County Commissioner René García expressed strong disapproval following the unexpected relocation of over fifty homeless individuals from Camillus House in Miami to a hostel in Miami Beach, calling the move “appalling and truly unacceptable.” The transfer, which is said to have taken place without prior notice or the necessary support services, occurred Friday night.
“It is appalling and truly unacceptable to treat some of our community’s most vulnerable in this manner. I find it difficult to believe that the City of Miami was able to find 53 rooms in less than 24 hours. We need to get to the bottom of this!” Commissioner García stated in an official press release.
As a long-time board member of Camillus Health Concern and former board member of Camillus House, García emphasized that the organization had already planned a relocation process over the coming weeks. The sudden move, Garcia noted, lacked the same empathy and consideration typically afforded to this population.
“We need to know who made and those involved in making the decision to move the homeless population so abruptly,” Garcia’s statement says, in part.