Downtown Tampa is seeing strong activity.

MIAMI—Just as President Trump publicly reverses his stance on the use of private funds for public infrastructure projects, thousands of state and local government officials and private sector execs from across the Southeast will descended on Miami for the annual P3 Hub South Conference. Panelists discussed why public-private partnerships are so critical to our local economies through job creation and necessary infrastructure upgrades.

A main topic of concern and discussion will focus on resiliency and how the private sector can help rebuild communities reeling from storm damage. Bilzin Sumberg attorney and P3 expert, Eric Singer, one of the conference's featured speakers, discussed how local municipalities and cities have become innovators for P3 projects.

Singer also addressed how Florida is serving as a pioneer in the P3 space with forward-thinking legislation helping pave the way for major infrastructure projects in transit, education, healthcare and public works, all of which would otherwise be difficult or impossible to finance. GlobeSt.com caught up with Singer to discuss his insights,

GlobeSt.com: How is Florida becoming a pioneer in the P3 arena?

Singer: While many states throughout the country still lack comprehensive P3 legislation, Florida, and Miami in particular, has proved to be a leader in this arena. Since 2004, Florida has had robust legislation for P3s in the transportation arena. As a result of this early adoption, Florida today is home to three of the largest transportation P3s in the country—I-4 Ultimate, I-595, and the Port of Miami Tunnel project).

While Florida's P3 market started with transportation, it has not stopped there. In June of 2013, Governor Rick Scott signed into law a bill that provides public entities across the state with the tools to complete long-overdue infrastructure projects in a variety of sectors. This measure is laying a foundation for even more innovative approaches to private financing for public projects, with local governments now exploring the P3 model as a way to make critical upgrades and improvements to its most essential community assets, such as higher-education facilities, water and sewer systems, city halls, convention centers, and courthouses. Over the coming years, Florida will continue to refine its P3 laws and will likely serve as a model to other states wishing to enact comprehensive P3 legislation.

GlobeSt.com: What additional legislation would be helpful or beneficial to help advance partnership between the public and private sector?

Singer: One of the reasons P3's have found success in Florida is that its current legislative framework is not a significant obstacle to new P3s. Florida's statutory P3 authorization is broad, and local governments in Florida in many cases have their own, supplemental legislation.

While there will always be some form of regulatory hurdle to overcome, the P3 model itself allows for a lot of latitude. With the right discipline and creativity, most obstacles can be overcome. For example, a P3 to redevelop a public facility might include a private residential component to help fund the project.

But since the financial and legal structure of a P3 requires that the government entity owns the project at the end of the deal, this added element could create structural challenges. In that example, solutions could include changes to the business model, such as using a rental product, or creative legal structuring to ensure that the public and private portions are legally distinct.

GlobeSt.com: What new innovative P3 projects and opportunities are in the pipeline within the state?

Singer: We are seeing a lot of innovation in the type of P3 projects local communities are pursuing, including significant water and sewer projects and diverse social-infrastructure projects, such as schools, medical facilities, and civic facilities. Since Florida has established itself as a leader in P3s for highways and other state transportation facilities, it is really poised to be on the forefront of social infrastructure P3s. Some of this is already underway.

An example is the precedent-setting Liberty Square, which is the first P3 public-housing development of its kind and involves the redevelopment of one of Miami-Dade County's oldest and largest public-housing complexes. In fact, when the U.S. Secretary of Housing & Urban Development visited Miami earlier this year, this project was at the top of his list to tour. Additionally, the City of North Miami Beach recently entered into a $300-million P3 agreement for the upgrade, operation and maintenance its water/wastewater utility, NMB Water.

Mass transit is another area where we can expect to see P3 projects in the coming years. While federal dollars have traditionally been used to fund mass transit projects, those funds have largely dried up. Private financing is going to play a much greater role in bridging the gap and addressing the ongoing need.

Instant Insights /

Why Miami Is Becoming a Model for P3 Innovation

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