Florida’s homelessness story is showing signs of change. Despite ongoing challenges across the state, the city with the highest concentration of homeless individuals—Miami—is witnessing improvements countywide.
Miami’s Dual Reality
Latest reports by U.S. News+ World Report in mid-March 2025 pointed out that although big cities such as New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago still take the top ranks across the country, Miami led the Florida city rankings for homelessness with about 3,800 unsheltered residents. However, amidst these numbers, there are more positive trends in Miami-Dade County.
Decreasing Figures in Miami-Dade
The county, as per a February 2025 report from The Miami Herald, has recorded homelessness decreasing to an 11-year low with 175 fewer people being homeless compared to last year. The reduction in homelessness is thanks to a number of strategic steps taken, among them the effect of HB 1365 in October 2024, which prohibits camping or sleeping on public land. Cold weather shelters have also been strengthened and there are more housing options available for needy people.
Community Actions Paying Off
Backing these trends, January 2025 Point-in-Time census data for the Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust demonstrated a significant 17% decrease in unsheltered homelessness year-over-year. Ron Book, Trust board chair, remarked, “We know there’s still much more work to do, but this data assures us we’re making tremendous strides reducing homelessness in Miami-Dade County.”. Our homeless count is at its lowest in over ten years, proof of the success of our joint strategies with service providers, city governments, and HUD”.
Looking Forward
While Miami still retains the dubious distinction of being the Florida city with the largest number of homeless, the overall decrease in numbers throughout Miami-Dade County is a welcome trend. These gains highlight the effect of concerted policy efforts and community programs in solving a long-term problem.
As stakeholders continue with targeted interventions, the expectation is that this declining trend will continue, providing a model for addressing homelessness in other parts of the country as well.