LTC 216-2024 Weekly Homeless Efforts Update #1 - May 20-26, 2024MIAMI BEACH
O FFIC E O F TH E C ITY M A N A G ER
LTC#
TO :
FRO M :
D A TE:
SU B JEC T:
216-2024 LETTER TO COMMISSION
Honorable Mayor Steven Meiner and Members of the City Commission
Rickelle Williams, Interim City Manager o/L<J
May 30, 2024
Weekly Homeless Efforts Update #1 - May 20-26, 2024
The purpose of this Letter to Commission (L TC) is to provide a weekly update on efforts by the
Administration to curb homelessness in the City of Miami Beach. This L TC is provided pursuant to direction
by the Mayor and City Commission at the May 15, 2024 City Commission meeting. The Administration was
directed to publish a weekly L TC sharing the various metrics and data regarding the homeless population
including the number of shelter beds and residential placements provided by the City or its providers; the
total number of shelter beds available to the City; the number of homeless persons arrested for violating
the City's camping ordinance; and other metrics pertaining to the provision of services to homeless persons
in the City.
The Office of Housing & Community Services Homeless Outreach Services Division, in collaboration with
the Miami Beach Police Department's Homeless Resource Unit, and other City departments, have
dedicated resources to addressing homelessness citywide including through a unified outreach initiative.
Together, these teams conduct weekly joint outreach missions to proactively address homeless
encampments in areas of concern, while simultaneously offering services to homeless individuals
encountered during these missions. This collaborative effort has augmented engagement strategies in the
community by promoting more accessibility to services provided within the homeless and mental
health/substance abuse Continuum of Care.
Miami Beach Police Department- Homeless Resource Unit Update
The Miami Beach Police Department's Homeless Resource Unit ("HRU") consists of one (1) Sergeant, two
(2) day shift officers, three (3) afternoon officers, and one (1) civilian. On October 13, 2023, the Mayor and
City Commission adopted Ordinance No. 2023-4573 ("Sec. 70-45" or the Camping Ordinance"), which
went into effect ten days later. With guidance from the City Attorney's Office, the HRU conducted roll calls
and training sessions/presentations to further educate all Department sworn personnel. These
presentations informed officers of appropriate and legal w ays to interact with homeless individuals and
provided detailed information regarding available resources.
Following the training, officers began enforcement of the Camping Ordinance in December 2023. The HRU
continues to participate in a weekly unified outreach initiative that addresses various areas of concern
throughout the city.
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T h e fo llo w in g a r e re p o rt e d s e rv ic e n u m b e r s c o v e r in g th e c u r r e n t p e r io d o f M a y 2 0 -2 6 , 2 0 2 4:
MBPD Departmentwide Statistics
Total Arrests 114
Homeless Arrests / 32 28% Percentage of homeless arrests to total arrests
Arrests - Refusal of Placements 7 62
Sec. 70-45 Campin Prohibited
Contacts/ Engagements 20
Afterhours Emergency Shelter Placements 0
Residential Treatment Placements 1
Arrests 2
Office of Housing & Community Services - Homeless Outreach Services Division
Update
The Homeless Outreach Services Division, a division within the Office of Housing and
Community Services, provides voluntary services and support via a walk-in center Monday
through Friday (7:30 am - 3:30 pm), and extended outreach engagement efforts Thursday-
Sunday (7:30 am - 6.00 pm). The Division offers a wide array of support services to assist
persons experiencing homelessness in transitioning into the next chapter of their journey,
including, but not limited to:
• Emergency shelter placement
• Identification replacement services
• Family reunification services
• Temporary employment services
• Residential substance abuse treatment services
• Contracted specialized on-street medical outreach services via Camillus Health
Concern
• Contracted specialized mental health outreach services via the Camillus House
Lazarus Project
• Medical and mental health care treatment referrals to local community partners
The following are service numbers for the Homeless Outreach Division covering May 20-26,
2024:
Homeless Outreach Services Division
Street Outreach I Walk-In Center Contacts 222 / 85
Refusals of Service' 184
Shelter Placements 11
Family Reunifications 9
Average number of shelter beds available to the City per day 7
Park Ranger Service Update
The Park Rangers serve the primary role of being ambassadors but have limited enforcement
ability. Park Rangers address non-criminal matters and deter criminal behavior with uniformed
presence at the locations assigned within parks.
The Park Ranger Service serves a multitude of roles under the Parks and Recreation Department
and as an alternate to police enforcement. This team is highly recognizable and assists residents
and park visitors with information while promoting a diverse range of events, programs and
amenities offered by the City. The Park Rangers enforce park regulations and City ordinances
and assist department staff with special events They are often the first to respond on critical
incidents and are often referred to as a "force multiplier" or extra "eyes and ears" to the Police
Department.
The following are homeless outreach activities from the Park Ranger Service covering May 20-
26, 2024:
Contacts I Welfare Checks / Referrals for Assistance
' Represents number of refusals during street outreach
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