It’s been a month since the new state law prohibiting public sleeping went into effect, and Miami-Dade County continues to intensify its efforts to find housing solutions for its homeless population.
The law, which went into effect on Oct.1 and was signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis in March, legally requires local governments to enforce a ban on public camping. Starting Jan. 1, 2025, residents will have the right to sue if local governments fail to enforce the ban.
UNDERSTANDING HB 1365
(The Homeless Trust via Facebook)
The Homeless Outreach team provides supplies to those experiencing homelessness.
House Bill 1365 mandates that counties and cities cannot allow camping in public spaces, meaning individuals who sleep on public land, whether out in the open or in tents, could face repercussions. Recreational campers are not affected if they are at designated campgrounds, and people can still sleep in their cars as long as the vehicles are registered, insured, and legally parked.
The law does not specify penalties for violations, leaving enforcement to local governments. While the law does not impose jail time for offenders, municipalities may resort to arrests to avoid potential lawsuits, especially for those who refuse shelter. Additionally, local governments that lack shelter beds are permitted to designate outdoor spaces for encampments, subject to state approval.
CAMILLUS HOUSE’S CHALLENGES
(Amelia Orjuela Da Silva for Biscayne Times)
A man experiencing homelessness sleeps near Camillus House before the state's ban took effect.
Miami-Dade's agreement with Camillus House, which allowed the county to house homeless individuals in shelter beds, ended at the end of September and has not been renewed. Camillus House proposed raising nightly bed prices from $31 to $67 per person, but the Homeless Trust, which organizes and directs Miami-Dade County’s homeless plan, rejected this increase as “unaffordable.” Commissioner Danielle Cohen Higgins had warned of this challenge prior to the ban on public sleeping, urging the Trust to make the necessary payments.
Camillus House CEO Eddie Gloria, highlighted that the operational expenses of the shelter have significantly risen over the last 12 years, which coincided with the last increase in funding from the Homeless Trust.
"The rates have increased, not because Camillus House has increased its rates, but because the cost of doing business has exponentially increased," Gloria said.
He discussed the necessity of a reasonable escalation in contracts over the years to reflect the rising costs of food, insurance, and staffing.
“If we had had the foresight as a community to bake into our contracts a reasonable 5 to 7% escalator, I don't think anyone would be saying it's unaffordable,” Gloria added.
He emphasized that the need for more funding is a responsibility of the municipalities and the Trust and is a broader challenge affecting all shelter operators, not just Camillus House.
“The ability to recruit, train, and retain talented people has gone up exponentially,” he said. The cost of repair and maintenance is skyrocketing and capital improvements are required over time.”
Addressing the impact of the new law, Gloria affirmed that Camillus House remains committed to adapting its operations to meet community needs.
(Courtesy The Homeless Trust via Facebook)
Ron Book helps the homeless community during heat advisories during the summer of 2024.
"Our shelter operation still remains open,” he said. “We still have shelter beds. We still have our day center, which remains unfunded but serves around 100 individuals daily."
The day center provides essential services like meals, showers, and job training, demonstrating Camillus House's ongoing commitment to helping those in need.
“We're ready to adapt to changing conditions on the ground,” Gloria said. “We’re not just closing doors; we’re looking at innovative ways to provide support.”
He pointed out that they will continue outreach efforts in partnership with local law enforcement and other agencies, helping connect individuals experiencing homelessness with the resources they need.
ADRESSING IMMEDIATE NEEDS
(Amelia Orjuela Da Silva for Biscayne Times)
The Homeless Trust Board held a meeting on Sept. 26 to discuss more shelter opportunities before the Oct.1 ban.
Ron Book, chairman of the Homeless Trust, said that to address this gap the Trust is activating several initiatives.
“At the home assistance center that the trust owns and the Chapman operates for us in Homestead, they are setting up 80 new beds. The Salvation Army made available to us 34 new beds,” Book said.
The Trust is currently seeking approval for a new 8-unit building in Overtown that could accommodate up to 20 women. Additionally, they have acquired 10 units from an affordable housing company called Resia, which will provide housing for 20 to 30 individuals. They have also identified a property they believe can be used for up to 200 shelter housing bed opportunities. Furthermore, Book expressed their intention to secure a property in the northwest of Miami-Dade, potentially providing shelter for around 60 people. He mentioned that a church owns the property and that one of their providers has committed to reaching an agreement with the church to operate it as a navigation center.
(Courtesy The Homeless Trust via Facebook)
Miami-Dade County residents experiencing homelessness wore this shirt on Sept. 4 during the Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners meeting.
“We knew October 1 was going to get here, and we would need to double down in our efforts. The race was always about December 31st,” Book added.
They are also working on an 8-unit property in Wynwood, which will be presented to the Board of County Commissioners soon.
Book mentioned that many encampments have decreased since the law came into effect. As an example, he pointed to a side street near 901 South Miami Ave., where 30 to 40 people were living, but he found it empty during his recent visit.
“I don't believe those people were arrested,” Book said. “I think they scattered because they knew they weren't going to be willing to go to a shelter of any kind and found places more out of sight.”
Additionally, the opening of the Miami Center for Mental Health and Recovery in Allapattah envisioned by Miami-Dade Administrative Judge Steve Leifman is set to coincide with the implementation of the new law. This facility will have 208 beds dedicated to individuals with mental health conditions, many of whom are homeless and often cycle through the criminal justice system. Once operational, it aims to provide integrated care and services to reduce homelessness in the area.
TINY HOMES PILOT
(Courtesy pthamerica.com)
An example of the tiny or prefabricated homes created by the company The Homeless Trust is pitching to use.
A key focus even before the law went into effect has been tiny homes. The pilot program is designed to establish a community of at least 175 tiny homes as an immediate response to the housing crisis. Each unit, approximately 460 square feet, will feature two bedrooms, a kitchen, a living area, a bathroom and split A/C.
Book explained that they discovered the reliable and comfortable product through PTH America, which provides a “comprehensive solution for cost-effective prefabricated homes.”
The Homeless Trust has not yet disclosed a location for the houses.
“We think we have identified a good site, we think it is a good idea, but it is premature, and we don’t want to sabotage ourselves,” said Book.
(lbookpa.com)
Ron Book, Homeless Trust Chair
Concerns about the pilot came up, with one board member during a meeting in September questioning whether building upward is a better solution. However, Book stood steadfast in his support for tiny homes.
“It's about creating housing opportunity,” Book said. “The [Homeless] Trust owns and not only controls availability, but we control the pricing. If you will, into the future, when our formerly homeless individuals who are going to have more constrictive, if you will, economics, we don't want them to be subject to high rent increases, special assessments, and our model is solving that problem.”
Victoria L. Mallette, executive director of the Homeless Trust, also stood in support of the pilot program.
“The concept of the tiny homes is that they are just quicker,” she said. “If you started a development deal today, you won’t have anything until three to four years.”
In a recent conversation with Book, he emphasized the ongoing efforts to secure the necessary approvals from Miami-Dade County. Book mentioned that the mayor has set up a task force to help expedite the county’s approval process for these homes, ensuring that they comply with both South Florida and state building codes.
“We're not doing this to simply throw something out there for people to live in,” he said, emphasizing the need for the structures to also withstand hurricane-force winds.
Book mentioned the urgency of getting the first 75 units set up, ideally before the year's end.
AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SOLUTIONS
(Courtesy The Homeless Trust via Facebook)
Teams trained in emergency services protocols offer information about accessing cooling centers.
Book said the new law has created a call to action.
“We’re turning what is otherwise a potential negative situation into something more positive,” he said. “I think the call to action is helping to press us to find more opportunities to rent beds and create more housing opportunities. It's no longer about shelter,” Book added. “It's really about housing.”
According to the Homeless Trust census, the number of homeless people countywide increased by 3% from August 2023 to August 2024, with nearly 2,800 people living in emergency shelters and about 1,000 more on the streets.
Book told his fellow board members at the Sept. 26 meeting that it was important to consider the new projects coming up and that the real threat is Jan. 1, when residents can begin to sue.
“I don’t want to look like San Francisco or Seattle,” he said. “I want to continue to look like what our community looks like today, which is a community that has reduced unhoused homelessness by 90% in 34 years.”
Moreover, Mallette noted that Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava has set a goal to build at least 1,000 extremely low-income (ELI) or supportive housing units in the next year.
Among the projects highlighted was the pending conversion of the La Quinta Inn in Cutler Bay into permanent supportive housing for seniors, which the Board of County Commissioners approved on Sept. 17 despite objections by Commissioner Danielle Cohen Higgins, who represents Cutler Bay.
(Courtesy Google Maps)
La Quinta Hotel is being purchased to create 109 units for senior homeless amidst the Oct. 1 ban on public sleeping.
“We’ve got people living there by December 31st,” he estimated.
LONG-TERM AFFORDABLE HOUSING
Beyond immediate responses, Miami-Dade County is pursuing long-term affordable housing initiatives, including a project approved on Oct. 1 to transform more than seven acres of underutilized land outside the South Dade Government Center into 352 affordable housing units.
“This project is not only crucial for those in need of affordable housing, but it also represents a unique approach to land use in our county,” said Cohen Higgins, who led this resolution. “We’re utilizing what we have — county-owned land — to meet the urgent housing needs of our community.”
This initiative, structured under a 99-year lease, ensures long-term affordability and includes community input throughout development.
“This is a transformative opportunity,” Cohen Higgins added. “We are thinking outside the box. We’re not looking for vacant parcels; we’re taking underutilized space and turning it into a monetized asset that will benefit our residents for generations.”