leader, which has been serving the South Dade community since 1913. The News Leader is published on Fridays.

"Inside Homestead TV" is an exciting program where viewers can find out about all the happenings in Homestead. Each month, a news show is released offering Homestead residents updates on local events as well as other developments throughout the region. Also, the program has in-depth interviews with the local Mayor & Council and City Staff, special events coverage, and how-to videos.

These monthly news reports vary in topics every month but are always informative to the local residents. For instance, the March 2015 video describes the new City Hall, education and National Parks news.[12]

Government and infrastructure

The Florida Department of Corrections operates the Dade Correctional Institution and the Homestead Correctional Institution in an unincorporated area near Homestead.[13][14][15] The Dade CI was originally the Dade Correctional Institution Annex, and the Homestead CI was originally the Dade Correctional Institution; the two received their current names on July 1, 2003.[16]

The United States Postal Service operates the Homestead Post Office.[17]

The Homestead Police Department located at 4 South Krome Avenue in Homestead.

Transportation

The principal roadways linking Homestead with the rest of Miami-Dade County are US 1, the Florida Turnpike and State Road 997. The Florida Turnpike has three exits (6, 5 and 2) as it runs south through eastern Homestead before eventually terminating at US 1 in Florida City. US 1 (Homestead Blvd.) runs northeast-to-southwest roughly through the middle of the city, and is the only way to continue to the Florida Keys. State Road 997 (Krome Ave.) runs north-south through the western end of Homestead and through the historic downtown district.

Miami-Dade Transit (MDT) runs several Metrobus routes connecting the Homestead/Florida City area to the rest of Miami-Dade County. Express routes run along the South Miami-Dade Busway, connecting the area with Metrorail and the rest of the Metrobus network and on to Tri-Rail, Amtrak and Miami International Airport. In addition, MDT operates Dade-Monroe Express service from Florida City to the Upper Keys.

The City of Homestead operates two local circulator Homestead Trolley lines. This free service operates daily and transits principal residential, business and commercial areas, as well as the historic downtown district and Miami-Dade College's Homestead Campus. The Trolley connects with Metrobus at the Busway and other Metrobus stops throughout the city.[18]

Starting in 2014 the Homestead Trolley began seasonal service to Everglades National Park and Biscayne National Park. The free Homestead National Parks Trolley is offered by the City of Homestead in partnership with the National Park Service. Operating on weekends between January and April, the service is the only public transportation option available to these two parks.[19][20][21][22]

The Homestead General Aviation Airport is located just northwest of the city’s central business district.

There are public marinas at Homestead Bayfront Park and Marina, on Biscayne Bay east of the city and adjacent to Biscayne National Park’s Convoy Point Visitor Center, and at Black Point Park and Marina to the northeast. Convoy Point also has a limited number of marina slips for day visitors to dock.

Most major national car and truck rental companies have rental locations in Homestead or its immediate surroundings.


Points of interest

Seminole Theatre in downtown Homestead

Education

Homestead is within the Miami-Dade County Public Schools district.

Homestead is zoned to the following elementary, middle and K-8 center schools:

Most of Homestead is zoned to Homestead High School, while a northwest portion is zoned to South Dade High School, located outside the city limits in unincorporated Miami-Dade County.

Homestead is zoned to South Dade Educational Center.

Homestead is also home to Miami-Dade College (Homestead Campus).

Homestead also has the following charter schools:

Parks and recreation

References

  1. ↑ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  2. ↑ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  3. ↑ Taylor, Jean. (1986) The Villages of South Dade. St. Petersburg, Florida. ISBN 0-04-107212-6. LCCN 88-132899. OCLC 18906834. p. 157.
  4. ↑ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
  5. ↑ F A Q
  6. ↑ Weather History for Homestead retrieved August 6, 2006
  7. ↑ "NOWData - NOAA Online Weather Data". NOAA. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  8. ↑ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2014". Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  9. ↑ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  10. ↑ American FactFinder, United States Census Bureau. "Homestead city, Florida – Census 2010:Florida – USATODAY.com –". USA Today. Retrieved January 12, 2012.
  11. ↑ "MLA Data Center Results of Homestead, FL". Modern Language Association. Retrieved 2007-11-03.
  12. ↑ http://www.cityofhomestead.com/index.aspx?NID=389
  13. ↑ "Homestead Correctional Institution." Florida Department of Corrections. Retrieved on May 15, 2010.
  14. ↑ "Dade Correctional Institution at Homestead."
  15. ↑ "Dade Correctional Institution." Florida Department of Corrections. Retrieved on May 15, 2010.
  16. ↑ "FACILITIES ON JUNE 30, 2003." Florida Department of Corrections. Retrieved on May 15, 2010.
  17. ↑ "Post Office Location – HOMESTEAD." United States Postal Service. Retrieved on May 15, 2010.
  18. ↑ City of Homestead: Homestead Trolley Bus Service (retrieved 3/23/14)
  19. ↑ The City of Homestead proudly introduces its National Parks Trolley (retrieved 3/21/14)
  20. ↑ The Miami Herald: Trolley service now lets visitors without cars to travel about Everglades and Biscayne National Parks, 1/4/14 (retrieved 3/21/14)
  21. ↑ National Park Service (ENP): Free Homestead National Parks Trolley to Launch at January 4 Celebration, 12/31/13 (retrieved 3/21/14)
  22. ↑ National Park Service (BNP): Celebration of the Launch of the Free Homestead Trolley to Biscayne National Park, 12/31/13 (retrieved 3/21/14)
  23. ↑ Air Force Reserve – List of Bases
  24. ↑ Keys Gate Charter School
  25. ↑ Rise Academy-South Dade Charter School is a tuition-free, college preparatory school that serves students in grades K-8 and provides a rigorous, college preparatory education

Surrounding areas

External links

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