Most Miami-Dade households with incomes below $75,000 struggle with housing costs. Half of all households in our county are “cost-burdened,” meaning these individuals pay more than 30% of their income for housing. This includes three-quarters of households with incomes below $75,000 per year. Renters with modest incomes are the hardest hit. A total of 90% of Miami-Dade renters with incomes below $50,000 are cost-burdened. People of color are more likely to be cost-burdened with much of the disparity from lower homeownership rates for people of color.
Homeowners of any race and ethnicity are less likely to be cost-burdened than renters from any other group. But most of the fastest-growing jobs in Miami-Dade County pay less than $19 per hour. Of the 21 occupations expected to add 1,000 or more workers by 2030, 14 have a median hourly wage of $19 or less. These jobs include medical assistants and home health aides, cooks and waitstaff, housekeepers, and warehouse and delivery staff. Rents and home prices are out of reach for workers in the fastest-growing health care, hospitality, and logistics jobs in Miami-Dade County. This workforce can only afford housing that costs $650 to 1,000 per month, which is nearly impossible to find in South Florida, one of the country’s most expensive housing markets.
We can do Better!
Issues: Neighborhood Safety & Quality of Life
Our communities must be safe and our quality of life should be healthy, and comfortable, with enriching activities for all to enjoy. To achieve this we must reduce Gun violence, revitalize public spaces, improve community infrastructure, and minimize the need for residents to interact with the justice system. Our work spans five impact areas: Prevention, Intervention, Reentry, Economic Investment, and Community Revitalization.
We can do Better!
Issues: Public Education & Early Childhood Initiatives
In Miami-Dade County Public Schools, 52% of elementary students tested at or above the proficient level for reading, and 47% tested at or above that level for math. If children are not starting school strong, we pay dearly for it in Middle School and even more during high school. We MUST accelerate learning early by investing in Public Education and Early Learning. Quality Early Learning is the key for our children, but we must make it affordable. Florida is in a childcare crisis on both the supply and the demand side. The lack of affordable child care means many parents are unable to work or pursue their education, which costs Florida’s economy $5 billion annually. In Florida, a two-parent household making minimum wage with one child pays between 13.2 percent and 23.5 percent of their monthly income on child care. Childcare providers are unable to offer competitive wages to hire and retain employees, who are among the lowest-paid workers in the state.
We can do Better!
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