Miami-Dade County may explore building tiny homes and a new shelter to comply with a recent Florida law that effectively bans sleeping in public. This move aims to address the needs of the unhoused population in the area, as local governments across Florida face an October 1 deadline to comply with the new legislation.
Why It Matters
The new law, House Bill 1365, mandates that local cities and counties cannot “authorize or otherwise allow any person to regularly engage in public camping or sleeping on any public property.” As a result, Miami-Dade and other counties must develop solutions to address their unsheltered populations to avoid legal repercussions.
Proposed Solutions
The Miami-Dade Homeless Trust has proposed several initiatives to the county, including a pilot program to purchase 175 pre-built tiny homes. These homes would be placed on surplus county land, with an estimated cost of $7.15 million, according to a draft action plan obtained by Axios.
In addition to the tiny home initiative, the county’s homeless agency has suggested several other measures:
1. Building an Indoor Low-Barrier Housing Navigation Center:** This type of shelter is designed to accommodate those who might be hesitant to use traditional shelters.
2. Expanding Emergency Shelter Capacity:** Collaborating with faith-based organizations to create “interim crisis housing solutions.”
3. Prioritizing Unsheltered People:** Giving priority to unsheltered individuals for public housing and low-income units in new developments.
4. Creating a Diversion/Navigation Team:** This team would work to reduce the inflow of individuals into shelters and facilitate their transition to permanent housing.
5. Requesting an Extension:** The county plans to request an extension from Governor Ron DeSantis to delay the law’s implementation.
The Bigger Picture
Ron Book, Chairman of the Miami-Dade Homeless Trust, emphasized that a housing-first model is the only evidence-based approach to addressing homelessness. He stressed that arresting individuals for being homeless is not a productive solution.
However, Eric Tars, Senior Policy Director at the National Homelessness Law Center, noted that creating permanent housing takes time. With the approaching October 1 deadline, there is a concern that the law may lead to the arrest of unsheltered people, as counties are legally required to act within five business days if they receive complaints about people sleeping on public property. This urgency may result in hasty and less effective solutions rather than well-planned, long-term strategies.
As Miami-Dade County navigates these challenges, the proposed tiny home program and other initiatives could offer a pathway to compliance with the new law while addressing the needs of its most vulnerable residents.
