Miami-Dade County

Preserving Trailers

Fearing a new affordable housing crisis, county officials extend trailer park moratorium for 180 days 

By Erik Bojnansky

The Miami-Dade County Commission extended Tuesday a building moratorium on trailer parks in unincorporated areas for another 180 days.

A temporary moratorium was enacted on Oct. 16 after developers purchased a series of trailer parks. Affordable housing advocates and trailer park residents flooded the commission chambers, warning of a new housing crisis if park closures continue.

“If no steps are taken, we will find ourselves here over and over and over again every time a park closes,” said Serena Perez, an organizer with Jobs for Justice.

Perez said 600 low-income families and individuals were either displaced in the last year or soon will be. Blue Lakes on West Flagler and Landmark and Coes trailer parks near Aventura have already been closed. Residents of Palm Trailer Park were given until June to move out. The moratorium affects 40 mobile home parks with 8,000 units.

Although the trailers are usually owned by those who live in them, trailer park operators own the land. Because trailer parks are found in commercial or industrial zoned parcels, they are often assessed at a higher tax value, said Subrata Basu, director of planning and zoning. His department is now exploring a proposal that would assess the landowners at a lower rate if the parcels remain trailer parks for the next 20 years. County officials are also exploring “modular” zoning for trailer parks.

To allow more time to research and see what funds are available for other housing options, Assistant County Manager Alex Munoz asked for the 180-day moratorium. “I’ll give you a year if you want,” Commissioner Jose “Pepe” Diaz said.

Assistant County Attorney Joni Coffey cautioned that moratoriums can’t be continued indefinitely. “The longer the length of the moratorium, the greater the risk for litigation,” she said.

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