South Miami declares ‘functional zero’ for chronic homelessness, a year ahead of schedule

South Miami is celebrating what it says is a milestone in the fight to end homelessness.

This week, the city announced it has become one of a few in the country to achieve “functional zero^[1]” for chronic homelessness, a designation that indicates the city has effectively ended its cycle of long-term homelessness.

A press note South Miami published this week cited a to-be-released census the Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust^[2] conducted last month, which counted just three people experiencing homelessness in the city.

That’s down from 15 to 20 in past years and follows a reported 43% decrease in unsheltered residents the Homeless Trust reported in February^[3].

According to Community Solutions^[4], the nonprofit that developed the standards, communities reach functional zero when chronic homelessness is reduced to fewer than three people or less than 0.1% of the total homeless population, whichever is greater.

South Miami’s progress began in 2021, when leaders adopted a “housing first” strategy that prioritizes providing permanent housing before addressing other needs like employment or health care.

The city says it paired that model with targeted outreach, designating a community policing officer to work directly with the Homeless Trust and service providers. Partnerships with Baptist Health South Miami and the Midtown Development Group, which contribute annually to shelter beds and support services, bolstered the effort.

By 2023, the South Miami City Commission formalized its goal to reach functional zero by 2026, approving a strategic plan and hiring an outreach vendor to strengthen follow-up, case management and trust-building with individuals experiencing homelessness.

Two years later, the city reached its goal. Its leaders credit coordination across departments and community partners for the expedited progress.

“As a city, we are tremendously proud of having achieved this important milestone,” Mayor Javier Fernandez said in a statement. He credited former South Miami Police Chief Rene Landa and current Chief Reo Hatfield III for their “good work,” which officer Rodney Napier, Cassandra Lilavois, Melvin Lopez and Marcus Prather accentuated.

Fernandez gave “special recognition and congratulations” to Vice Mayor Brian Corey for his “consistent leadership from the dais on this issue and in making South Miami’s current reality.”

“We look forward to continuing to do our part to house the homeless here in South Miami,” the Mayor said.

Corey called it “tremendous news.”

“South Miami has stayed committed to executing our strategy, and the results are clear,” he said in a statement. “This milestone reflects the dedication of our city staff, outreach team, and Police Department^[5].”

Hatfield said in a statement that achieving functional zero “a profound accomplishment” that “would not have been possible without the unwavering dedication of our officers.”

“From building trust with vulnerable individuals to coordinating directly with service providers and outreach teams, our officers have gone above and beyond traditional policing duties to serve the community with compassion and professionalism,” he said, also crediting the four officers Fernandez referenced for being instrumental to the effort’s success.

As for next steps, officials said sustaining South Miami’s progress is key. The city’s strategic plan emphasizes continued collaboration between law enforcement, outreach teams, the Homeless Trust, and local businesses to ensure that anyone at risk of homelessness is quickly connected to permanent housing solutions.

“The Homeless Trust has been working closely with the City of South Miami for the past several years to address unsheltered homelessness and make available resources to meet the unique needs of individuals on the streets,” Homeless Trust Chair Ron Book said. “We appreciate the city’s determination and desire to tackle homelessness in a trauma-informed and collaborative way.”

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