Miami – A federal housing chief got a closer look at the affordable housing crisis in South Florida and outlined President Biden administration’s plan to bring relief to local areas where thousands of people are struggling to find places to live.
U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Marcia Fudge, who called Miami the “epicenter” of the affordable housing crisis throughout the nation, went on a two-day tour last week accompanied by Congresswoman Frederica Wilson, Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, County Commissioner Keon Hardemon, Miami Mayor Francis Suarez and other officials from areas hit hardest by the affordable housing crunch. .
The crisis has impacted countless Miami-Dade residents, leading to a large exodus and homelessness among people no longer able to afford rental rates that soared by 30 percent this year, according to Cava.
Fudge concluded her tour while attending Cava’s Building Blocks Housing Summit, the mayor’s initiative to find solutions to the housing affordability crisis, at LoanDepot Stadium.
At a news conference during which she outlined new initiatives to address the growing problem for residents and public school teachers, Fudge said she visited stricken areas including Wilson’s district in Opa-locka and Miami Gardens, Hardemon’s district including Liberty City and others.
She said Biden’s plans include lowering housing costs and increasing the supply of affordable housing units.
“I decided today to come down to the epicenter of the housing crisis in this country,” she said. “It is a shame that people who work hard every day cannot afford to live in the communities in which they work.”
LACKING FOR YEARS
Fudge said the federal government is planning to spend about $35 billion in funding to build affordable housing.
She pointed to the Liberty Square Housing Development as the catalyst for providing more affordable homes in the Black community.
For years, Fudge said, the federal government has not provided enough money to address the issue.
The crisis peaked as landlords started increasing rental rates after the Biden administration lifted the ban on evicting tenants impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Miami-Dade residents who couldn’t afford the increases moved to other cities, into homeless shelters, or with their relatives. Some are sleeping in their cars or tents in the shadow of Interstate 95 in Overtown and other areas. Homeowners have complained to city and county officials of people causing a nuisance.
“We live in a nation now where one of the fastest growing groups of people is homeless people,” said Fudge.
Wilson said relief is imminent for people scrambling to find places to live and Fudge is leading the charge.
“This week, we welcomed Secretary Marcia L. Fudge for a tour of Miami, the epicenter of the affordable housing crisis,” Wilson said. “Thanks to partnerships with U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development we are rebuilding, restoring, and reimagining communities for all.”
For those falling on hard times, Wilson said Chapman Partnership is a beacon of hope, providing shelter and support to get individuals experiencing homelessness back on their feet. ” “I’m proud to have long supported their efforts and to have brought Secretary Marcia L. Fudge to see this powerful partnership,” Wilson said.
After Cava declared an affordable housing crisis in April, she created the Building Blocks Housing program and made over $13 million in federal money available for people struggling to pay their rent in Miami-Dade.
For additional relief, Cava is spearheading plans to build affordable and workforce housing for residents and erect homes on public school campuses for teachers who are also reeling from the crisis.
Cava said her goal is to build at least 18,000 units of affordable and workforce housing by the end of 2023, in addition to the 14,000 units already in the county’s development…
Read More: In Miami, ‘epicenter’ of affordable housing crisis, federal and local officials