Illegal multi-family use affects property values and puts a strain on County Services. In an effort to maintain and improve the quality and look of your community, Team Metro Neighborhood Compliance Officers regularly patrol your area to ensure compliance with county rules and regulations. Failure to comply with county provisions of the Code of Miami-Dade County can result in the issuance of a civil violation notice.

Illegal Efficiency/Multi-family Use

The Code of Miami-Dade County, which regulates zoning, created new criteria or evidence to determine if illegal multi-family use has been established.

What is Illegal multi-family use?

It is the illegal sub-division of residences into separate living units such as, apartments or efficiencies with more than one cooking area.

What evidence is used to determine illegal multi-family use?

Prima facie evidence or evidence gathered by inspecting the interior/exterior of a house. Prima facie evidence consists of the following:

• Two or more electrical, water, gas, or other types of utility meters
• Two or more mailboxes
• More than one cooking area in the primary structure
• All living areas are not interconnected.
• Multiple marked paved parking spaces
• An unauthorized detached building with air conditioning
• More than one house address or unit numbers posted on the premises
• An unpermitted exterior door

If I am cited for illegal multi-family, how can I invalidate the issuance of the civil notice violation?

Schedule an inspection for the interior of your house with the neighborhood compliance officer that issued the civil citation notice. Also, you may submit a current floor plan prepared by an engineer or architect, surveying the residence and accessory structure and showing all rooms are interconnected as a single family residence. Additionally, you may appeal the issuance of the civil citation to the Clerk of Courts, Code Enforcement.

As a property owner, what can I do to avoid being cited for illegal multi-family use?

Always contact Miami-Dade County, Building Department prior to initiating any construction or repairs in your residence.
Additionally, prior to purchasing a home, you may want to check for building permits and zoning information. This service is available at the Department of Planning and Zoning’s Pre-Purchase Inspection Service. For more information visit their website at http://www.miamidade.gov/planzone  or simply call (786) 316-2660.