For over a year, Angela Lovingood slept on the streets of Miami, unable to secure a shelter bed. But when the Bikini Hostel on West Avenue in Miami Beach opened its doors to people experiencing homelessness last November, she finally found a place to stay. Now, the hostel is home to more than 100 individuals who were once unsheltered, but city officials are pushing to shut it down, citing concerns over public safety and its operation as an unofficial homeless shelter. As the debate heats up, residents are speaking out, pleading for compassion and understanding.

“We are just trying to get up; we’ve been knocked down,” Lovingood said, her voice shaking during a press conference on March 5 at the hostel. “Don’t kick us while we’re down. Help us get up.”

The Bikini Hostel began housing homeless individuals in November 2024 after about 50 people were relocated from the Camillus House shelter in Miami due to a contract dispute. With Miami-Dade funding the shelter beds through the Miami-Dade Homeless Trust, the city pays the Bikini Hostel to house the residents.

However, Miami Beach leaders have expressed frustration with the facility’s transformation into a homeless refuge. Some Miami Beach officials have raised concerns about potential crime in the area, claiming that residents are contributing to public safety issues. A police vehicle has been stationed outside the hostel 24/7, leading some to question the validity of the claims.

The ongoing debate over the Bikini Hostel’s role reached a boiling point during a city of Miami Beach Commission meeting on Feb. 28. City officials voiced concerns over the impact of the hostel’s new population on the neighborhood, while advocates for unhoused people criticized the city’s response to the crisis.

At the meeting, several commissioners addressed the growing controversy, revealing behind-the-scenes efforts to manage the situation. One commissioner recounted how, on a Friday night in November, the city was notified that unhoused individuals were being relocated from Camillus House to the Bikini Hostel. This move, which occurred without prior notice to local residents or the individuals involved, sparked widespread confusion and anger.

“Every single one of my colleagues, I believe, made a trip there at 10 p.m. on a Friday night,” said Commissioner Kristen Rosen Gonzalez.

Despite the ongoing controversy, the city attorney confirmed that the Bikini Hostel is operating within its permitted use, and any new measures would need to be prospective, meaning they could not immediately affect the current residents.

A key point of contention has been the rising costs associated with maintaining a police presence at the hostel. The city currently spends $35,000 per month to station a police car outside the building, yet, as one commissioner pointed out, the issues at the hostel predate the arrival of unhoused individuals. 

“This has long been a problematic operator in our neighborhood,” said Commissioner Joseph Magazine, referring to years of code violations and calls for code compliance.

In response, officials are considering a “diplomatic solution” that would involve negotiating with those managing the relocation of unhoused individuals to the hostel by offering $100,000 to cover costs, though critics argue that this may not be enough. 

“We have to take every action possible to relocate this homeless population to a facility that can meet their needs,” Rosen Gonzalez said.

However, there have been no official incidents reported to law enforcement since the relocation to the Bikini Hostel, according to David Peery, executive director of the Miami Coalition to Advance Racial Equity (MCARE). Miami Beach Police Department did not respond to Prism’s attempts for confirmation.

“People are spreading lies about criminal activities and drugs. And yet, there’s a police car parked outside 24/7. How do you reconcile those two contradictions?” Peery said at the press conference. “It just shows that these claims are false and meant to shut down the Bikini Hostel.”

Peery has been outspoken in supporting the Bikini Hostel’s residents.

“MCARE continues to speak out on behalf of the unhoused residents and the owner of the Bikini Hostel,” Peery said in an email statement. “We oppose attempts by the City of Miami Beach to promote a false narrative about public safety issues. We intend to speak out against a proposed City resolution that unfairly maligns the hostel and its residents.”

Peery also announced that MCARE is organizing a protest rally at Miami Beach City Hall on April 22 to demand that the city stop its “harassment” and efforts to close the Bikini Hostel. 

The Bikini Hostel has provided a crucial refuge for individuals experiencing homelessness, including those like Lovingood, who have struggled to find shelter elsewhere. 

“This space has offered me something I haven’t had in a long time,” Lovingood said at the March press conference. She said she had lived on and off the streets for the past three years and couldn’t find a bed anywhere for the last year. “I was out there for over a year until the Bikini Hostel opened its doors.”

While the city pushes to close the hostel, residents argued that they are simply seeking a safe space to rebuild their lives. A resident from Cuba, who shared his story through a translator at the press conference, explained how his life circumstances led him to the hostel. 

“I’ve worked hard since I arrived in the U.S.,” he said. “Sometimes life just gets in the way. I’m not here to cause trouble. I’m here because I need help getting back on my feet.”

He emphasized that many residents are looking for a chance to regain their dignity and stability. 

“People here want to work; they want to get back to being productive. We’re not trying to cause trouble,” he said. “What we need is some patience and support. Without this place, we’d be on the streets again.”

Advocates argue that the Bikini Hostel provides more than just shelter—it offers hope and a path to reintegrating into society. 

Bikini Hostel is enriching our community. The owner has opened his doors to people who have nowhere else to go. This is a compassionate, moral decision.

David Peery, Miami Coalition to Advance Racial Equity executive director

“Bikini Hostel is enriching our community,” Peery said. “The owner has opened his doors to people who have nowhere else to go. This is a compassionate, moral decision.”

The dispute over the future of the Bikini Hostel highlights the broader challenges Miami Beach faces in providing adequate shelter and resources for those experiencing homelessness, as well as the tension between compassion for unhoused people and concerns about public safety.

This issue was compounded by the abrupt cancellation of Referendum 8, a proposed 1% food and beverage tax to fund homelessness and domestic violence services. City commissioners voted in October to rescind the measure, which had already been placed on the ballot for the Nov. 5, 2024, election, after more than 20,000 voters had already cast their ballots in early voting. None of the votes on the question were counted. Miami Beach Mayor Steve Meiner and other commissioners argued that the tax would negatively affect small businesses and that the funds raised would benefit a homeless trust that operates outside of Miami Beach rather than addressing local needs.

Advocates for homelessness services argue that the move signaled a lack of commitment to addressing the crisis. Commissioner Alex Fernandez said at the time, “It is undemocratic to send a question about a tax to the voters and then take the question away from the voters while they are actively voting.”

As the city moves forward with its investigation and debate over the hostel’s fate, residents and advocates are urging city officials to reconsider their stance and focus on providing support rather than pushing people back onto the streets.

“Homelessness isn’t a choice,” Peery added. “No one chooses to be homeless, just as no one chooses to be exposed to violence or to have all of their possessions stolen. These are human beings, and they deserve help.”

Editorial Team:
Sahar Fatima, Lead Editor
Carolyn Copeland, Top Editor
Stephanie Harris, Copy Editor