U.S. Rep. María Elvira Salazar, R-Fla., announced that Cutler Bay will receive $2 million in federal funding for stormwater improvements.

Salazar, who represents Florida's 27th Congressional District, highlighted the Cutler Bay allocation in a press release Tuesday, Sept. 15, alongside $2.4 million in new Community Project Funding for Key Biscayne flood protection. The Cutler Bay money is part of more than $20 million Salazar says she has secured for flood mitigation and stormwater projects across South Florida.

Other communities in Salazar's funding record include the city of Miami at $14 million, Key Biscayne at $2.9 million, Pinecrest at $2.3 million and Miami-Dade County at $1.4 million.

"When our streets flood and our coastline is threatened, families feel the consequences," Salazar said in the release. "In Congress, my job is to turn those challenges into action: secure the resources, hold federal agencies accountable, and deliver results on the ground."

History of Repeated Flooding in Cutler Bay

Cutler Bay has faced repeated flooding. During a severe rain event in June 2022, engineers measured 21 inches of rain in the town, according to minutes from a Biscayne Bay Watershed Management Advisory Board meeting. Then-Mayor Tim Meerbott told the board that 589 homes were affected and residents could not leave for two to three days.

Current Stormwater Projects Underway in Town

The town has several active stormwater projects underway. One covers the Bel Aire, Eureka Drive Estates, Cutler Country Groves, Allom Estates and South Grove sub-basins. Work includes new drainage systems, exfiltration trenches, roadway resurfacing and Americans with Disabilities Act ramp upgrades, according to the town's public works page.

Miami-Dade County Commissioner Danielle Cohen Higgins flagged additional progress in a May 12 post on X, writing: "Flood relief and major stormwater/infrastructure improvements are on their way to Cutler Bay at the corner of 216 & OCR!"

Funding Tied to Federal Appropriations Process

The $2.4 million in new Key Biscayne funding was secured through the fiscal year 2026 appropriations process, signed into law in February 2026. The fiscal year tied to the Cutler Bay allocation was not specified in the release.

Salazar's district office is at 10720 Caribbean Blvd. in Cutler Bay. No statement from Cutler Bay town officials about the $2 million allocation has been made public.