VIRGINIA KEY, Fla. – A controversial proposal to create pop-up communities for the homeless across Miami, including on Virginia Key, was approved by commissioners last week.
The matter is now heading to the people.
Commissioner Joe Carollo responded to critics of a City of Miami plan build between 50 and 1000 tiny homes for the homeless on Virginia Key.
“These are the inhumane people. They want them thrown in the streets because they don’t want them in their neighborhoods,” Carollo said.
It’s an idea Carollo himself proposed, and it won approval last week in a three-to-two vote.
“We’re going to be bringing them to their individual shelter tiny homes where they’re going to have all the service that they require,” Carollo said.
One vocal critic of the plan is Key Biscayne Mayor Michael Davey.
“I don’t think anybody really believes this is going to move forward,” he said in video posted Sunday to the Village of Key Biscayne’s social media accounts.
While Virginia Key is just north of village limits, Davey said he wanted to clear things up for residents, and believes he knows the true motivations behind this proposal.
“My opinion is this is political theater,” he said. “It’s staged to support people running for office in Key Biscayne who are supported by people on the dais in the City Miami. That’s what I believe this is all about.”
Carollo dismissed that idea and instead pointed a finger back at the mayor.
“I don’t even know who’s running for office in key Biscayne, nor do I care who’s running for office in Key Biscayne,” Carollo said. “I, however, think that elitist type of attitude that you can’t put homeless two and a half miles away from me should be toned down a little bit.”