On February 12, 2020, Commissioner Meiner placed a standing item to discuss homelessness and ways to address the issue in our community.

Since the last Public Safety & Neighborhood Quality of Life Committee (PSNQLC) update on April 18, 2023, the Homeless Outreach Services Division, in collaboration with the Police Department’s Homeless Resource Unit (“HRU”), Code Compliance, Sanitation, and the Park Rangers, have taken the following measures to address homelessness:

1.    Beachwalk Visit with Miami Beach Police, Residents, and City Officials

The severity of homeless-related issues in the City has heightened the concerns of residents,  City officials, and the Administration alike. On April 19, 2023, the HRU organized a Beachwalk visit to allow the Administration to directly communicate with residents and understand homelessness from their vantage point while simultaneously taking the opportunity to educate residents on City efforts and available resources. During the Beachwalk visit, the Office of Housing and Community Services Homeless Outreach Services Team communicated with City Officials and residents to provide information on services and support programs readily available to homeless individuals voluntarily and the challenges that staff often face with the service-resistant population. In addition, attendees witnessed the collaborative outreach efforts of the Homeless Resource Officers and the Homeless Outreach Services Team, which resulted in one (1) individual accepting homeless services on-site.

2.    Budget Enhancement to Expand the Homeless Outreach Services Team

The Homeless Outreach team operates from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. The Department has contracted New Hope C.O.R.P.S. (“New Hope”) to provide specialized outreach through a Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 budget enhancement. New Hope provides services seven (7) days a week, from 7:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m. The current hours of operation leave a gap in services provided to the community.

On April 28, 2023, the Mayor & City Commission approved the Sixth Amendment to the FY 2023 Operating Budget, inclusive of $91,000 for Homeless Outreach enhanced services, increasing the Division’s operating budget to $2,454,000. The goal of the enhancement is to simultaneously address the gap in services and various concerns related to homeless persons needing services on weekends and during high-impact events.

The enhancement allows for converting two (2) existing budgeted part-time positions into full-time positions and two (2) additional full-time positions. The enhanced team will support current operations on Thursdays and Fridays with extended hours and increase outreach and engagement services on Saturdays and Sundays. The additional team will comprise three (3) Caseworker II positions and one (1) Lead Caseworker position to provide oversight during the shift and report on daily outreach. A candidate has been selected to fill the Lead Caseworker position via an internal promotion within the Homeless Outreach Services Division. In addition, candidates have been identified to fill two (2) of the Caseworker II positions. The Administration is currently conducting employee interviews to fill the remaining Caseworker II vacancy. The expanded team commenced extended outreach services on June 29, 2023 and is projected to be fully staffed by August 2023.

3.    Budget Enhancement to Expand the Park Rangers Team

During the June 28, 2023, City Commission meeting approved the Seventh Amendment to the FY 2023 General Fund Operating Budget. This included an enhancement to add four (4) additional full-time Park Rangers to increase the City’s public safety presence within the City Center area in locations such as Collins Park, Soundscape Park, Collins Canal Park and Pride Park. This is a direct result of the direction at the April 28, 2023 City Commission meeting to the City Administration regarding bringing forward recommendations on how to address the homeless situations within these locations.

Prior to the approval of the enhancement, the Parks and Recreation Department increased the number of regulatory signs throughout the City Center, including at Collins Park, Collins Canal Park and Soundscape Park. The additional signs were placed along paved park access points and clearly identify park hours (sunrise to sunset). Signs also include "no trespassing" language to further facilitate Police enforcement. The Parks and Recreation Department also increased the level of Park Ranger presence at Collins Park by adding roving units conducting thorough patrols of the entirety of the park a minimum of once per hour. Duties during their visits include patrolling all park areas and addressing any violations, with particular emphasis on encampments and related violations.

To further address ongoing homeless encampment violations, in April 2023, the Parks and Recreation Department instituted a Park Ranger homeless outreach overtime detail. This detail is dedicated solely to homeless outreach and enforcement in identified areas of concern throughout the parks system. The detail takes place outside of regular Park Ranger service hours.

4.    Incentives for Chronic Homeless Population

On April 18, 2023, the PSNQLC requested that the Administration explore a three-month pilot program to incentivize the chronically unsheltered homeless population living in Miami Beach for at least one (1) year by providing financial assistance if they accept shelter services. On May 22, 2023, the Administration met with staff for the Denver Basic Income Project (“DBIP”), which provides basic income to individuals experiencing homelessness to build a healthier society grounded in social justice and centered around cultivating a healthier society and improving human thriving. The Community Engagement Manager provided information on the project’s scope, candidate selection process, and the results of their piloted program. Recipients of DBIP funds are randomly selected from a pool of applicants from various referral points to receive funds over 12 months to promote housing stability. According to the Community Engagement Manager, the project’s first pilot included twelve (12) participants, six (6) of whom were no longer classified as homeless after the pilot. The second pilot included twenty-eight (28) participants, resulting in four (4) successfully housed participants. The full program was launched in November 2022 with 806 participants; the conclusive data is not yet available.  

We will continue exploring other programs before recommending a potential pilot for the City of Miami Beach.

5.    Homeless Employment Program

Favela Miami, a not-for-profit organization, is contracted by the City to provide temporary employment services to homeless individuals that accept shelter services. The original Scope of Services included homeless clients conducting street outreach to peers under the supervision of Favela Miami. The agreement was amended in February 2023 to modify the Scope of Services to allow sheltered clients to be temporarily employed with the Sanitation Division of the City's Public Works Department over four (4) weeks and to include resume-building assistance and referrals to temporary job agencies. Since the executed amendment, Favela Miami has received ten (10) referrals and employed three (3) sheltered clients via the Sanitation Division. Favela Miami has also partnered with local restaurants that provide free meals to program participants and identified an agency to provide resume-building assistance at no cost.

6.    Camillus Health Concern

The Department of Housing and Community Services desires to repurpose unutilized FY 2023 funds in the amount of $100,000 from Camillus House Lazarus Project to Camillus House Health Concern (CHC).

Under the proposed reallocation of funds, the City’s Homeless Outreach Services will refer individuals experiencing homelessness to CHC for Outreach Healthcare Services. The contractor will commit a team inclusive of a psychiatric advanced practical registered nurse (APRN) and/or general APRN and a medical assistant. In addition, the following Outreach Healthcare Services will be provided under the agreement: 

·             On-site medical and psychiatric care management;

·             Wound care;

·             Case management coordination;

·             Coordination with in-clinic services; and

·             Delivery of medications.

On June 23, 2023, the item was presented to the Finance and Economic Resiliency Committee (FERC). The FERC approved a motion recommending approval of the item by the Mayor and City Commission.

7.    Police Department Homeless Resource Unit (HRU) Outreach

The Police Department has implemented a comprehensive strategy to address homelessness in the city. As part of this effort, the HRU will conduct roll calls and training sessions/presentations to educate all officers. These presentations will cover appropriate and legal ways to interact with homeless individuals and provide information about available resources.

The HRU consists of one (1) Sargeant, two (2) day shift officers, three (3) afternoon officers, and one (1) civilian. As of June 5, 2023, the HRU, in conjunction with the Homeless Outreach Services Division, Code Compliance, Sanitation, and Park Rangers, commenced a Comprehensive Homeless Outreach detail throughout the Beachwalk and Lummus Park from 5:00 am - 10:00 am. Additionally, the HRU utilizes a drone once a week to survey the sea oats and dunes for encampments. The HRU also participates in a weekly unified outreach which targets various areas of concern throughout the City. 

 The following are reported service numbers for the HRU encompassing October 1, 2022 – June 15, 2023:

8.    New Hope Specialized Outreach

The following are reported service numbers for New Hope specialized outreach services, encompassing October 1, 2022 – June 15, 2023:

9.    Homeless Outreach Division

The following are FY 2023 service numbers for the Office of Housing and Community Services Homeless Outreach Division, encompassing October 1, 2022 – June 15, 2023: