EH Home About Us Communities Radiation Medicine Water Sewage Programs Newsroom Data

For more information on this project, contact Samir Elmir, Environmental Health Director at the Miami-Dade County Health Department.

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT
November Little Haiti PACE-EH Project Report

 To:                Daniel Parker, M.S.
                       Assistant Division Director, Division of Environmental Health

From:             Trevor D. Coke
                       Environmental Supervisor II

Through:         Samir Elmir, MS, PE, DEE
                        Environmental Administrator

Subject:          Little Haiti PACE EH Project
 

On November 18, 2006 a cleanup activity was scheduled and conducted within four specific blocks of Little Haiti community. In October monthly community meeting the Community Environmental Health Task Force (CEHTF) identified four blocks for cleanup effort. The blocks identified were bounded on the East by Miami Ave, on the South by NW 67th St, on the West by NW 2nd Ave and on the North by NW 70th St. The team was comprised of the following; Two Miami Dade County Health Department Staff, One City of Miami Police, Three community business owners, Eight CEHTF members, two tow trucks with drivers and three community residents. The City of Miami Solid waste division was contacted in advance and they agreed that all trash and garbage collected by the residents on this specific day should be left at the curb and they would pick up the bags the following Monday morning during routine trash and garbage collection. This plan allowed the division to maximize their resources rather than providing a special pick up for the Saturday event.

On the day of the cleanup activity the residents methodically clean up street by street the targeted blocks. They also encouraged other residents to join in the activity. During the cleanup activity the city of Miami Police division /code enforcement department observed several cars and trucks which were abandoned on the streets of the community for several months. These cars and trucks were methodically towed off the streets, according to the police officer these vehicles were towed because they played a role in the illegal activities, such as drugs and prostitution. Drug dealer's and prostitutes use these abandoned vehicles to carry out their illegal activities. The cleanup activity lasted for five hours; five vehicles were tagged and removed by the city of Miami police department, code enforcement division. During the five hours of the activity the City of Miami Police also provide coverage to ensure this was a safe event. The following complaints were received from residents of the community during the cleanup activity; 1. NW 70th Street still floods when it rains heavily. 2. Several female prostitutes are still walking on NW 70th St. 3. One lot was observed with overgrown vegetation and one with building materials on the lot (Team was advised on the spot by Environmental Health to contact the City Neighborhood Enhancement Teams Office), 4. One resident living in an apartment building was observed selling package food from an apartment (This activity was referred to the city of Miami Code Enforcement on the spot by Environmental Health Staff). Environmental Health is still looking to hire a person to fill the position of community liaison for the project. At the next up coming meeting for December the committee will be discussing the action that has been taken on the complaints received during the cleanup activity and other activities that they received from the community.
 

PACE-EH Tasks	Action	Outcome	Target Date
Task 1: Determine Community Capacity
	On April 15, 2006 we started to gather information on the community.	Completed
	The community is bounded on the North by 82nd Ave., the East by NE 2nd Ave., the West by I- 95 and the South by NW 36th St.
	We looked at the demographics of the community and found that there are several persons who will adequately represent the community.
	We already have a working relationship with the community and other Governmental Agencies.
	Several representatives of the community have expressed their willingness to participate in this project.
	This community uses the local Haitian radio station to communicate with their counter part.
	One identified weakness is the fact that several representative of the community have their own political agendas in mind.
	The First community meeting was scheduled and held on June 8, 2006.
	We were able to identify a possible person from the community who could serve a community liaison.
Task 2: Define and Characterize the Community	On April 25, 2006 we conducted a survey and found that there were several characteristics of the community such as the different community representatives, and environmental conditions affecting the community, such as trash, garbage, rodent infestation and other environmental stressors. We also conducted several field visits to determine who the key players in the community are. We found that there are several business owners, political activist, home owners, radio stations and governmental agencies that have the capacity to take on a PACE-EH program.	Completed
Task 3: Assemble Community Environmental Health Assessment Team.	At our August 10, 2006 meeting we identified a group of community residents who volunteered to serve on a committee that will coordinate the emerging issues of the community.	Completed
	The community members included 6 home owners, 2 crime watch representatives, 1 government employees and 1 local radio station representatives.	Completed
	We are now in the process of hiring a person from the community who will act as a community liaison.	Pending	Dec. 10, 2006
	I have attended a PACE EH conference in Tampa that was very helpful.  It identified areas in the process that could slow down the progress of the project; it also afforded new project managers the opportunities to network with other counties who are further along in the process who shared information on the tasks.	Completed
	At our August 10 community meeting we had ten residents from the community volunteer to serve on the Environmental Health Assessment Team (EHAT).	Completed
Task 4: Define the goals of the assessments.	One member of the assessment team advised me that a major issue will be the drainage system within the community	Completed
	Second issue they would like to address is suspicious activities at several residents (drug sales and prostitution).	Ongoing
Task 5: Generate the environmental health list.	The need for code enforcement at 140 NW 70th St. Property has overgrown weeds with trash.	Completed	Nov. 2, 2006
	Suspicious Activities ( Drug sales and Prostitution) at 51,127, 129, 131, 133 NW 70th St.	Pending	Dec 31, 2006
	Commercial truck parked with full load of roofing equipment.	Completed	Nov. 2, 2006
	The need for a new Citizen Crime Watch Sign at N. Miami Ave.	Pending	Nov 17, 2006
	The need for a speed bump in the middle of block - NW 70th St.	Pending	Dec 31, 2006
	Clean up activity for the following blocks were completed: Miami Ave. on the east, NW 67th St. on the south, NW 2nd Ave. on the west, and NW 70th St. on the north.	Completed	Nov. 18, 2006
	Several abandoned vehicles were removed from the community (helped address drugs and prostitution in the community).	Ongoing

Completed



Completed




Completed


Completed



Completed



Pending






 

' The The need

Haiti Community was scheduled and held on November 18, 2006.

1. A cleanup campaign for specific blocks of the Little Haiti Community was scheduled and held on November 18, 2006. The number of community residents that promised to participate did not show up for the activity however we still had eighteen community representatives.

2. The number of community residents that promised to participate did not show up for the activity however we still had eighteen community representatives.

3. The issue of suspicious activities and prostitution is still pending to be addressed by the city of Miami Police Division.

4. The removal of some of the illegally parked cars and trucks were a contributing factor to the drug and prostitution activities in the community.

5. One home owner was reported to the City of Miami Code Enforcement officer for selling package foods from an apartment building.

6. Two lots were reported to the City of Miami Neighborhood Enhancement team for code enforcement because one was overgrown and the other had construction debris on the lot.

7. The issue of section of the community (NW 70th St between Miami Ave and NW 2nd Ave) being flooded was also reported to the team by one community resident.

Little Haiti Community Reports

September, 2006

August, 2006

July, 2006

June, 2006

West Perrine Community Reports

July/October, 2004

May/June, 2004