§ 2-753. Powers and duties.

The trust shall have the following powers, duties, functions and responsibilities:

(a)

To serve in an advisory capacity to the Board of County Commissioners with respect to all issues affecting or relating to persons who have become or are about to become homeless;

(b)

To recommend to the Board of County Commissioners, in accordance with the Miami-Dade County Community Homeless Plan, an annual budget and plan for use of the Homeless Tax;

(c)

To recommend to the Board of County Commissioners, in accordance with the Miami-Dade County Community Homeless Plan, the award of contracts and grants from funds generated by the Homeless Tax to organizations, entities, and agencies, including an independent 501(c)(3) corporation and relevant service providers. The Board of County Commissioners shall accept such recommendations unless rejected by an affirmative vote of a majority plus one additional vote of the Board of County Commissioners.

All requests for proposals for such contracts and grants shall be prepared at the direction of the trust and issued by the County Manager. In addition the County Manager shall collect and open such proposals, evaluate each proposal for responsiveness, rank all responsive proposals and make recommendations to the trust regarding the award of the contract or grant. In the event of a bid protest, the party protesting the bid award shall first appear before the trust. The trust shall consider the protest and make a recommendation to the Board of County Commissioners;

(d)

To review the Miami-Dade County Community Homeless Plan on a regular basis and at least annually to assure that the plan continues to serve the needs of the total community and the homeless and to recommend any needed amendments, deletions or modifications to the Board of County Commissioners. The Board of County Commissioners shall only have the power to amend the plan based upon changed circumstances;

(e)

To develop a community-wide consolidated funding plan to implement the Miami-Dade County Community Homeless Plan including the use of the following potential funding sources:

(1)

The annual proceeds of the Homeless Tax;

(2)

Funding from municipalities interested in supporting implementation of the Miami-Dade County Community Homeless Plan;

(3)

Community Development Block Grant funds;

(4)

Other federal grants;

(5)

State grants;

(6)

Private contributions.

(f)

To submit annually to the Board of County Commissioners a report summarizing and evaluating all programs and activities undertaken by the trust during the previous fiscal year. The report shall include an audit and accounting, in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, of all funds received and expended.

(g)

To monitor, review and evaluate the homeless assistance services, activities and expenditures of Miami-Dade County and the municipalities within Miami-Dade County to determine compliance with state law.

(h)

To recommend through an RFP process the award of a contract to an independent 501(c)(3) corporation which will raise private funds and carry out certain functions of the Miami-Dade County Community Homeless Plan including construction, operation, and siting of housing assistance centers and any other duties the trust may so determine.

(i)

To cooperate and work with service providers in carrying out the Miami-Dade County Community Homeless Plan.

(Ord. No. 94-66, § 3, 5-3-94)