About Us

about us

The Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust serves as the lead agency for Miami-Dade County’s homeless Continuum of Care (CoC), responsible for the oversight, planning and operations of the entire CoC, including:

  • Administering proceeds of a one-percent (1%) Food and Beverage Tax. Miami-Dade had the first dedicated funding source for homelessness in the United States—a unique 1% Food and Beverage Tax that is foundational to the funding of the Homeless Trust today.
  • Implementing the Homeless Plan, which provides a framework for preventing and ending homelessness in Miami-Dade County.
  • Serving as the collaborative applicant for federal and state funding opportunities.
  • Administering grants and overseeing operations and fiscal activities for more than 100 housing and services programs operated by more than 20 competitively selected non-profit providers and government entities.
  • Managing Miami-Dade County’s Homeless Management Information System (HMIS), the system used to collect client-level data on the provision of housing and services to homeless individuals and families and persons at risk of homelessness.
  • Developing policy and serving in an advisory capacity to the Board of County Commissioners on issues involving homelessness.
  • Overseeing and managing the bi-annual point-in-time census.

In the early 1990s, more than 8,000 people were camping on the streets, sidewalks and underpasses of Miami-Dade County. Independent non-profits were overwhelmed and there was little coordination between agencies serving homeless households. In 1992, then Governor Lawton Chiles appointed leaders to a Governor’s Commission on Homelessness. The commission was led by former Knight Ridder chairman, Miami Herald publisher, and longtime Miami resident, Alvah Chapman. Mr. Chapman, along with many other influential thought-leaders, businessmen and elected officials, came together and recommended three (3) key activities be pursued to address the community’s needs:
  • Pursue a dedicated source of funding/private sector funding
  • Create a body with diverse representation to implement plan
  • Research best practices to address homelessness and develop goals for implementation

The Governor’s Task Force pursued and secured a one-percent Food & Beverage Tax (F&B Tax). Approved in 1992, the enabling legislation for the Homeless and Domestic Violence F&B Tax became the first dedicated source of funding for homelessness through a tax in the country. Eighty-five percent (85%) of funds go toward preventing and ending homelessness; 15 percent is allocated to the construction and operation of domestic violence centers and overseen by the Domestic Violence Oversight Board.

This tax is collected on all food and beverage sales in restaurants that gross more than $400,000 a year and are licensed by the State of Florida to sell alcoholic beverages for consumption on the premises, except for hotels and motels. The tax is collected throughout Miami-Dade County, with the exception of facilities in Miami Beach, Surfside and Bal Harbour. The levying of the tax required the creation of a community plan. The Homeless Trust Board created by county ordinance is responsible for the implementation of the Miami-Dade County Community Homeless Plan: Priority Home. Chapman Partneship serves as the private sector partner to the Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust and is commissioned by the Homeless Trust to operate two Homeless Assistance Centers which have assisted more than 200,000 individuals and families during its 30+ year history.

As a result of the CoC’s work, under the leadership of the Homeless Trust, unsheltered homelessness in Miami-Dade has gone from more than 8,000 people fewer than 1,100 persons. In 2025, the Homeless Trust recorded record low homeless totals. Currently, the Homeless Trust has more than 8,000 beds/units in its Housing Inventory Count dedicated to serving persons who are homeless and formerly homeless.

In line with the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, the Homeless Trust views the local homeless response as a coordinated system rather than a collection of individual programs operating independently in our community. As such, we measure our system’s performance collectively, in addition to analyzing performance by specific projects and project types.

The Homeless Trust is led by a 27-member Board of Trustees that includes representation from the city and business community, elected officials, formerly homeless persons, religious leaders and homeless advocates. The full Board meets monthly. Meetings are broadcast live. Archived meetings are also available to the public.

Board of Trustees

Ronald L. Book, Esq. (Chairman)
Ronald L. Book, PA

Tina Vidal-Duart (Vice Chairwoman)
Chief Executive Officer, CDR Health
Executive Vice-President, CDR Maguire

Judge Steven Leifman (Chairperson of Finance & Audit Committee)
Eleventh Judicial Circuit of Florida (Ret.)

Isabella Dell’Oca
Executive Director
Lotus House Shelter for Women

Javier Fernandez
Mayor
City of South Miami

Gilda Ferradaz
Community Development Administrator
Southern Region-Office of Child & Family Well Being
Florida Department of Children & Families

Cleveland Bell, III
Executive Director
Riverside House

Ana Castilla
President
Miami Homes for All, Inc.

Dr. José L. Dótres
Superintendent
Miami-Dade County School Board

Oliver G. Gilbert, III
Commissioner, District 1
Miami-Dade County Board of County Commissioners

Carlos Fernandez Guzman
President
Pacific National Bank

Daniella Levine Cava
Mayor
Miami-Dade County

Marleine Bastien
Commissioner, District 2
Miami-Dade County

Esther Caravia
Chief of Staff to President & CEO
Jackson Health Systems

Thomas Jardón, Esq.
Director of Housing & HIV
Citrus Health Network

Roderick (Rick) Beasley
Executive Director
CareerSource South Florida

Arthur Noriega
Manager
City of Miami

Father Patrick O'Neill
Greater Miami Religious Leaders Coalition

Rabbi Frederick L. Klein
Executive Vice President
Rabbinical Association of Greater Miami

Francis X. Suarez
Mayor
City of Miami

Earnest Trotman
Homeless/Formerly Homeless Forum

Anna Kopper
Vice President of Resident Services
Carrfour Supportive Housing

Myrna Vaca
Marketing and Public Relations Executive

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Victoria L. Mallette
Executive Director

The following committees and sub-committees are in place to provide guidance and recommendations to the full board:
  • Executive Committee
  • Finance and Audit Committee
  • Housing and Services Development Committee
  • Performance Evaluation Committee
  • CoC Subcommittee
  • Youth Homelessness Working Group

People who require assistance because of their disabilities in order to participate in the programs, activities or services of the Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust, may contact Rodgers Delaughter at 305-375-1490 or email rdel01@miamidade.gov. To request materials in accessible format, sign language interpreters, or other means of equally effective communication to participate in any program or meeting, please contact him five days in advance to initiate your request. TTY users may also call 711 (Florida Relay Service.)

The Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust is doing its part to alleviate the ongoing housing crisis in Miami-Dade. The Trust is identifying, acquiring and renovating properties across Miami-Dade County to expand the supply of supportive housing in our community and serve an additional 550 households.  
 
These projects are affordable rental units, not shelters. Each location will be owned and overseen by the Homeless Trust. Tenants sign a lease and pay rent, while case managers connect tenants with transportation, education, health and financial services as needed. Security is provided at each location. 
 
The Homeless Trust supports more than 8,000 people daily in supportive housing. Ninety-eight percent of households placed in supportive housing successfully retain supportive housing. The Trust has been doing this work for nearly 30 years and these targeted investments are designed to improve the quality of life of all residents.