Miami-Dade commissioner opposes ‘tiny homes’ for homeless on Virginia Key
Miami-Dade Commissioner Raquel Regalado, whose district includes Virginia Key, said she opposes the city of Miami’s proposal to build tiny homes on the island for people experiencing homelessness because of restrictions on how the land can be used and environmental concerns.
Regalado said in an interview that she supports the concept of building small dwellings to help move homeless people off the street.
“I’m not against some of the ideas that the city is proffering,” Regalado said. “But I am completely against the location that they have chosen.”
Regalado said Miami’s plan to build 50 to 100 tiny homes on Virginia Key is not appropriate because there are deed restrictions on the land. In 1982, the county deeded the land to the city with restrictions that it be used as a public park and kept open to the public.
“The location they have chosen has a series of restrictions and it is environmentally sensitive,” she said.
The commissioner said she’s compiling information and plans to meet next week with city officials to discuss the plan and what county services would be required if the city went forward, from environmental permits to utility connections.
She said she was grateful to Miami commissioners for igniting a conversation about alternative ways to tackle homelessness when they voted last week to pursue a plan to place tiny homes on the island and research other sites that could serve as similar “transition zones.”
The structures would be placed on a swath of land on the northeastern section of the island, between biking trails and the outdoor center. Miami City Manager Art Noriega told the Miami Herald it would take at least six months to purchase the tiny homes and prepare the site for construction.
READ MORE: Miami to put ‘tiny homes’ for homeless on an island after commissioners change course
From the moment the concept was publicized last week, it drew opposition from outdoor enthusiasts who use the northeastern section of the island for recreation such as paddleboarding and biking. Opposition is also mounting from nearby Key Biscayne and housing advocates who say permanent low-income housing is a better solution than temporary shelter in tiny homes on an island.
Regalado is hosting a virtual informational meeting for the public about the proposal from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday on Zoom. She said county administrators from several departments will be available to answer questions about what role the county would have in developing any such site on the island. People can register for the Zoom meeting at https://bit.ly/3BGwrNg.
She said she wants to work with the city and county governments to develop a better plan that can include county property as well, because there are areas where homeless encampments are forming outside city limits. She emphasized that any development with tiny homes would need to be closer to social services and medical facilities.
“We really don’t want to have something like this without proximity to services,” she said.
This story was originally published August 3, 2022 at 2:25 PM.
