Dozens without housing travel in buses from Camillus House to Miami Beach hostel

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. – Ronald White was among the dozens of people without housing who traveled in buses from Camillus House in Miami to a hostel in Miami Beach.

White said the sudden move to the Bikini Hostel, Cafe & Beer Garden, along West Avenue, near 13 Street, in South Beach, was inconsiderate.

“I was at work when they called,” White said. “They just said we have to move all of our stuff … I feel it was disrespectful, very, because they didn’t tell us where we were going. They wouldn’t tell us where we were going. Our counselors didn’t know. They just told us we had to go and if we didn’t go, we would be discharged and we would be back on the street again.”

Alex Fernandez, the Miami Beach vice mayor, and Joe Magazine, a Miami Beach commissioner, said the move happened without their city’s knowledge.

“These people were dropped off here at 9 p.m. with no food, no idea what was happening to them,” Magazine said.

Fernandez said Friday that he had just learned about a 30-day contract with the hostel that didn’t include transportation, food, or a way to reconnect with their families.

The move happened hours after Miami-Dade County Circuit Judge Antonio Arzola denied a lawsuit related to a Miami Beach ballot referendum that city commissioners rescinded. If passed, the referendum would have implemented a 1% city food and beverage tax to fund services for people without housing.

“One can only assume that it’s a political message to our city,: you’re not contributing to the one percent sales tax to address homeless and domestic violence issues, so we’re just going to ship you these individuals and you guys pay for it out of your taxpayers pockets.”

Arsola cited two reasons for denying the plaintiff’s motion, finding they lack the standing to challenge the commission and that the city has the power to pass the repealing resolution by a 4-3 vote.

Read the ruling below: