On the 25th Anniversary of Hurricane Andrew, community leaders gather in Homestead to remember the historic hurricane.
Resiliency is the word Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen used to describe how the people of South Miami-Dade banded together to rebuild the destruction left behind by the storm. The congresswoman says the hurricane was a turning point for South Florida.
"We will never be a community as devastated as we were 25 years ago because building standards have improved with more rigorous enforcement," said U.S. Rep. Ros-Lehtinen.
Rene Infante with the Economic Development Council of South Miami-Dade says the hurricane destroyed his flea market which employed nearly 500 people. Infante said his business, like the community, bounced back stronger than before.
"Now we are entering our era of unity with one voice for economic development," said Infante.
The Economic Development Council of South Miami-Dade hosted an Anniversary event at the Redland Golf and Country Club in Homestead Thursday. Homestead was one of the hardest hit areas in South Miami-Dade.