Affordable Housing in Miami, FL

This page collects the specific programs, agencies, phone numbers, and rules that apply in Miami and Miami-Dade County — not generic Section 8 advice. Miami-Dade runs the largest PHA in Florida (over 23,000 vouchers) and operates an Office of Housing Advocacy hotline that didn't exist before. But the legal landscape changed in July 2023 — Florida's HB 1417 preempted Miami-Dade's Tenants' Bill of Rights and other local protections. The named resources below are where to start.

Emergency Help Tonight in Miami

If you need a safe place to sleep tonight or are facing an imminent eviction, these are the local resources to contact first:

• Camillus House — Center of Hope — 258-bed emergency shelter providing clean beds, three hot daily meals, on-site health care, and biweekly case management. 305-374-1065. camillus.org
• Chapman Partnership — emergency shelter at the Homeless Assistance Center (HAC) downtown and another in Homestead. Family and individual beds. chapmanpartnership.org
• Lotus House — shelter, supportive housing, and wraparound services specifically for women, youth, and children
• Miami Rescue Mission / Caring Place — emergency shelter for men and women, with addiction recovery programs
• Salvation Army Miami — Center of Hope shelter and rental assistance at multiple locations
• Citrus Health Network / Lazarus Project — supportive housing for people experiencing chronic homelessness
• Miami-Dade Coalition for the Homeless / Coordinated Outreach — call 305-375-CARE (2273) for the Homeless Helpline to access coordinated entry. homelesstrust.org
• Lodge Miami (Women in Distress of Broward County extends some Miami services, plus local) — domestic violence shelter. Call the Florida DV Hotline at 1-800-500-1119
• 211 Miami-Dade — free 24/7 information line for shelters, food, financial assistance, and social services

For a full walkthrough of finding shelter the first night, see our emergency housing tonight guide.

Section 8 in Miami: PHCD Status and How to Apply

Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers in Miami are administered by Miami-Dade Public Housing and Community Development (PHCD), the largest PHA in Florida with over 23,000 vouchers. The City of Miami runs a separate, smaller Section 8 program. Current status (May 2026):

• The PHCD HCV waitlist is closed as of May 2026 with no scheduled reopening. Watch miamidade.gov/housing
• City of Miami Department of Housing & Community Development runs a separate, smaller Section 8 program. Check the City's program status at miami.gov/Housing-Assistance
• Public Housing through PHCD — separate program with site-specific lists at named PHCD-owned properties
• Project-Based Voucher (PBV) lists at specific Miami-Dade properties may be open
• Important federal note: public housing tenants and tenants on subsidies pay only their portion of rent under federal/state/local program rules — not full market rent. The remainder is paid through the program
• Other special programs: Emergency Housing Vouchers (EHV), HUD-VASH for veterans, Mainstream vouchers for non-elderly people with disabilities — separate referral processes
• Apply to neighboring authorities too: Hialeah Housing Authority, Homestead Housing Authority, City of Miami Beach Housing Authority, Broward County Housing Authority (north), and Florida Housing Finance Corporation (statewide) run separate lists
• Status check: call PHCD at 786-469-4100 or use the Office of Housing Advocacy Hotline 786-469-4545 if you've already applied and need to verify your position

For the national application process, see our step-by-step Section 8 guide and how to find your PHA.

Emergency Rental Assistance in Miami (Named Programs)

If you're behind on rent or can't pay this month, these are the local programs currently operating in Miami. Funding shifts month to month — always call to confirm current availability:

• Miami-Dade Office of Housing Advocacy — single intake point for housing emergencies and rental assistance referrals across Miami-Dade. Call the Housing Advocacy Hotline at 786-469-4545. miamidade.gov/housingadvocacy
• Miami-Dade Homeless Trust — Rapid Rehousing & Prevention — call 305-375-CARE (2273) for homelessness prevention assistance. Maximum is typically $1,000 rent or $1,500 mortgage when funded
• Camillus House Homeless Prevention Assistance Program — first month's rent, security deposit, utility, mortgage, or food assistance for people at risk of homelessness. camillus.org/need-help/homeless-prevention-assistance-program
• City of Miami ERA Program — periodic City-funded rental assistance. miami.gov/Housing-Assistance-Recovery/Housing-Assistance/ERA-Program
• City of Miami Beach Rent/Mortgage/Utility Assistance Fund — for Miami Beach residents. apps.miamibeachfl.gov/housing
• Catholic Charities of Miami — emergency financial assistance, food, immigration legal services, and case management. Spanish, Haitian Creole, and other language services
• Legal Services of Greater Miami — free legal help for low-income tenants facing eviction. legalservicesmiami.org
• St. Vincent de Paul of Miami — one-time emergency rental and utility help through local parish conferences
• Salvation Army Miami — eviction prevention and utility assistance
• Miami Workers Center — tenant organizing and advocacy in Miami-Dade

ERAP and federal pandemic-era programs have ended

Miami-Dade's Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) and ERAP 2.4 have closed; federal pandemic funds are spent. The current paths are the Office of Housing Advocacy Hotline, Camillus House Prevention, City of Miami ERA (when funded), and the named nonprofits above. Don't waste time on old 2021–2023 application portals.

Utility assistance: LIHEAP

In Florida, LIHEAP is administered locally. In Miami-Dade, you apply through the County's Community Action and Human Services Department or Catholic Charities. Cooling assistance is critical in summer humidity. Apply through CAHSD or call 211.

Tenant Rights in Miami & Florida

Florida has a landlord-friendly framework, and a 2023 state law preempted Miami-Dade's local tenant protections. Knowing the current rules is essential:

• Florida HB 1417 (effective July 1, 2023) preempted local tenant protections: Florida's state legislature preempted local government tenant ordinances. As a result, Miami-Dade's Tenants' Bill of Rights (Ordinance 22-47) is no longer in effect. The state's landlord-tenant statute is now controlling. This was a significant rollback of local protections
• No source-of-income protection: Florida does not have a statewide law preventing landlords from refusing Section 8 vouchers, and HB 1417 prevents local ordinances. Finding a landlord who already accepts vouchers is part of the work — PHCD can provide a list of participating landlords
• No rent control allowed: Florida Statute 125.0103 prohibits cities and counties from passing local rent control except in declared housing emergencies (very rare). Miami landlords can raise rent freely at lease end
• 3-day notice for nonpayment (Florida Statute §83.56) — excludes Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays. Among the shortest in the country. Act fast
• Security deposit return: within 15 days with no deductions, or 30 days with itemized deductions sent by certified mail (FS §83.49). Florida does not cap deposit amounts
• Notice to end month-to-month: 30 days from either party (FS §83.57, as amended by HB 1417 in 2023; up from 15 days previously). This is one of the few HB 1417 changes that helped tenants
• Warranty of habitability: Florida Statute §83.51 requires landlords to comply with building, housing, and health codes; provide working plumbing, heat in winter, hot water, and structural soundness
• Retaliatory eviction is illegal under FS §83.64 if you've complained about code violations or organized tenants within the prior year
• Self-help eviction is illegal: changing locks, shutting off utilities, or removing belongings violates FS §83.67 — the landlord can be liable for 3 months' rent plus damages
• Fair housing: discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status, or disability is illegal under federal and Florida law. The Miami-Dade Office of Human Rights and Fair Employment Practices handles local intakes

For free legal help: Legal Services of Greater Miami represents low-income tenants in eviction defense. For state-level details, see our Florida housing resources. If you experience discrimination, see how to file a housing discrimination complaint. For cross-county comparison, see our Jacksonville page (different programs, same state law).

Other Housing Programs in Miami

• Public housing: PHCD owns approximately 9,000 units of public housing across Miami-Dade. Application is separate from Section 8; check site-specific lists
• LIHTC (Tax Credit): Miami-Dade has substantial LIHTC inventory. Search HUD's LIHTC database for properties in Miami-Dade County. See how to find LIHTC housing
• Miami-Dade Documentary Stamp Surtax — county-funded affordable housing development. New income-restricted apartments come online each year
• HUD-VASH (veterans): combines a voucher with VA case management. Miami-area veterans are referred through the Miami VA Healthcare System (Bruce W. Carter VAMC). See how to apply for HUD-VASH
• Rapid Rehousing & Permanent Supportive Housing — coordinated through the Miami-Dade Homeless Trust. Access via 305-375-CARE (2273)
• Florida Housing Finance Corporation programs — SHIP (State Housing Initiatives Partnership) administered by the County for down-payment assistance and home repair. floridahousing.org
• HUD-approved housing counseling: find a counselor through the HUD counselor locator — Miami Beach CDC and Neighborhood Housing Services of South Florida cover Miami-Dade

Next Steps

Not sure which program is right for you? Our Where to Start tool asks a few quick questions about your situation — emergency vs. long-term, family vs. individual, employed vs. on benefits — and routes you to the right combination of programs. It takes about two minutes.

Your single best first call in Miami is the Office of Housing Advocacy Hotline at 786-469-4545 — it routes you to the right County program. If you've been served a 3-day notice, contact Legal Services of Greater Miami immediately. If you need shelter, call Camillus House at 305-374-1065 or the Homeless Trust at 305-375-CARE.