The Mia Casa acquisition and reopening marks the Trust’s latest effort to combat rising homelessness while providing a permanent housing resource to one of Miami’s most vulnerable communities.
MIAMI, FL / April 19, 2023 / Ron Book and the Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust are celebrating the recent purchase and reopening of Mia Casa, a former assisted living facility now providing permanent housing to members of Miami’s rapidly-growing senior homeless population.
Acquired by the Trust in January 2023, the 65-room Miami facility currently houses 120 seniors aged 65 years and older, individuals who would have otherwise been counted among the county’s homeless. Officially opened during a March 31 ceremony, Mia Casa is the first of at least four properties in the Trust’s upcoming acquisition plans, each focused on addressing homelessness across the Miami-Dade region.
As Trust Chairman and decades-long advocate for South Florida’s underserved communities, Ron Book has been instrumental to and throughout the Mia Casa acquisition process. Book’s leadership on the issue began with a 2021 appearance before the Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners (BCC), where he urged support for a resolution to consider and fund the acquisition initiative. Following BCC approval, Book and the Trust received grants from both the state of Florida and Miami-Dade Public Housing and Community Development, ensuring the successful acquisition of the property.
Before purchasing Mia Casa, the Trust had been leasing the property as a COVID-era quarantine and isolation site, providing a safe haven for seniors at high risk of contracting the virus.
Book’s unphased leadership and efforts throughout the Mia Casa acquisition process reinforce his reputation as a tireless public advocate, someone who has continually given voice to and fought for those among South Florida’s poor and underserved communities. The success of Mia Casa serves as a testament to the community’s dedication to creating long-term solutions for homelessness and setting a precedent for future initiatives in the region.
An attorney and local government lobbyist for more than 35 years, Book’s work to combat such issues as homelessness and child abuse has not only led to millions of dollars in funding for many impactful local organizations, but also garnered him the recognition of the Florida Bar, which recently honored Book with a Florida Bar President’s Pro Bono Service Award.
Upon receiving the award, Book was praised by Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava:
“Ron Book has been a pillar in our community for decades. In chairing the Miami-Dade Homeless Trust, Ron has worked tirelessly to ensure all people in our community have the most basic dignity of sleeping with a roof over their head. Through Ron’s leadership, Miami-Dade is better equipped to provide not only a safety net for those experiencing homelessness, but the resources and systems needed to end the cycle once and for all. I applaud Ron for receiving The Florida Bar President’s Pro Bono Service Award and thank him for his lifelong commitment to combating homelessness in Miami-Dade County and beyond.”
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