Members of the Overtown Business Association said they are preparing to fight for the future of The Underdeck project after the Trump administration cut $60 million in federal funding they spent four years helping to secure and design.
Association members said they spent four years in planning meetings to help design The Underdeck project to reflect the neighborhood’s needs, complete with bike paths, walking trails, a dog park and other amenities residents requested.
The towering arches were meant to sit above a 33-acre park aimed at reconnecting a historically Black community divided decades ago by the construction of Interstates 95 and 395.
“The original dollars for this funding was to reconnect communities that have been long divided,” said Trina Harris, president of the Overtown Business Association.
Overtown, once known as Colored Town, was a thriving hub for Black culture, dining and entertainment.
Funding cut under new administration
The Underdeck Project was seen as a revival, fueled in part by a $60 million federal grant awarded in 2024 through the Biden administration’s Reconnecting Communities Program. One year later, that funding was cut under President Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill.”
District 5 Commissioner Christine King says the setback will not end the effort.
“I understand with administrations come different priorities and while it was disheartening, I’m encouraged and I will continue to identify ways we will be able to curate that space,” King said.
Community leaders say the loss of federal dollars is a call to action to rally resources for local businesses and seek support from local elected officials.
“It’s a wake-up call for us to ask them are they going to find ways to replace this funding? What are they going to do? Because we worked hard for this funding,” Harris said.
“Overtown was founded in 1896 with the City of Miami. We ain’t going anywhere. We’re here. We’re part of this community. This is an opportunity to pivot and through every adversity we are still here,” added Metris Batts, executive director of the association.
Next steps for the community
The Overtown Business Association will host a community meeting next Thursday at 6:30 p.m. at Dorsey Memorial Library to strategize next steps and gather public input.
