In the face of rising housing costs, the executive committee of the Miami-Dade Democratic Party passed a resolution this week addressing the need for affordable housing through effective policy in the Democratic Party. While Florida Republican lawmakers voted to limit local governments’ ability to set affordable housing rules (HB 7103), local Democratic Party leaders recognize the importance of establishing a position on this critical issue that legislators should consider when drafting housing policy.

HB 7103 could still be vetoed by Governor DeSantis. PLEASE email Governor DeSantis to let him know your thoughts. You can also call his office at (850) 717-9337 and tweet him at @RonDeSantisFL

Text of the resolution...

WHEREAS, Miami-Dade County is currently undergoing an Affordable Housing Crisis, whose symptoms include a lack of housing stock that middle and working class families can reasonably find and afford, gentrification of low-income areas that pushes multi-generational residents out of their neighborhoods and into substandard “slum” housing stock, and when housing costs are combined with transportation costs, Miami is the most unaffordable metro area in the country; and,

WHEREAS, the Miami-Dade Democratic Executive Committee believes that we can lead an effort to adequately address this crisis through adopting policies that further Democratic ideals in Affordable Housing reform; and,

WHEREAS, we should strive for policies that address the constantly overlooked needs of working and middle-class residents that make up an important part of the Democratic Party; and,

WHEREAS, the current conventional wisdom and policy surrounding affordable housing has become stagnant and ineffective at addressing the situations of those most in need of solutions that create a sense of community; and,

WHEREAS, the Democratic Party has a real opportunity to lead on this issue through bold leadership and innovative ideas that have the potential to disrupt the way affordable housing is created all over the country:

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Miami-Dade Democratic Executive Committee will support candidates who actively work towards solving Miami’s Affordable Housing Crisis by supporting the following existing policies

1. Protect and fully fund any existing Affordable Housing Funds.
2. Defend local governments from pre-emption at the state level that limits their ability to implement effective affordable housing policy in their locality.
3. Support any existing revenue programs such as bonds, surtax or tax credits that make the creation of affordable housing possible.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Miami-Dade Democratic Executive Committee will support candidates who actively work towards solving Miami’s Affordable Housing Crisis by advocating for the following policy changes

1. The declaration of a state of emergency around slum and blight to expedite the creation of Affordable Relief Housing.
2. Policies that allow local governments to develop comprehensive and holistic affordable housing master plans to effectively to confront the affordable housing crisis in their locality.
3. Policies that promote the creation of affordable housing, by addressing issues such as high tax-burdens, high maintenance costs and the high cost of insurance
4. The creation of incentives that encourage developers to develop neighborhoods equitably and democratically.
5. Policies that advocate for a Community Land Trust or similar models for very low-income communities.
6. The creation of more funding programs designed to subsidize affordable housing development.
7. Policies that prioritize the use of public land for affordable housing programs.
8. Appropriation of funds into the Research and Development of affordable housing solutions that can drive down construction and development costs, while expediting their approval for market use, thereby maximizing the impact of every dollar spent on affordable housing projects.
9. Advocate for affordable housing development through a county or city agency with the traditional method of building using architects, engineers and general contractors directly sub-contracted by the county or city.
10. Support a bill similar to the EIC, which allows renters who are paying over 30% of their income in rent to get a credit through their federal taxes.
11. The simplification of the building code to allow for the more expedited creation of affordable housing.
12. Policies that promote the creation of affordable housing in conjunction with parks, green space, transit, and the elimination of food deserts
13. A continuing effort to identify as much land as possible for the creation of affordable housing

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