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Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava recently announced the county’s HOMES Plan, a historic investment to tackle the housing affordability crisis, as part of the mayor’s proposed 2022-23 budget.
The HOMES Plan is part of the multi-year Building Blocks program launched earlier this year to tackle the housing affordability crisis and ensure all families can continue to live and work in Miami-Dade.
Mayor Levine Cava was joined by Miami-Dade County Commissioners, industry leaders, and local advocates, to discuss the impact HOMES programs will have on Miami-Dade’s residents, developers, and homeowners alike. The plan dedicates $85 million to provide both immediate relief and create long-term solutions.
“Our HOMES Plan is a critical component of my proposed 2022-23 County budget,” Mayor Levine Cava said. “With this plan, we’re looking to provide direct support to residents across our community — from middle-class families who own their homes and are behind on their bills, or those whose rents have skyrocketed, to low-income households and those experiencing homelessness, as well as small landlords and the developers who are building new housing to meet our community’s needs. That’s why my proposed budget offers immediate relief in the form of the lowest property tax rate since 1982 — a $25 million tax break for residents — and makes a historic investment in solutions to the housing crisis.”
The HOMES Plan will be up for a vote in September by the Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners as part of the 2022-23 proposed budget. If approved, it will launch a full suite of programs that will provide relief to struggling homeowners and renters across Miami-Dade:
Housing preservation: This program will provide an infusion of direct funding to property owners and builders across the county, to preserve at-risk affordable housing and helping more low-income homeowners make their homes more energy efficient by reinvesting in effective programs like Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing (NOAH) and the Weatherization Assistance Program.
Opening new doors through innovative programs: Through the HOMES plan, the county is piloting new and innovative programs to tackle the housing crisis, like the Workforce Housing Incentive Program (WHIP). WHIP will provide local property owners direct incentives to expand the existing supply of available workforce housing, providing immediate relief to renters and eligible homebuyers. It will also provide an additional incentive to landlords who accept Section 8 vouchers.
Mortgage and utilities relief for struggling homeowners: Miami-Dade County will invest $25 million to provide direct relief payments of up to $1,500 to thousands of struggling homeowners across Miami-Dade who are behind on their mortage, homeowners’ insurance, HOA fees, and/or utilities payments. These funds will provide immediate relief to homeowners struggling with the rising costs of living.
Expanding Emergency Rental Assistance Program: The ERAP program has been a lifeline for families — keeping over 20,000 families in their homes since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. If approved, the HOMES Plan will expand income eligibility for the ERAP program and invest additional dollars to help more families in Miami-Dade.
Secure new housing units: The HOMES plan makes strategic investments to support new housing projects, securing new and renovated units and increasing available supply. The county is launching the Development Inflation Adjustment Fund to support affordable housing projects delayed due to supply chain issues, where a small infusion of additional capital can help move projects to completion.
To learn more, visit miamidade.gov/homesplan.
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