Friday, October 28th, 2022 the Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust celebrated the allotment of $1,750,000 towards Project Silver for Seniors & Others Experiencing Homelessness all due to the legislative initiatives this past session of State Senator Ileana Garcia. The Homeless Trust has been leasing a property in North Miami as an assisted living facility that it will now be able to purchase and continue to divert seniors from the streets or other homeless shelters into a single reliable venue.
Entitled Mia Casa, this subsidization establishes a safety net of security for a particularly vulnerable demographic that may already be experiencing severe hardship which can range from physical, behavioral, financial, or a combination of the three. As of August 2021, a census verified that senior citizens are among the fastest increasing homeless sub-population in Miami-Dade County since the beginning of the pandemic. Statistics relay that an estimated 1 in 4 people facing displacement are those from the ages of 60 years old and up.
Therefore, by allotting the capital necessary in acquiring the building permanently while also investing in necessary renovations and equipment, Mia Casa will continue to be a safe place for local struggling elders that need to be taken care of. Continued investment maintains the invaluable quality and range of services for its residents including individualized case management with health and behavioral treatment, meals, medications, and other crucial accommodations.
Chairman of the Miami-Dade Homeless County Trust, Mr. Ron Book, went on the Chamber Floor and commented on behalf of Senator Garcia’s work:
“Week 2 of the session I had a meeting on some human trafficking and homeless issues with the state attorney…three homeless individuals were shot in the (Tallahassee) Midtown area- one of whom died. [The state attorney] was asking me about a potential funding item and I said: ‘If you want anything done, pick up the phone and call Senator Garcia.’ Folks, the legislative session had begun, we were in week 2, and she wrestled that money out of the process for the state attorney’s office which also meant significant changes.
‘Does it apply to people that live in my district?’ It just never mattered. She never wavered, she never hesitated. Money is tough; appropriations, people think is easy. No part of the appropriations process is easy, but it’s where the rubber meets the road and it’s where the differences are made in our community. It’s where legislators go and leave legacies for the community, and I assure you, that Mia Casa will be part of your legacy because we will now own it through the money you have helped get us. We will be able to fully renovate that facility and add another 40-45 units of housing in addition to the 80-85 that are there now, so thank you.”
