53 homeless people relocated from Camillus House to South Beach hostel amid room rate negotiations with City of Miami

Dozens of homeless people were kicked out of a Miami shelter over a payment problem, and where they were sent is setting off a firestorm.

Fifty-three people experiencing homelessness are now staying at the Bikini Hostel, Cafe & Beer Garden in Miami Beach as of Saturday.

7News spoke with several of these people, who asked not to be identified or show their faces on camera.

“They never told us where we were coming, how the system is here, sleeping 12 people in a room,” said one of them.

The people who spoke with 7News said they were at Camillus House up until Friday night.

“I was sleeping, woke up, they tell me. ‘You’ve got to pack your stuff,'” said one of them.

“[They told us], ‘Everybody go!'” said another.

These residents, many of them seniors and in need of medical and psychological services, were put onto buses and dropped off at Bikini Hostel, located on West Avenue and 13th Street.

The relocation came much to the surprise of some Miami Beach commissioners.

“No notice to the City of Miami Beach, no collaboration, no coordination,” said Miami Beach Vice Mayor Alex Fernandez.

Fernandez is concerned that these people won’t get care that they need, and he is also worried for residents in the surrounding area.

“They should be moved to locations where they’re getting the supportive services that they need, not just a hostel where they’re not getting any support whatsoever,” he said. “There are appropriate locations that receive funding to provide for counseling, mental services, addiction services, job placement, transportation, food, everything in a triage of services that homeless individuals need.”

In a statement issued Saturday, Camillus House CEO Eddie Gloria said City of Miami officials are responsible for the move. It reads in part:

“Camillus House was not advised nor participated in the City’s relocation plan that took place late Friday afternoon. In fact, we were quite surprised and told nothing about their destination.”

Gloria’s statement goes on to say that Camillus House had been in negotiations with the City of Miami about rate increases for emergency operations since August, and their previous agreement ended in September, with an extension expiring at the end of October.

The statement continues:

“Since then, Camillus submitted a proposal to the City and received no commitment from the City by the agreed upon deadline. Upon advising the City that Camillus would no longer be able to sustain the shelter operations without payment and an agreement, the City made arrangements to relocate their clients to another site.”

The people who were moved to Bikini Hostel said they are allowed to be there for the next 30 days, but they are unsure what will happen after that.

“I’m scared that I’m going to be in the streets,” said one of them.

Officials with the City of Miami said they worked with the Homeless Trust to relocated the people from Camillus House to Bikini Hostel. They released a statement that reads in part:

“Despite ongoing negotiations regarding a rate dispute, Camillus House terminated services, prompting our swift action to secure temporary shelter, ensuring uninterrupted care and meals. Our priority remains balancing compassion with community concerns, maintaining public safety and quality of life.”