SAVE VIRGINIA KEY AT CITY HALL

3500 Pan American Drive,Miami FL 33133

13 September, 2022

Description

This rally is organized by the Miami Coalition to Advance Racial Equality. Background on issue: On Tuesday (07/26) Night, Social Media was flooded by posts of a City of Miami powerpoint presentation that proposed housing chronically houseless individuals inside Virginia Key North Point Park. This plan snuck into the City of Miami Commission Meeting’s agenda only Tuesday- minimizing public input. Comissioner Carollo did not introduce it as an ordinance but as a “discussion item” that turned into an approved plan. On Thursday (07/28), City of Miami staff presented a list of three possible sites across the city that could host a shelter. Initially, Commissioner Joe Carollo and Chairwoman Christine King were the only two votes in favor of a pilot program to build several dozen small rooms on the northeast end of Virginia Key. Commissioner Reyes, Russell, and De La Portilla voted against it. One hour after Miami commissioners rejected a concept to create a temporary homeless shelter on Virginia Key, Commissioner Alex De La Portilla flipped his vote, allowing the city to pursue a plan to set up “tiny homes” for 50 to 100 people on the island. City of Miami Mayor Francis Suarez and Commissioner Joe Carollo held a press conference stating that the approved pilot program will be put on hold for six months. “We don’t want to be in the business of doing tiny homes, getting involved with the homeless,” Carollo said. “But if the county doesn’t want to live up to the responsibility, then we have no choice to move on this.” This is a small victory. It is not over. In less than six months, residents of the City of Miami will be losing one of the two 'no' votes. Commissioner Ken Russell is running for congress and will have to resign. His position will be filled by someone that the City of Miami Commission appoints. There is a storm brewing, and we must prepare for what there is to come On Tuesday, September 13th at 9AM the City of Miami Commission will be meeting for the first time since they passed the pilot program for the homeless encampment on Virginia Key. They will be discussing the Virginia Key Outdoor Center who is located just yards away from the proposed site. The VKOC was closed down by the city on 8/12. This is being addressed as a discussion item just as the homeless encampment passed weeks before. This could possibly be our last stand as residents of the City of Miami to show the commissioners that this out of sight plan does not benefit the homeless and could possibly damage the already environmentally sensistive area of Virginia Key. If you are interested in supporting the rally, please email [email protected]. They are currently looking for speakers and are accepting donations for sign making and water for the protestors.