Having a job doesn't always cover the cost of housing in Miami-Dade. As the number of homeless individuals rises, some workers and seniors are turning to their vehicles to spend the night.
The latest count by the Miami-Dade Homeless Trust, conducted on August 27, 2026, reported 3,748 homeless individuals in the county, a 5% increase compared to the same period last year. Of these, 1,089 were unsheltered, while another 2,659 were staying in shelters, hotels, or temporary accommodations.
"Many of them do have jobs, but not enough to pay rent," explained Katherine Martínez, a representative of the organization, to Telemundo 51.
The situation particularly impacts elderly individuals who survive on fixed incomes nearing 950 dollars per month, an amount insufficient to cover rents in the county.
In light of this reality, some have found an alternative by sleeping in their cars and paying for a gym membership to be able to shower.
"We are seeing more elderly people. We are seeing more women," Martínez pointed out while describing how the profile of those lacking housing is changing.
During a nighttime counting operation, the teams found four family members living inside a car in Hialeah.
It was about two elderly adults, their 36-year-old daughter, and a child of only six.
The family was trying to stay in Hialeah for one fundamental reason: the little one attends a school in that city.
The workers interrupted the counting to find them emergency accommodations, and they managed to place them in a hotel that same night while assessing other assistance options.
South Miami-Dade records a 123% increase while Miami Beach sees a decline in its numbers
The official report from the Miami-Dade Homeless Trust reveals a marked contrast between different areas of the county.
While the city of Miami recorded a slight decrease in the homeless population, from 537 to 530 in a year, Miami Beach saw a reduction from 122 to 92, a decrease of 24.6%.
The situation was very different in the south of Miami-Dade, from Kendall Drive to the border with Monroe County, where the number of homeless individuals rose from 47 to 105 between August 2025 and August 2026. This represents an increase of 123.4%, the largest percentage increase among the four areas in the count.
In fact, while the south added 58 homeless individuals, Miami and Miami Beach together counted 37 less. The unincorporated areas in the north maintained the same number: 362 people.
Although the data does not allow for determining whether there were movements of people between those areas or establishing the causes of the increase, it does demonstrate that the evolution of the problem has been uneven within the county, with particularly pronounced growth in the south.
But the extent of the crisis could be much greater than what is reflected in the official statistics.
An independent population study on unstable housing published by the Miami Herald estimated that around 66,000 people live in housing vulnerability, temporarily staying with relatives or friends because they cannot afford their own home.
Individuals in need of assistance can contact the Miami-Dade Homeless Trust by calling 1-877-994-4357. Families should press option 6 after selecting their language.
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