Miami-Dade County closing down homeless camp while promoting awareness week

Homeless camp on stretch of 37th Avenue being shut by county

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – A group of people living in a Miami homeless camp is being told to leave. 

This is happening in the middle of Homeless Awareness Week. 

Some of those people built shelter out of whatever they could find.

Others are living in their cars, and some in makeshift trailers.

The homeless camp is located on a stretch of Northwest 37th Avenue in Miami.

It's now so large that the county is deeming it a sanitary nuisance and a safety issue, sending cease and desist notices to dozens who call the street home. 

The order comes into effect as the county is promoting its hunger and homelessness awareness week, asking the public to be more considerate of residents without roofs over their heads.

Homeless advocate and Pastor Frank Diaz says most of the men living at the camp are registered sex offenders who have virtually nowhere to go.

"Everyone considers this a hot potato," Diaz said. 

According to Diaz, unless the mayor and county officials can help these people find a permanent place to live, they’re not just going to go away. 

"For the last six months, I’ve been trying to sit down with the mayor, but apparently he’s very busy," Diaz said. 


About the Author:

Christian De La Rosa joined Local 10 News in April 2017 after spending time as a reporter and anchor in Atlanta, San Diego, Orlando and Panama City Beach.