The city of Hialeah approved a more restrictive zoning ordinance that limits the number of trailers and boats that can be had in a house.
The use of recreational vehicles to rent as homes in residential areas is illegal in Hialeah and is affecting urban order in the ““City that Progresses”.
Mayor Esteban Bovo He had warned since September that the authorities would put a stop to this situation. This Wednesday he offered a press conference assuring that there are new regulations and the fine is large for those who fail to comply with what is established.
“Renting a mobile home in a residential area for profit is illegal. It is not allowed,” Bovo said. The fine for failing to comply with the new regulations is 500 dollars a day.
The new ordinance aims to protect property owners in Hialeah. Many neighbors complain about having to live near mobile homes illegally rented by people they do not know and who in some cases engage in uncivil behavior.
A rental of this type can cost $1,100 a month. It is the housing option that immigrants recently arrived in the country who have low incomes have.
City authorities have detected cases of up to five trailers on a single property, in the middle of a residential area. “We cannot tolerate that,” said Councilman Jesús Tundidor.
The new restrictions indicate that You can only have one recreational vehicle or boat per property. In addition, they prohibit parking the trailer in the backyard of the home and accept it only in single-family homes.
The exact number of mobile homes in Hialeah that are illegally used as homes is not known, but authorities estimate that the number exceeds 198 legally registered recreational vehicles.
Hialeah authorities will begin a mobile home registration process. The owners must sign a document where they agree that the use will be recreational and not for profit from rentals.
Seven councilors participated in the vote on the ordinance, of which five were in favor and only two against.
Those who opposed are concerned about the impact that this measure will have for needy families, especially in cases where social assistance plans are lacking.
Trailer owners have a four-month period to register them. If the authorities detect that any mobile home uses cables to take advantage of the public electrical service or connects to the sewer, they could be fined.
The mayor noted that the ordinance will not affect commercial vehicles.
In Miami-Dade the authorities have taken note of the way in which Hialeah is resolving this situation and could apply similar measures.
