Affordable Means Livable: Hepburn Outlines Housing Vision for Miami’s Working Class

Miami native Michael A. Hepburn, who is running for the next Mayor of the City of Miami, is an experienced business executive, nonprofit leader, and civic advocate, who has served on more than 10 civic organizations and government advisory boards. (Photo Courtesy of Hepburn)

Name: Michael A. Hepburn

Campaign Website: www.MichaelHepburn.com

Contact Email: michael@michaelhepburn.com

Background:

As someone who was born and raised in Miami — who attended our public schools, utilized our public transportation, played at our public parks and in our public streets — no one has to tell me about the possibilities of what our city can become. Because I am a living example of what our city can be.

I am not a millionaire, recycled elected official, and I don't have a political dynasty family last Name. However, I'm an experienced business executive, nonprofit leader, and civic advocate, who has served on more than 10 civic organizations and government advisory boards; managed thousands of employees, oversaw multi-million-dollar budgets, and effectively led in multi-billion-dollar organizations.

Affordable Housing & Development: What is your definition of “affordable housing” for Miami residents?

I believe paying more than 30% of your income for housing costs, including utilities, is absurd, and should not be considered affordable housing but the vast majority of Miami residents pay more than this — including me.

How many affordable housing units do you commit to building or preserving in your first term, and what is your timeline?

We will finally pass a Miami Affordable Housing Master Plan, which will include rehabbing and developing 9,000 Affordable Housing units and mutually beneficial Community Benefit Agreements. That work for both our communities and developers to create low-income rentals, workforce housing and rent-to-own mixed-use units within my first four years.

Renters, Evictions & Tenant Protections: What policies will you support to prevent unjust evictions and protect renters?

Tenant protections are mainly governed by the state legislature, but Miami Dade County has also passed laws centered around privacy rights, habitable living environment requirements and protections from discrimination. So, I will make sure my administration and code enforcement office adhere to protecting our renters in every possible way that we can.

How will you expand tenant access to legal aid or rental assistance?

My focus will be to develop great collaborations and partnerships with our non-profit organizations and community-based organizations to assist in this area.

In addition, I will increase funding for our Seniors Rental Assistance Program, and direct through the City Manager that I will appoint — my request to provide legal aid assistance programs with our City of Miami Attorney’s Office.

Homeownership & Equity: What policies will you propose to support first-time or low-income homebuyers in Miami?

My administration will focus on securing state, county, and municipal first-time home-buyer funding allocations to help residents with covering costs. However, we currently implement multiple first-time homebuying initiatives through our city districts, so I would assist our residents with linking up with their commissioners to apply for the assistance that they need.

How will you ensure housing programs are accessible to immigrant, like Haitian Creole and Spanish-speaking communities?

Implementing our City-Wide Affordable Housing Master Plan is the key because it will include funding to assist with exterior and interior repairs to help our homeowners stay in their homes. We will start utilizing city-owned land to develop high-quality affordable housing projects that cover residents from all income levels.

We will push forward community land trust concepts to build new developments and to keep our current subsidized housing units affordable for years to come. And we will protect naturally occurring affordable housing (NOAH) through financing the acquisition and preservation of units in Allapattah, Little Haiti, Overtown, West Grove, Liberty City, and Little Havana — to save them from market pressures and poor management.

Public Land & Climate Resilience: Do you support using city-owned land for affordable housing? If yes, how would you prioritize parcels?

Yes! I will first start by reimagining how we can utilize city assets like our Marine Stadium; GSA Site in Allapattah; Downtown Miami Police Headquarters and Fire Rescue Training Center 4.5 Acres in Coconut Grove. Perhaps by relocating and building new facilities in exchange for mixed used development enclaves consisting of affordable apartments/condos, community enrichment space, and revenue producing small businesses.

Budget, Accountability & Governance: How will you fund affordable housing initiatives? If resources are limited, what would you deprioritize?

Property taxes are our major revenue driver here in the City of Miami, so I believe in making sure that my annual budget is a morale document that reflects the beliefs that I will push forward as the next Mayor of Miami. With a $1.3 billion-plus budget, we have the resources that we need. What we are lacking are real leaders with the political will to stand-up and fight for working-class families.

What metrics will you use to measure progress, and will you commit to publishing annual accountability reports?

My administration will be the most transparent, data driven and intelligence led city government Miami has ever seen. We will cultivate key performance indicators with our residents; meet our citizens where they are and deliver real-time information on our progress.

We will create a participatory budget program, and Neighborhood Improvement Fund to invest directly into Neighborhood Associations, and Community Development Organizations.

And I will create a CITIZEN MIAMI Academy to reduce the major civic empowerment gap in our city. Plus, mandate that we publish the daily schedules online of our Mayor's Office and City Commissioners for all of the public to see.

Vision & Leadership: Why are you running for mayor, and what legacy do you want to leave in housing?

I’m in this fight to lower the cost of living for working class Miamians. And I have 44 policy initiatives that I will implement to rehab and develop affordable housing; improve Miami's resilience to sea level rise; stand-up Against corruption; enhance our neighborhoods and public safety measures; and uplift our children and seniors.

As the next Mayor of Miami — my legacy will be that an extraordinarily ordinary Miamian, stood up to change the future of our city, which means you can too.

What one major housing policy or project would you be most proud to accomplish by the end of your term?

When I cultivate our Anti-Displacement Tax Relief Fund to "FREEZE The Property Taxes" for homeowners with greater risk of displacement due to rising costs. This initiative will alleviate the burden of rising property taxes by prioritizing support for vulnerable homeowners who have resided in our city for 20+ years.

This fund will cover any increases for our homestead exempt homeowners for a period of 20 years, or while they continue to qualify for the program. So, they are not pushed out and forced to leave the city that they call home.