At its October 26, 2022, meeting, Commissioner Arriola referred to the Finance and Economic Resiliency Committee a discussion regarding protections for tenants. 

At its meeting on January 27, 2023, FERC directed the Administration to invite Legal Services of Greater Miami to provide a presentation on the services provided to renters facing landlord-tenant issues related to rent increases, quality of life, and property standards. The Committee also requested an update on metrics and benchmarks related to the HOME-American Rescue Plan (ARP) funded Tenant Defense Program.

The City allocated $183,801 of HOME-ARP funds for the Tenant Defense Program (the “Program”), which would provide legal assistance to low-income tenants in private, public, and subsidized housing who are behind on rent and at risk of eviction and tenants living in public housing who are behind on utilities and at risk of losing subsidized housing. Through the Program, Legal Services of Greater Miami will be available at the Office of Community Services, located at 765 17th street, once a week to meet residents in-person on an appointment basis.

Legal Services of Greater Miami is currently in the process of hiring a legal support specialist, which will be assigned to work solely on the Program. In the meantime, the Office of Community Services continues to refer residents through their online Partner Referral portal. The City has referred approximately thirteen (13) cases after the executed contract in late December.

Additionally, the Miami-Dade County Office of Housing Advocacy acts to address affordable housing issues and tenant and landlord rights. The Office of Housing Advocacy offers several services to all residents in Miami-Dade County, including case management support and a tenant hotline, 786-469-4545 and an online platform that allows residents to submit inquiries and complaints through their website. The Office of Housing Advocacy has done significant community engagement to address tenant issues.

Fiscal Impact: The Tenant Defense Program is funded by HOME-ARP funds for $183,801.

The City of Miami Beach and Miami-Dade County have updated and implemented several ordinances and resolutions to help protect tenants by establishing minimum requirements that landlords must meet to provide safe, sanitary, and secure housing. The City continues to explore collaborative efforts with other providers by leveraging existing resources.