Environment and Housing Lead Thrive305 Action Plan

After a countywide survey that took place in February, Miami-Dade has devised a comprehensive plan to address residents’ concerns about a targeted list of critical quality of life issues.

Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava and her team, in partnership with The Miami Foundation, launched the Thrive305 action plan Nov. 4 at HistoryMiami Museum. The move came five weeks after the county’s fiscal year budget was approved.

Of the plan’s 12 priority measures, which comprise a total of 38 actions, investment in blue-green jobs is the most robust. It includes vocational training for youth, tree canopy expansion, and sewer and stormwater system improvements.

A strong focus is the modification of wastewater and stormwater management to prevent runoff into Biscayne Bay. The county estimates approximately 120,000 properties use septic systems, many of which fail due to flooding. That in turn can cause health risks, property damage and environmental contamination.

The plan also includes commitments to mitigating and adapting to sea-level rise, and to promoting construction using sustainable materials.

Proposed improvements will be designed and executed in a way that is supportive of the county’s most vulnerable residents, too. Housing, transit and environmental considerations outlined in the plan aim to incorporate assistance for disabled people and senior residents.

Thrive305 also promises to expand one-stop service hubs, wherein local parks, libraries, art venues and other county facilities will be used for a range of services, such as health care, food distribution and emergency disaster relief. The goal: Granting residents access to a variety of resources in a single location that’s close to home.

In some cases, these services may even come straight to people’s homes, benefitting people with mobility issues. After finding success with COVID-19 outreach teams, the county also plans to extend mobile services to deliver a wider variety of other resources.

The county plans to do all this while stimulating the economy. Housing developments include provisions for mixed-use units as commercial spaces and storefronts, while increased mentorship and support for small businesses will boost opportunities for investment.

Other direct actions include a reinvention of public safety, an increase in public transportation and cohesive retraining across county departments for more direct accessibility.

Working at the neighborhood level and amplifying the residents’ voices is what Thrive305 is all about, says Rahel Weldeyesus, senior advisor for the county’s Innovation and Performance initiative, who added that the plan prioritizes marginalized communities.

“We really want people to see this as the beginning,” she said. “This isn’t a really nice glossy report that’s just going to be shelved. We want to build the civic muscle of our residents, and we want their voice to be at the center of everything we do.”

Weldeyesus added that the county expects to begin community discussions in 2022 in order to report back to residents and be held accountable for their actions.