City-of-Miami-Beach-Joins-Keep-Safe-Miami
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City of Miami Beach, 1700 Convention Center Drive, Miami Beach, FL 33139, www.miamibeachfl.gov
OFFICE OF MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS, Tel: 305.673.7575 PRESS RELEASE
Tonya Daniels, E-mail: tonyadaniels@miamibeachfl.gov
Melissa Berthier, E-mail: melissaberthier@miamibeachfl.gov
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Feb. 16, 2021
City of Miami Beach Joins “Keep Safe Miami”
— To Assist Affordable Housing Operators Ensure their Properties and Residents
are Protected from Climate Change —
Miami Beach, FL – Today, the City of Miami Beach announced its participation in a new “Keep
Safe Miami” pilot program that will equip affordable housing owners and operators with tools to
assess their buildings’ resilience to climate change and natural disasters. The program will also
provide actionable strategies and guidance on financing to address these vulnerabilities.
“The impacts of climate change and extreme-weather conditions are increasing, and a number
of these units are aging, without consideration of climate related risks,” shared Miami Beach
Chief Resilience Officer Amy Knowles. “Investing in these properties is ultimately about
protecting people from hazards while also making homes more valuable.”
“Resilient affordable housing” and “preparing your property” are both actions within the
Resilient305 Strategy — a partnership among Miami Beach, Miami-Dade County and the City
of Miami. According to Climate Central, Miami Beach ranks 11th in the nation for projected
coastal flood risks faced by affordable housing units in 2050, while Florida’s affordable housing
stock ranks fifth among the states.
Participating affordable housing properties owned by the City of Miami Beach will be
participating in the pilot, including the London House Apartments, Madeleine Village
Apartments, Neptune Apartments, Lottie Apartments and Coral Apartments. The application
will also be open to all affordable housing operators in Miami Beach.
“For affordable housing property owners and tenants, dealing with flooding and preparing for
extreme weather events are significant stressors on top of worrying about their economic
situation,” noted Miami Beach Director of Housing & Community Services Maria Ruiz. “I’m
excited we will be participating in this program to reduce flood risk for the most vulnerable
populations in our city.”
The program was developed by Enterprise Community Partners, along with a consortium of
partners.
“Miami Beach has always been a city that prioritizes and protects its community — including
my own family, who sought refuge here from the violence and poverty of the 19th century
Russian shtetls,” said Laurie Schoeman, National Director, Resilience, Enterprise Community
Partners. “Throughout the generations, affordable multifamily homes have served as the
building blocks of this city. Keep Safe Miami will ensure owners and operators have the tools
and resources to continue that tradition as we confront our changing climate head-on.”
We are committed to providing excellent public service and safety to all who live, work and play in our vibrant, tropical, historic community.
Keep Safe Miami will first help affordable housing owners prioritize the most at-risk buildings in
their portfolios, then provide actionable strategies and financing recommendations to ensure
their properties and residents can be protected. The tools will be provided free-of-charge and
will be accompanied by a series of trainings.
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