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A two-day task force inspection culminated in dozens of violations for residential properties in Little Havana.
The task force is part of the City of Miami’s Safe City Initiative, which targets blight and safety. The initiative has already scheduled demolitions for uninhabitable buildings in Little Haiti.
Its purpose is to protect tenants’ rights by holding landlords accountable.
“The health and safety of our residents is our top concern,” says City Manager Emilio Gonzalez. “For too long, landlords have taken advantage of our elderly and most vulnerable residents by not maintaining their buildings in safe and livable conditions. This needs to stop. Our Safe City Initiative continues to improve our residents’ quality of life through a safe, clean, and green Miami.”
The unscheduled inspections took place on April 12 and 13 in Little Havana—between SW First and SW Eighth streets, and SW 10 and SW 12 avenues. The two-day affair netted 26 unsafe structure violations.
Diaz Apartments located at 1009 SW Second Street was written up for running an illegal commercial laundry.
A notice of violation was left on the property for failure to visibly post “business tax receipt for apartment houses and coin operated, vending, washing, [and] drying” machines. The property owner has until April 19 to correct the violation, the official document reads.
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The task force gave violations for failure to maintain a clean or safe lot, improper storage of objects, and illegal units.
The City of Miami formed the task force to hold “landlords accountable for derelict apartment buildings where tenants live in squalor.” The team inspects apartment buildings and issues violations as necessary.
A landlord or developer has a set amount of time to correct the unsanitary or unsafe living conditions.
The city’s task force is made up of staff from the Building Department, Code Compliance Department, Miami Fire-Rescue, and Miami Police Department.
The group plans to inspect various neighborhoods throughout the City of Miami.
Tenants can report unsafe or unsanitary living conditions by contacting the Code Compliance hotline at (786) 457-0995.
Miami officials to demolish 8 buildings in Little Haiti [Curbed Miami]
Miami gets new recycling bins as part of green living initiative [Curbed Miami]
City of Miami - Safe City Initiative [YouTube]