Owning a home was once the American dream, but for quite some time now it’s been out of reach for many Americans. The housing crisis further deepened that chasm and here in Miami where wages are lower than other big cities, the issue of affordable housing is all too real and leading Miami towards a homeless boom.
So what’s considered affordable? Paying less than 30% of your income towards your rent or mortgage. We know, you’re probably paying more than that and you’re not alone.
As the daughter of a Cuban exile, Annie Lord was always sensitive to the plight of those suffering the harshest economic conditions and in her new role as Executive Director of Miami Homes For All, she brings a wealth of experience fostering stability and mobility for those who are economically disadvantaged.
Through a number of initiatives focusing on affordable housing, youth homelessness and chronic homelessness, Miami Homes For All is advocating for everyone in Miami-Dade County to be able to afford a safe and stable home.
We hope you enjoy the conversation,
Alex and Jeanette
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SHOW NOTES:
- Find your commissioner here
- International Coastal Cleanup
- L’Artisane Bakery
- Elizabeth Jones Instagram | Episode 55
- Help us reach 100 reviews on iTunes by 12-31-18, leave us a review today!
THAT’S WHAT I LIKE:
- Alex: Bolay
- Jeanette: Matcha Green Tea Latte with Coconut Milk from Starbucks
INTERVIEW NOTES:
- Latino Economic Development Center
- Miami Forever Bond
- Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust
- SMASH
- HOMY
- Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City by Matthew Desmond
- Miami Herald article: Teachers can’t afford rents. The county has a plan: Let them live at school.
- Catalyst Miami
- The Sadowski Fund
- Miami Climate Alliance
TWEETABLES:
- “Miami ranks in the top three cities as far as lack of affordability in the country.”
- “Someone’s home is affordable to them, generally it’s accepted that it’s affordable if you’re not paying any more than 30% of your income towards your mortgage or your rent.”
- “Housing is the prime solution to homelessness.”
- “We have about 1,000 people who are unsheltered in Miami-Dade County.”
- “It’s a very rapidly advancing problem and we are definitely on that path and so we just can’t look at the problem of our current homelessness, we have to stop this now. We don’t want to be in the situation where we have got to solve an 8,000 person problem.”
- “The school district here is the largest public land owner in the county.”
- “I’ve come to believe and find that housing is really the lever that you can pull to effect so many other things.”
- “We’ve gotta make sure people have not only a safe place to be, but they’ve gotta be near opportunity. Where they live, their zip code, really, really matters.”
WHAT’S ON HER NIGHTSTAND:
- Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard by Chip Heath & Dan Heath
- The Working Poor: Invisible in America by David K. Shipler
CONNECT:
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