Millennials are often scapegoated either for being the downfall of everything from cereal to doorbells, or for being entitled and lazy. Thankfully, we know that’s not the case, and there’s a group working to help change those perceptions at the Miami-Dade County Commission.
The Millennial Task Force board has been around for a little more than two years and it’s focused on addressing the need of millennials in the county while also pushing to retain talent and hire more millennials in local government positions.
We spoke with board chairman David Capelli about the board and his goals for the group.
How did it come together?
A few years ago County Commissioner Dennis Moss introduced a resolution to create a millennial task force. It became official in April 2017, and last year the task force became a formal advisory board.
The board’s purpose
David said the board is all about making Miami-Dade County an attractive place for millennials and finding ways to employ talent in the 305.
The group is also working on a report to present to the county commission, with recommendations that take a real intersectional look at the issues millennial professionals face.
“How do we get more people involved in building and zoning, transportation, housing, climate resilience and not just sea level rise?” David said. “Is the government reflective of the constituents it’s representing, is it working for the public good?”
One of the strategies, to give the report more utility, is to partner with existing initiatives like Employ Miami-Dade and back legislation proposed by county leaders and on county committees before making it to an official agenda.
“The goal is to create something that’s actionable not just something that’s just going to collect dust,” David said.
Plans for the future
As chairman, David said wants to increase awareness about the board its work. They’ve conducted a millennial survey but are also looking for feedback for the report via email outreach, a community Google Doc, social media, and in-person conversations.
Some portions of the plan, called #MiamiForAll, include: creating a home ownership action plan to created 100,000 new units of affordable housing near transit stations by 2030, and introducing a fare-free transit pilot plan in the county.