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“It’s not going to be the Ritz-Carlton, but it’s going to be a heck of a lot better than being in the streets where you’re not safe."

Joe Carollo doesn't mince words as the Vice Chair of the Miami City Commission, which Thursday rejected -- and, in a bizarre move, later approved -- a pilot program to shelter between 50 and 100 "chronically homeless" persons on the North Point side of Virginia Key.

Everyone likes to see a humanitarian program work, but "no one wants it in their neighborhood," Carollo said, pointing out unsigned editorials in the "local paper" make it sound "like we're dumping people on this island.

“You'd think we're talking about Sing Sing or Devil's Island, or Alcatraz,” he continued. “This is no Alcatraz, no Devil's Island. ... You can walk toward the north end and there is the most expensive Zip code in America, Fisher Island."

During the first discussion of an agenda item to create a voluntary shelter -- one with an unlocked fence, food, showers, and even case management and health screenings -- several with Virginia Key and Key Biscayne interests voiced their disapproval with the site, which was one of three selected by officials with the Transformation & Transition Zone plan.

Some of the concerns voiced were that it's an environmentally sensitive area, it would be too close to a residential district, it doesn't fit with the Virginia Key Master Plan, or, even, it would be close to MAST Academy.

"What is it, 2.4 miles to Key Biscayne?" Carollo asked. "I've got a bunch of elitists that say 'not in my neighborhood,' 2.4 miles!

On the other hand, we have people (agencies) who have made millions of dollars (on governmental programs trying) to help ...They don’t want to lose the homeless; they don’t want us to do anything positive. We might do it so good, we end up sucking the wind out of (their funding)."

The first vote, calling for the pilot program on Virginia Key and even having a trolley available, went 3-2 against the plan (Chair Christine King sided with Carollo), and the homeless appeared to be left out in the heat.

But then, hours later in the exhausting, agenda-packed 13-hour (with breaks, of course) Miami City Commission meeting, Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla had second thoughts:

"I would like to reconsider Item 2 with a caveat that they come back in September with alternative sites (such as wide-open spaces in the west part of Miami-Dade County). My objection was the lack of areas offered (three) and the due diligence that was lacking (on selecting these sites)."

The other areas being looked at were NW 71 St. and NW 5th Place (49,000 square feet, already fenced in); and 2451 NW 7th Ave. in Allapattah (173,000 square feet, privately owned land), where "safe, secure" zones could be established with 24-hour security.

Because it was a "non-agenda resolution" that was brought forth originally, a new "non-agenda resolution" was legally able to be introduced by de la Portilla during the Commission meeting.

Commissioner Manolo Reyes was baffled by what this vote would entail, but Carollo and De La Portilla said it would include the pilot program on Virginia Key, with between 50 and 100 portable "tiny homes," being developed. It also directs City Manager Arthur Noriega to bring forth other alternative sites (at the Commission's second September meeting) and have officials tally what the total costs would be (earlier, officials said it would cost about $700,000-$800,000 a year just for manpower to safeguard the homeless at the Virginia Key campsite).

Water and electric connections also would have to be created.

"You're sneaky," Reyes said, smiling and pointing to De La Portilla. "You're sneaking (this back in)."

When the votes were counted this time, it was 3-2 in favor of the pilot program, with Reyes and Ken Russell opposed. Russell all along was concerned with Virginia Key's Master Plan, to which King had replied: "Incidentally, homelessness is not consistent with any Master Plan."

The decision to go ahead with the Virginia Key location came during the Key Biscayne Mayoral Debate on Thursday night. Two of the candidates, Fausto Gomez and Joe Rasco, had voiced their concerns about the Virginia Key site to City Commissioners. Each was interviewed on TV, and both stating during the debate that their concerns were listened to – neither knowing that a second City Commission vote was taking place at practically the same time.

Dr. Leah Kinnaird, Virginia Key Alliance co-founder, sent a letter to her members late Thursday that read: "After the discussion and vote that defeated the encampment for homeless on Virginia Key earlier today, Commissioner De La Portilla brought it back up and the Commission voted again to move forward with the "pilot" project. The Commission’s action was without public input and without any presentation to the Virginia Key Advisory Board.

"We must stay tuned as this is an ill-conceived idea. aWhat more can I say?" she wrote.

Virginia Key has long been a subject of various ideas for amenities, including shops and condos, then a huge sports complex with baseball fields and basketball courts. Some of that land has been left undeveloped, although more park space likely will be coming as a result of residual benefits from the new professional soccer stadium, Miami Freedom Park, that will be built on a municipal golf course near the Miami International Airport.

Virginia Key is an area of protected habitat, frequented by families, bicyclists, walkers, paddlers and tourists.

During the early public comments portion of the meeting, several residents of the area and others with Virginia Key interests, spoke up.