Miami Dade Mayor leads housing summit
From David Volz
Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava and the Department of Public Housing and Community Development are hosting the Building Blocks Housing Summit to find solutions to the housing affordability crisis currently affecting county residents by increasing the supply, leveraging funds for housing projects, protecting tenants, and supporting property owners, among other initiatives. Over 700 participants registered to participate, together with national and local experts in housing and community development, from tenants and service providers, to builders, government officials and civic groups.
Miami Dade fights mosquitos
From David Volz
As the calendar turns to the summer months of June, July, and August, the frequent rainfall and the sweltering heat return, as do the elevated numbers of mosquitoes and complaints. Miami-Dade County’s Mosquito Control and Habitat Management Division has tips for residents on how to protect themselves.
“Our main approach to controlling mosquitoes includes non-stop surveillance of the populations coupled with preventive treatments which target the mosquito in the larval stage and when its life cycle depends on water,” says Operations Manager Dr. Isik Unlu. “We encourage residents to eliminate any standing water they find on their property to reduce breeding and to apply a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency-registered repellent before going outdoors to protect against bites.”
Miami-Dade County’s mosquito surveillance program features 325 mosquito traps set throughout the county, which are monitored on a weekly basis. The data collected from these traps informs when and where to spray via truck. Information is also culled from resident complaints about mosquitoes, reports of standing water and abandoned pools, as well as request for mosquito inspections.
Here are some additional tips for residents to stay bite-free this summer:
· Apply a mosquito repellent that contains DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus, or IR-3535 prior to venturing outdoors
· Discard yard objects no longer in use, such as toys, and pots, planters, tires, and home appliances
· Install fine mesh screens over windows, doors, porches, and patios, and keeping them in good repair thereafter
· Check lawn faucets and air conditioning units to make sure they are not pooling water, which creates breeding sites
· Clear out rain gutters from time to time to avoid clogging and standing water
· Keep swimming pool pump equipment running on a timer and water chemicals properly balanced
· Fill tree and yard holes with sand
· Replace the water in outdoor pet dishes and birdbaths at least once a week
· Store water tables and kiddie pools upside down when not in use
· Ensure that car, boat, and other tarps are not collecting water
Miami-Dade County works with the Florida Department of Health to treat potential and confirmed mosquito-borne disease cases as soon as they are identified. The division recently expanded its regular truck larviciding routes to include high-traffic and density areas such as Coral Gables, Coconut Grove, Bay Harbor Islands, and Brickell. It also revamped its zones altogether at the beginning of the year to include Allapattah, Cutler Bay, Hialeah, Miami Gardens, and North Miami, among other areas.
