City of Homestead growing in leaps and bounds

New population estimates put Homestead at 53,767 residents in July 2006, up 21 percent from the previous July. It's the first time the city has been recognized by any outside agency as having a population of more than 50,000.

''It confirms what we knew; we just needed to get it validated,'' said a jubilant Homestead Mayor Roscoe Warren. ``We're on our way. We are on our way.''

In Florida, Homestead jumped into the state's top 50 cities, leapfrogging past Sarasota, Jupiter and Coconut Creek. It had already passed Coral Gables.