Published October 5, 2026 at 12:06 PM EDT

The Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust announced Monday it has been awarded up to $12 million in federal grant funding over the next three years to launch a street-based outreach initiative targeting homeless people with severe mental illness and substance use disorders

The Homeless Trust is as one of only eight communities selected nationwide by U.S. Department of Health and Human Service. The funding, part of a broader $96 million federal investment, will provide $3 million annually over four years.

As the lead agency for Miami-Dade County’s Homeless Continuum of Care, the Homeless Trust will oversee and monitor the newly created Miami Safe Streets Collaborative. It will bring together local government officials, healthcare providers, housing organizations, law enforcement agencies, and the judicial system to deliver coordinated, street-level care.

“This grant is part of a missing link to help the Homeless Trust further drive down homelessness in Miami’s urban core,” said Ron Book, Chairman of the Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust. “The Miami Safe Streets Collaborative will be intertwined with the new Miami Center for Mental Health and Recovery.”

The project will focus on “high-need” neighborhoods including Downtown Miami, Overtown, Little Havana, Allapattah, and Wynwood/Edgewater.

Miami police say the homeless with mental health and substance abuse issues accounted for 1,642 crisis calls, 1,268 narcotics calls, and 4,568 homeless contacts in 2026.

New Hope C.O.R.P.S, The Advocate Program, Camillus Health Concern, and Behavioral Science Research is partnering with the Homeless Trust on the initiative.