Housing in Miami

Find housing before you start service

You’re required to be living in the state of Florida by your the first day of service. This will allow you to focus on building relationships with your teammates, immerse yourself in training and adjust to your new neighborhood before the school year begins.

When to start looking

It is important to start looking for housing beginning as early as April. Often, City Year Miami’s start date is late July to early August, so it is important to try to get a lease that starts prior to the start date.

Deciding where to live

All the schools that City Year partners with are in North Miami, Central Miami and South Miami. Not knowing school placements will not impact your ability to secure housing.

When deciding school placement, we consider where our AmeriCorps member live to ensure an easier commute to their assigned location.

Recommended Neighborhoods:

• Allapattah
• Cutler Bay
• Downtown Miami
• Homestead
• Liberty City
• Little Haiti
• Little Havana
• North Miami
• South Miami
• Upper Eastside
• West Little River

Finding roommates

Confirmed AmeriCorps members will be added to the City Year Miami Facebook Page so they’ll be able to connect with fellow AmeriCorps members who also may need housing or roommates.

Budgeting for housing

The average rent is around $800 – $1,100 per room

Members find housing through online posting sites, word of mouth and sometimes on the City Year Facebook group (current members advertising their apartments). Postings should outline who to contact to learn more about the property, costs and lease terms.

When renting an apartment, ask about the following fees as they frequently apply.

• Broker’s fee – typically one month’s rent or a percentage or the annual lease
• Security deposit – typically one month’s rent, returned at the end of the lease if the property’s condition is maintained
• First month’s rent – typically due upon signing of the lease agreement
• Last month’s rent – may be requested upon signing of the lease agreement

Some utilities are included in the price of rent, so be sure to ask your landlord. When viewing apartments, most landlords or current tenants will gladly tell you the average price of utilities, so don’t be afraid to ask. It is also helpful to ask what utilities the house uses, such as gas or electric heat. Some units and buildings include laundry, for free or a cost, while others are located near laundromats.