Worker safety activists secure major victory in Miami’s largest redevelopment deal
Prism
*Note: Catalyst Miami is a proud member of the Build a Better Miami coalition.*
By Alexandra Martinez
This article originally appeared on PrismReports.org.
Construction workers build a residential high rise on Oct. 2, 2023 in Miami.
Credit: Joe Raedle/Getty Images
In a landmark victory for worker safety, a coalition of labor activists has secured a major commitment from a developer to implement stringent heat protections for construction workers on its $3 billion redevelopment project. The achievement, resulting from relentless advocacy efforts, sets a new precedent for responsible development amid rising temperatures.
The 63-acre mixed-use project in the Little River and Little Haiti neighborhoods, spearheaded by Swerdlow Group Holdings, was reviewed by the Miami-Dade Housing Committee on March 11 during a meeting to negotiate a development agreement with the group. Residents and activists with the Build a Better Miami Coalition and nonprofit WeCount! mobilized to demand a fairer deal amid growing concerns over affordability and worker rights.
In a breakthrough move, Swerdlow Group agreed to voluntarily implement a comprehensive heat safety program, making it the first developer to take such action since the passage of HB 433, a state law that prohibits local governments from mandating heat protections for workers.
“This is a historic moment for Miami’s construction workers,” Candido, a construction worker and member of WeCount!, said in a press release. “Every four days, a construction worker dies in Florida, and extreme heat is a growing factor. This win proves that developers can and must take responsibility for the safety of their workforce.”
The commitment from Swerdlow Group includes several critical safety measures: on-site education for workers and construction managers, access to hydration and cooling stations, designated shaded areas, and continuous monitoring to ensure compliance with workplace safety protocols. Additionally, the developer has pledged to involve third-party oversight through Community Awareness Construction Services (CACS), a Miami-based minority- and woman-owned enterprise, to enforce protections and safeguard worker well-being.
Swerdlow Group claimed that its revenue-sharing pact would also see the county gain about $9.5 billion via profits from retailers and businesses in the area.
“In partnership with and under the leadership of Miami-Dade County, our development team is delivering an extensive Community Benefits Agreement that is part of our lease with the County and will ensure worker protections, particularly related to heat, and responsible hiring with local hiring preferences for both construction and permanent jobs, including low-income and public housing area residents,” Michael Swerdlow, managing partner of Swerdlow Group Holdings, wrote in an emailed statement to Prism. “The County will reap approximately $9.5 billion through this project—the largest revenue sharing pact of this kind in the County’s history. These revenues can be used to support the County’s efforts to address the affordable housing crisis in Miami-Dade and invest in community development.”
Despite the unanimous vote in favor of the development during Tuesday’s meeting, representatives from Victory Homes, the existing affordable housing property that will be redeveloped as part of the deal, voiced objections and a desire to postpone a decision for at least 60 days.
“Victory Homes has not been given the proper timing for this project, we have not met with the developers at Swerdlow, we have not really sat down with anyone,” said Maxine Mason, the tenant council president. “We would like to have input which we were supposed to have, which we have not had.”
The Miami-Dade County Public Housing and Community Development (PHCD) department held a community meeting on March 6 and, according to PHCD Director Alex Ballina, it will hold another toward the end of the month. Miami-Dade County Commissioners Marlene Bastien and Eileen Higgins urged the developer and the PHCD to hold more community meetings, including online meetings.
Zaina Alsous, an organizer with WeCount!, said Miami faces “parallel crises happening at the same time. One is a crisis of low wages and degraded labor standards, particularly in construction. …The other is a housing crisis.”
“[Real estate developer] Jorge Perez said that heat protections would bankrupt his industry, and now here today, after much constructive dialog with Swerdlow Group, we’re so thrilled to hear that there’s a public commitment, historic precedent, to provide heat protections for workers across this project,” Alsous said during public comment on Tuesday.
“This is something that we really hope to see spread all across Miami-Dade County,” Alsous continued. “There is a crisis of labor standards here in Miami. It is affecting the health and safety of our workforce we’re lucky to have, and so we look forward to making more positive changes, like the ones that are being announced here today.”
Alsous added that while the project includes redeveloping public housing and constructing thousands of new units, affordability remains a significant concern.
“Sixty percent of the units are projected to be Workforce Housing, which is marketed to people making at least $90,000 a year. But the majority of construction workers in our membership are making closer to $40,000 a year and below,” Alsous said, underscoring the need for more affordable options.
At a press conference on March 5, Build a Better Miami, a coalition of more than 50 community members, labor representatives, and tenant advocates, gathered to urge officials to require a Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) before approving the project. The coalition insisted that any development of this scale must ensure fair wages, workplace protections, and affordable housing to avoid displacing current residents and exploitative labor practices. Advocates argued that responsible contracting must be enforced to prevent unscrupulous labor practices, ensuring that all workers receive proper training through the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, protections against heat-related illnesses, and wages that comply with local laws.
Activists also demanded that at least half of the proposed 5,700 new apartments be set aside as affordable housing. Tenant rights groups also called for safeguards to prevent displacement and rising rents that could push long-term residents out of their communities. The coalition urged the developers to invest directly in the local economy by providing $1 million in grants to small businesses that may be affected by years of construction.
“The affordability crisis in Miami is displacing families, and we need to ensure that any new development centers the well-being of workers and the community,” said Pastor Jacques St. Louis of Grace Evangelical Baptist Church, who hosted the press conference.
Throughout the press conference, construction workers, union leaders, and community organizers shared their personal experiences and expertise on the issue. Candido and Jairo, members of WeCount!, described the unsafe labor conditions they have faced on job sites, underscoring the necessity of stronger protections.
“We are essential workers, but we experience many abuses,” said Jairo, a construction worker who did not provide his full name. “We have a crisis right now in construction. Men are dying, and that cannot be. That is why we are united in this campaign to get community benefits for all of us.”
Alex Jiron, a representative from the Florida Carpenters Regional Council, emphasized the importance of using responsible contractors and union labor to ensure ethical construction practices.
“I look around, and I see workers and members of society who construct Florida every day,” said Jiron, whose family immigrated from Nicaragua. “You see these hands? These are the calloused hands of a people who build your streets and your roads, your homes in which you lay your head every morning in comfort. But yet we are here toiling in the heat. … But yet, who are we? Is my sweat not worth as much as yours? Are we not human?”
Dr. Armen Henderson of Dade County Street Response pointed out that nearly 75% of construction workers lack employer-sponsored health insurance, creating a severe health care crisis among laborers.
“Can Swerdlow serve the needs of workers that are critical to its project and still make a profit? Can Swerdlow make a shiny new building without tearing down its workers? The answer is yes,” said Henderson. “We are asking for the bare minimum, and we hope they are approved.”
Housing advocates like Ericka Varela of the Miami Workers Center warned that the redevelopment project could lead to mass evictions and displacements without intervention.
“No one can tell me gentrification is not happening in Miami,” Jiron said. “How do you expect us to survive in this city nowadays? But this can no longer be brushed underneath the rug.”
Dr. Cheryl Holder of Florida Clinicians for Climate Action raised concerns over the dangers of extreme heat exposure on construction sites, a growing threat in South Florida. Faith leaders, including Rev. Ana Jackson, called for a commitment to shared prosperity, while Ashley Toussaint of Black Men Build urged greater protections for public housing tenants and small businesses in Little River and Little Haiti. Rachel Prestipino of Catalyst Miami added that large-scale developments must prioritize community voices to avoid exacerbating inequalities.
During Tuesday’s meeting, Michael Liu, the chief strategy officer and executive vice president for Swerdlow Group, said the developer is “willing to engage with the community to talk about economic development.”
“We do want to point out, of course, that this is one of its kind of historic commitment on the part of us, to provide the county with $9.5 billion over the life of the project, term of the lease,” Liu said. “Certainly, we encourage engagement of the community with the county and [Housing and Community Development] to talk about how to use those funds, which could include small businesses and assistance there too.”
With Miami’s construction sector ranking among the most dangerous in the country and rental prices soaring by 55% since 2020, advocates believe this project must not proceed without essential protections in place. They argue that failing to address these concerns will further deepen Miami’s housing and labor crises.
“We’ve met directly with the developer several times and have encouraged some changes and improvements in the development,” Alsous said prior to Tuesday’s meeting. “There’s an openness to providing heat protections and additional protections for workers’ rights. There’s also an openness to increasing affordability, and we want to make sure these commitments are actually enacted and strengthened.”
*Note: Catalyst Miami is a proud member of the Build a Better Miami coalition.*
By Alexandra Martinez
This article originally appeared on PrismReports.org.
Construction workers build a residential high rise on Oct. 2, 2023 in Miami.
Credit: Joe Raedle/Getty Images
In a landmark victory for worker safety, a coalition of labor activists has secured a major commitment from a developer to implement stringent heat protections for construction workers on its $3 billion redevelopment project. The achievement, resulting from relentless advocacy efforts, sets a new precedent for responsible development amid rising temperatures.
The 63-acre mixed-use project in the Little River and Little Haiti neighborhoods, spearheaded by Swerdlow Group Holdings, was reviewed by the Miami-Dade Housing Committee on March 11 during a meeting to negotiate a development agreement with the group. Residents and activists with the Build a Better Miami Coalition and nonprofit WeCount! mobilized to demand a fairer deal amid growing concerns over affordability and worker rights.
In a breakthrough move, Swerdlow Group agreed to voluntarily implement a comprehensive heat safety program, making it the first developer to take such action since the passage of HB 433, a state law that prohibits local governments from mandating heat protections for workers.
“This is a historic moment for Miami’s construction workers,” Candido, a construction worker and member of WeCount!, said in a press release. “Every four days, a construction worker dies in Florida, and extreme heat is a growing factor. This win proves that developers can and must take responsibility for the safety of their workforce.”
The commitment from Swerdlow Group includes several critical safety measures: on-site education for workers and construction managers, access to hydration and cooling stations, designated shaded areas, and continuous monitoring to ensure compliance with workplace safety protocols. Additionally, the developer has pledged to involve third-party oversight through Community Awareness Construction Services (CACS), a Miami-based minority- and woman-owned enterprise, to enforce protections and safeguard worker well-being.
Swerdlow Group claimed that its revenue-sharing pact would also see the county gain about $9.5 billion via profits from retailers and businesses in the area.
“In partnership with and under the leadership of Miami-Dade County, our development team is delivering an extensive Community Benefits Agreement that is part of our lease with the County and will ensure worker protections, particularly related to heat, and responsible hiring with local hiring preferences for both construction and permanent jobs, including low-income and public housing area residents,” Michael Swerdlow, managing partner of Swerdlow Group Holdings, wrote in an emailed statement to Prism. “The County will reap approximately $9.5 billion through this project—the largest revenue sharing pact of this kind in the County’s history. These revenues can be used to support the County’s efforts to address the affordable housing crisis in Miami-Dade and invest in community development.”
Despite the unanimous vote in favor of the development during Tuesday’s meeting, representatives from Victory Homes, the existing affordable housing property that will be redeveloped as part of the deal, voiced objections and a desire to postpone a decision for at least 60 days.
“Victory Homes has not been given the proper timing for this project, we have not met with the developers at Swerdlow, we have not really sat down with anyone,” said Maxine Mason, the tenant council president. “We would like to have input which we were supposed to have, which we have not had.”
The Miami-Dade County Public Housing and Community Development (PHCD) department held a community meeting on March 6 and, according to PHCD Director Alex Ballina, it will hold another toward the end of the month. Miami-Dade County Commissioners Marlene Bastien and Eileen Higgins urged the developer and the PHCD to hold more community meetings, including online meetings.
Zaina Alsous, an organizer with WeCount!, said Miami faces “parallel crises happening at the same time. One is a crisis of low wages and degraded labor standards, particularly in construction. …The other is a housing crisis.”
“[Real estate developer] Jorge Perez said that heat protections would bankrupt his industry, and now here today, after much constructive dialog with Swerdlow Group, we’re so thrilled to hear that there’s a public commitment, historic precedent, to provide heat protections for workers across this project,” Alsous said during public comment on Tuesday.
“This is something that we really hope to see spread all across Miami-Dade County,” Alsous continued. “There is a crisis of labor standards here in Miami. It is affecting the health and safety of our workforce we’re lucky to have, and so we look forward to making more positive changes, like the ones that are being announced here today.”
Alsous added that while the project includes redeveloping public housing and constructing thousands of new units, affordability remains a significant concern.
“Sixty percent of the units are projected to be Workforce Housing, which is marketed to people making at least $90,000 a year. But the majority of construction workers in our membership are making closer to $40,000 a year and below,” Alsous said, underscoring the need for more affordable options.
At a press conference on March 5, Build a Better Miami, a coalition of more than 50 community members, labor representatives, and tenant advocates, gathered to urge officials to require a Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) before approving the project. The coalition insisted that any development of this scale must ensure fair wages, workplace protections, and affordable housing to avoid displacing current residents and exploitative labor practices. Advocates argued that responsible contracting must be enforced to prevent unscrupulous labor practices, ensuring that all workers receive proper training through the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, protections against heat-related illnesses, and wages that comply with local laws.
Activists also demanded that at least half of the proposed 5,700 new apartments be set aside as affordable housing. Tenant rights groups also called for safeguards to prevent displacement and rising rents that could push long-term residents out of their communities. The coalition urged the developers to invest directly in the local economy by providing $1 million in grants to small businesses that may be affected by years of construction.
“The affordability crisis in Miami is displacing families, and we need to ensure that any new development centers the well-being of workers and the community,” said Pastor Jacques St. Louis of Grace Evangelical Baptist Church, who hosted the press conference.
Throughout the press conference, construction workers, union leaders, and community organizers shared their personal experiences and expertise on the issue. Candido and Jairo, members of WeCount!, described the unsafe labor conditions they have faced on job sites, underscoring the necessity of stronger protections.
“We are essential workers, but we experience many abuses,” said Jairo, a construction worker who did not provide his full name. “We have a crisis right now in construction. Men are dying, and that cannot be. That is why we are united in this campaign to get community benefits for all of us.”
Alex Jiron, a representative from the Florida Carpenters Regional Council, emphasized the importance of using responsible contractors and union labor to ensure ethical construction practices.
“I look around, and I see workers and members of society who construct Florida every day,” said Jiron, whose family immigrated from Nicaragua. “You see these hands? These are the calloused hands of a people who build your streets and your roads, your homes in which you lay your head every morning in comfort. But yet we are here toiling in the heat. … But yet, who are we? Is my sweat not worth as much as yours? Are we not human?”
Dr. Armen Henderson of Dade County Street Response pointed out that nearly 75% of construction workers lack employer-sponsored health insurance, creating a severe health care crisis among laborers.
“Can Swerdlow serve the needs of workers that are critical to its project and still make a profit? Can Swerdlow make a shiny new building without tearing down its workers? The answer is yes,” said Henderson. “We are asking for the bare minimum, and we hope they are approved.”
Housing advocates like Ericka Varela of the Miami Workers Center warned that the redevelopment project could lead to mass evictions and displacements without intervention.
“No one can tell me gentrification is not happening in Miami,” Jiron said. “How do you expect us to survive in this city nowadays? But this can no longer be brushed underneath the rug.”
Dr. Cheryl Holder of Florida Clinicians for Climate Action raised concerns over the dangers of extreme heat exposure on construction sites, a growing threat in South Florida. Faith leaders, including Rev. Ana Jackson, called for a commitment to shared prosperity, while Ashley Toussaint of Black Men Build urged greater protections for public housing tenants and small businesses in Little River and Little Haiti. Rachel Prestipino of Catalyst Miami added that large-scale developments must prioritize community voices to avoid exacerbating inequalities.
During Tuesday’s meeting, Michael Liu, the chief strategy officer and executive vice president for Swerdlow Group, said the developer is “willing to engage with the community to talk about economic development.”
“We do want to point out, of course, that this is one of its kind of historic commitment on the part of us, to provide the county with $9.5 billion over the life of the project, term of the lease,” Liu said. “Certainly, we encourage engagement of the community with the county and [Housing and Community Development] to talk about how to use those funds, which could include small businesses and assistance there too.”
With Miami’s construction sector ranking among the most dangerous in the country and rental prices soaring by 55% since 2020, advocates believe this project must not proceed without essential protections in place. They argue that failing to address these concerns will further deepen Miami’s housing and labor crises.
“We’ve met directly with the developer several times and have encouraged some changes and improvements in the development,” Alsous said prior to Tuesday’s meeting. “There’s an openness to providing heat protections and additional protections for workers’ rights. There’s also an openness to increasing affordability, and we want to make sure these commitments are actually enacted and strengthened.”
