November 3, 2008, 6:30 P.M. West Kendall Community Council (11)
Jorge Mas Canosa Middle School Auditorium
15735 SW 144 Street

November 19, 2008, 9:30 A.M. Hearing of the Planning Advisory Board (PAB)
County Commission Chamber
111 N.W. 1st Street

December 18, 2008, 9:30 A.M. Board of County Commissioners Hearing
County Commission Chamber
111 N.W. 1st Street

Well, in the intervening months, the public learned what was being done - or not being done- under the watch of the county commission and the county's housing agency.

Those of you who took valuable time from your busy days to appear at the county commission and to testify, can easily imagine that the busy work being done at the county for big developers and property owners took their attention away from the neediest in our community.

It is a worthwhile cause and clearly aligned with our goal to contain growth within the Urban Development Boundary. The following message is from Sushma Sheth at the Miami Workers Center:

Dear Friends,
Last week over 200 directly impacted residents, and advocates, faith and labor leaders, as well as members of community organizations and churches filled the County Commission Chambers. Twenty five speakers from the County Coalition on Emergency Housing Relief from every county commission district testified to the dire need for affordable low-income housing.

We ask you to support this issue with your own voice. Send a message to Chairman Joe Martinez and the county commissioners that we are expecting them to be responsible for the residents of Miami-Dade County. We are asking them to take urgent action to ensure that there are at least $200 million in the county budget for low-income housing. Your VOICE is critical to our success.

Take action HERE!

Our public testimony was crucial for representing the dire need for housing throughout the county. Now it's time for the commmissioners to step up and demostrate that they have the political will and integrity to respond to the needs of our communities. YOU CAN HELP.

Take action HERE!

The commissioners and county manager are deliberating over a $6.8 billion annual budget for the county. The Coalition believes that affordable housing MUST be a top priority in this year's budget. We called on county government to take these critical actions:

1. Create a county-wide voucher rental assistance program
2. Fill and rehabilitate all public housing vacancies immediately
3. Build new low income housing, starting at the Crosswinds site in Overtown
4. Rebuild 850 low-income homes in the Scott-Carver Homes community
5. Establish a community oversight body to ensure accountable development

Thanks for your support,

www.miamiworkerscenter.org

Also: Take action!
Support the coalition for Emergency Housing Relief and its efforts to increase funding for housing for low-to-moderate income residents in Miami-Dade County. Local elected officials have allocated $10 million for housing in 2007, far less than what is needed in the community. Click here to help restore funding for affordable housing and join the coalition.

Also in the news: Read the Watchdog Report http://www.watchdogreport.net/post_detail2.php?id=1731 on the efforts of one Miami-Dade School Board Member, Evelyn Greer, who is leading the call for the School Board to help maintain the UDB. You can contact members of the School Board for their support and thank Ms. Greer at the Board's website http://www2.dadeschools.net/schoolboard/bdmembers.htm prior to their next meeting this Wednesday.

JOIN THE CAMPAIGN! If you are a business owner and would like your company or business to be recognized as a Hold the Line campaign member please call (305) 485-5949 so we can include you among supporters!