HomeMy WebLinkAboutR-21-0379City of Miami
Resolution R-21-0379
Legislation
City Hall
3500 Pan American Drive
Miami, FL 33133
www.miamigov.com
File Number: 10728 Final Action Date: 9/13/2021
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION DIRECTING THE CITY
MANAGER TO REQUEST THAT MIAMI POLICE DEPARTMENT ("MPD")
DISTRICT COMMANDERS PLACE EMPHASIS ON HOMELESS ISSUES
PARTICULAR TO EACH DISTRICT AND ENDEAVOR TO SECURE
AVAILABLE SHELTER OR ALTERNATE HOUSING ARRANGEMENTS FOR
HOMELESS PERSONS; FURTHER DIRECTING THE CITY MANAGER TO
TAKE ANY AND ALL LAWFUL ACTIONS TO PREVENT HEALTH HAZARDS
CAUSED BY ENCAMPMENTS OF HOMELESS COMMUNITIES ON
SIDEWALKS AND RIGHT-OF-WAYS; FURTHER DIRECTING THE CITY
MANAGER TO HAVE MPD ASSIST DURING CLEANING OF CERTAIN
LOCATIONS CONSIDERED TO BE "HOT SPOTS" OF RECURRING
HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS AND TO ASSIST WITH THE
TRANSPORTATION OF HOMELESS PERSONS TO AVAILABLE SHELTERS
OR ALTERNATE HOUSING FACILITIES TO PREVENT A PUBLIC HEALTH
HAZARD AND COMBAT THE FURTHER SPREAD OF THE CURRENT NOVEL
CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC.
WHEREAS, areas of recurring homeless encampments can become a site of human
waste, trash, vermin, discarded needles, and the like posing a genuine public health threat; and
WHEREAS, a "hot spot" is a location within the City of Miami ("City") whereby recurring
homeless issues have occurred such as encampments, Florida Litter Law violations, and other
public nuisances that have a high likelihood of resulting in public health hazards; and
WHEREAS, an encampment is considered to be ten (10) or more unsheltered homeless
individuals living in relatively close proximity to one another in an obviously visible location; and
WHEREAS, the City Commission has considered strategies regarding Citywide clean-
ups at locations known to have recurring homeless encampments during various City
Commission meetings; and
WHEREAS, the City Commission discussions have focused on the value of
coordination, integration, and frequency of collaborations amongst key City departments to
improve the cleanliness of the City's streets and efforts to reduce the population of unsheltered
homeless persons in the City; and
WHEREAS, City Policy No. APM 1-19, titled "Treatment of Homeless Persons'
Property," governs the standard practice for the handling, temporary storage, and disposition of
property belonging to homeless persons to ensure the City does not violate personal property
rights of the homeless; and
City of Miami Page 1 of 3 File ID: 10728 (Revision:) Printed On: 6/2/2025
File ID: 10728 Enactment Number: R-21-0379
WHEREAS, the City currently conducts regular scheduled cleanups and provides
advance notice of upcoming operations at recurring sites where human waste, trash, needles,
and the like are known to discarded; and
WHEREAS, to improve the cleanliness of City streets and sidewalks and to prevent
threats of genuine public health from developing, it is appropriate to increase the collaborations
between the City's Homeless Outreach Teams, Miami Police Department ("MPD"), Department
of Solid Waste, Neighborhood Service Center Administrators, Continuum of Care providers, and
Neighborhood Resource Officers; and
WHEREAS, to strengthen the City's collaboration efforts, MPD commanders assigned to
each Commission district should place emphasis on homeless issues particular to each district
and endeavor to secure available shelter or alternate housing arrangements for homeless
persons utilizing any available City resource necessary; and
WHEREAS, in addition to hot spot cleanings, the City Manager is directed to take any
and all lawful actions prevent public health hazards from being created and combat the further
spread of the current novel coronavirus ("COVID-19") pandemic caused by communities of
homeless encampments living on the City's sidewalks and right-of-ways; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 2-33(f) of the Code of the City of Miami, Florida, as
amended, the City Commission, by a majority vote, deems this Resolution to be of an
emergency nature in order to immediately protect the public health, welfare, and safety of the
City's residents, visitors, and businesses;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF
MIAMI, FLORIDA:
Section 1. The Recitals in the Preamble to this Resolution are true and correct and are
adopted by reference and incorporated as if fully set forth in this Section.
Section 2. The City Manager is hereby directed to request that MPD Commanders place
emphasis on homeless issues particular to each district and endeavor to secure available
shelter or alternate housing arrangements for homeless persons.
Section 3. The City Manager is further directed to take any and all lawful actions to
prevent health hazards caused by encampments of homeless communities on sidewalks and
right-of-ways.
Section 4. The City Manager is further directed to have MPD assist during cleaning of
hot spot locations with recurring homeless encampments and to assist with the transportation of
homeless persons to available shelters or alternate housing facilities to prevent a public health
hazard and combat the further spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Section 5. This Resolution shall become effective immediately upon its adoption.
City of Miami Page 2 of 3 File ID: 10728 (Revision:) Printed on: 6/2/2025
File ID: 10728 Enactment Number: R-21-0379
APPROVED AS TO FORM AND CORRECTNESS:
City of Miami Page 3 of 3 File ID: 10728 (Revision:) Printed on: 6/2/2025