Higgins Highlights Record on Affordable Housing and Transparency in Bid for Miami Mayor

Candidate Information
Name: Eileen Higgins
Campaign Website: Eileen.Miami
Contact Email: eileen@eileenhiggins.com

Background: Eileen Higgins, who currently serves as Miami-Dade County Commissioner for District 5 since 2018, has built a reputation as an ethical leader who delivers results: helping create or preserve thousands of affordable housing units, modernizing public transportation, protecting Biscayne Bay, and investing millions in small businesses.

As mayor, Higgins is committed to addressing the issues that matter most, from safer neighborhoods and better parks to a more affordable city and a transparent government that actually works for Miami residents and local businesses.

Higgins brings to public service a depth of experience as an accomplished business
leader, engineer, diplomat, and longtime community advocate. After earning her
engineering degree from the University of New Mexico, she began her career in
manufacturing, later earning an MBA from Cornell University and becoming a global marketing executive.

She went on to serve as Country Director for Peace Corps Belize and as a U.S. diplomat in Mexico and South Africa, advancing American economic policy abroad. She is a proud City of Miami resident and current Miami-Dade County Commissioner for District 5.

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

In my perspective, “affordable housing” is housing that allows our residents to thrive and have access to economic opportunities. I have been a strong
advocate for transit-oriented development, as it allows for growth in transit ridership and encourages better growth management for all of Miami-Dade
County.

An example of this is the recently finished Magnus Brickell project right next to the Brickell Metrorail station, where 92 units are reserved for very low-income seniors who pay between $200-300 per month to live in a new building that also includes workforce housing and market-rate units.

Affordable housing should be accessible to all Miami residents, and mixed-use developments are incentivizing economic growth within neighborhoods where poverty was previously concentrated.

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

Within the past few years, I have planned or finished construction on 7,000 affordable and workforce housing units throughout the county’s District 5 and within the City of Miami. The city should conduct an audit of all city land in order to plan or preserve more units, and housing will remain the top issue of my policy platform.

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

It’s important that the next Mayor of Miami supports tenant-friendly policies. As County Commissioner during the COVID-19 pandemic, I increased the
notification period for month-to-month residential tenancy terminations in the
county from 15 to 30 days.

Additionally, I led the initiative requiring landlords to give a 60-day notice of rent increases above 5 percent after receiving constituents’ stories about being unfairly evicted without access to legal aid.

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

As Commissioner, I expanded rental assistance programs. Collaboration with organizations, such as Legal Services of Greater Miami, Miami Homes For All – and Miami Workers Center has been important to advocate for my District 5 and greater Miami community.

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

As Commissioner, I expanded access to first-time homeownership programs and down payment assistance programs to promote generational wealth.
That’s why the city must promote these programs to ensure families have access to the American dream of owning a home.

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

It is crucial that the city government offer resources and community meetings in Spanish and Haitian Creole in order to make housing programs accessible and include all residents across the city.

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

Yes. The City of Miami has been slow to construct affordable housing, and the city owns a lot of land we need to utilize. We must audit all city-owned
land in order to identify possible affordable housing sites.

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

First, we must activate the Miami Forever Bond program. Secondly, I will continue to do as I have done at the county: accelerate permitting processes to get affordable housing projects built more quickly. We must also partner with state and federal funders and activate private public partnerships for developments when applicable.

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

Yes, regular reporting and transparency are critical steps toward restoring trust in City Hall.

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

I’m running for Mayor because I love this city, and I want our city government to get back to working for our residents, to get things done, just as I’ve done on the County Commission.

My track record at the county level proves I'm a person who cuts through bureaucracy to deliver results, from building affordable housing to creating green spaces where our families can thrive.

I’ve been elected three times because residents know I get things done, and it’s never about partisan politics — it’s about identifying challenges and needs of the people living in this community and then delivering results.

I have a proven track record of getting things done for the people of this community, and I hope my legacy lives on in a Miami where families and young residents are able to build their futures.

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

We must cut permitting time for all proposed affordable housing projects in half.