Miami stories we're watching in 2025
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The 2025 news cycle is off to a quick start, with disgruntled superstar athletes, a county commissioner tapped for a White House gig and a presidential honor for Inter Miami's Lionel Messi.
Here's a few stories we're watching in the new year:
💸 Higher condo costs
Condo owners could be facing steep repair bills this year following a Dec. 31 statewide condo inspection deadline for buildings three stories or taller.
- It's part of a 2022 condo safety law, prompted by the Surfside condo collapse, that requires condo associations to fund maintenance reserves.
👀 Senate shuffle
U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio is likely to soon become secretary of state, leaving Gov. Ron DeSantis to fill his Senate seat.
- DeSantis' pick will represent Floridians on Capitol Hill until a special election in 2026 to determine who finishes the term.
The intrigue: The appointment will also say a lot about the term-limited governor's political future.
🚨 Immigration crackdown
President-elect Trump has vowed to start mass deportations immediately upon taking office Jan. 20, with DeSantis' support.
- Florida is home to more than a million undocumented people, and in recent years, its lawmakers have made it harder for them to live and work in the state. Trump has promised harsher policies.
🛌 Homelessness crackdown
Floridians can now sue their local governments for not enforcing a new law that bans unhoused people from sleeping in parks, sidewalks and other public spaces.
- We'll be monitoring the Homeless Trust's plans to build new shelters and to see if any municipalities get sued.
🗑️ Miami-Dade's trash issue
County and city officials have debated where to rebuild the county's Doral trash incinerator since it burned down in 2023.
- The County Commission was set to vote on a final location last month, but delayed the decision until February — a move that came days after Eric Trump, son of the president-elect, objected to the mayor's plans to build it in Doral, per the Miami Herald.
🪩 Spring Break '25
The city of Miami Beach "broke up" with spring break last year, launching a marketing campaign and imposing a curfew, resulting in seemingly smaller crowds and no major incidents.
- We'll be monitoring the city's plans to deal with spring break this year.
🤬 Frustrated sports stars
In the span of three days, two of Miami's biggest sports stars signaled a potential departure from the 305.
- After being eliminated from the playoffs Sunday , Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill said he was open to leaving the team.
- The Heat suspended forward Jimmy Butler on Friday after he said he had lost his "joy" in Miami and indicated he wanted a trade. Butler is expected to rejoin the Heat after his suspension if a trade hasn't been finalized, according to the Miami Herald.
Kathryn Varn and Yacob Reyes of Axios Tampa Bay contributed.