Scoop: Miami-Dade agency pitches tiny homes to comply with anti-camping law
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A homeless encampment in Miami in 2021. Photo: Daniel Varela/Miami Herald/Tribune News Service via Getty Images
Miami-Dade County may consider building tiny homes and a new shelter for unhoused people to comply with a Florida law that effectively bans sleeping in public.
Why it matters: Local governments across Florida face an Oct. 1 deadline to comply with the new law and come up with solutions to address their unsheltered populations.
The latest: The Miami-Dade Homeless Trust recently sent a draft report to the county that proposes purchasing 175 pre-built tiny homes to set up on surplus county land.
- The pilot tiny home program would cost an estimated $7.15 million, per the draft action plan obtained by Axios.
The county homeless agency also proposed:
- Building an "indoor low-barrier housing navigation center" — a type of shelter designed for those who might be hesitant to go to a traditional shelter.
- Expanding emergency shelter capacity at existing shelters and partnering with faith organizations to create "interim crisis housing solutions."
- Prioritizing unsheltered people for public housing and low-income units in new developments.
- Creating a "diversion/navigation team to reduce shelter inflow" and facilitate the transition to housing.
- Requesting an extension from Gov. Ron DeSantis to delay the law's start date.
Catch up quick: HB 1365 states that local cities and counties "may not authorize or otherwise allow any person to regularly engage in public camping or sleeping on any public property."
- Beginning Jan. 1, residents, business owners or the state could sue local cities and counties for violating the law.
- Local governments are allowed to set up temporary homeless encampments with restrooms and health services, provided that alcohol and drugs are not allowed.
- The encampments can't "adversely and materially affect" the property value or safety of nearby property owners, per the law.
What they're saying: Homeless Trust Chairman Ron Book tells Axios that a housing-first model is the only evidence-based strategy to address homelessness.
- "Nobody should think that arresting your way out of homelessness is any kind of productive way to end homelessness."
- His group's action plan states "reductions in public camping can be realized without criminalization."
Yes, but: Permanent housing takes time to create — so the Oct. 1 deadline will likely lead to arrests of unsheltered people, Eric Tars, senior policy director at the National Homelessness Law Center, tells Axios.
- If the county receives a complaint about people sleeping on the sidewalk, it is legally required to act within five business days under the new law.
- "It really forces their hand to do something quick and dirty instead of something more planned and productive."
What's next: A Miami-Dade Police spokesperson tells Axios the details of the law "are still being monitored and evaluated by our department."
- "However, the Miami-Dade Police Department adheres to and enforces all applicable Florida state statutes."
Mayor Daniella Levine Cava tells Axios she is "proud of the extraordinary work of the Homeless Trust and our partners" to help unsheltered residents while the county works to expand its housing stock.
- In a statement, she said the county and trust are working to "ensure we are in compliance" by the deadline "in as compassionate and humane a manner as possible."