A Cuban man residing in Homestead has publicly spoken out after being fined by city inspectors for an alleged trash violation, which he claims was actually left by a homeless individual near his property.
The incident gained attention through a video shared on the Facebook page Técnicas De Pesca Y Más. The affected individual expressed his outrage over the situation, describing it as an abuse of power by the local authorities.
"Once again, the city of Homestead is abusing its power. People like this should not be employed by the city," he stated, visibly upset at the beginning of the video.
In the footage, the man, identified as Ricardo, recounted how a city inspector, reportedly named Kyle Johnson (or “Quire Johnson,” as he pronounces), fined him after discovering a box with his address among items accumulated under a tree.
Ricardo insisted that these items belonged to a homeless person who had set up a makeshift shelter using cardboard, a mattress, and other materials.
"That's not a dump, it's like a little house that a man created. From those pieces of cardboard, from the trash can, he picked a box with my address. And this man came and said: someone dumped trash here. He didn't have the sense to realize that it wasn't mine," Ricardo explained indignantly.
He further claimed that after issuing a fine for supposed "illegal dumping," the inspector visited his home and slapped him with another citation, alleging he had replaced his door without a permit and was discarding construction materials.
"He wrote me up again, another fine. Now I have to go to court," he said, expressing his frustration over the ordeal.
Ricardo suggested that the official's actions might be racially motivated. "I think when he saw my name, he thought: this is a Latino, let's get him," he asserted, indicating that the inspector was "looking for reasons to issue fines."
The Cuban resident urged others in Homestead to share his story and come forward if they have experienced similar issues with the same inspector. "I feel like this has gone too far. I've never seen anything like it," he concluded.
As of now, the city of Homestead has not made any public statements regarding the incident or the accusations of discrimination raised by the citizen.
Key Questions on Homestead Fines and Alleged Discrimination
What was the reason for Ricardo's fine in Homestead?
Ricardo was fined for an alleged trash violation after a box with his address was found among items a homeless person had accumulated near his home.
How did Ricardo describe the actions of the city inspector?
Ricardo described the city inspector's actions as abusive and possibly racially motivated, suggesting the inspector was targeting him because he is Latino.
Have the authorities in Homestead responded to these allegations?
As of now, the authorities in Homestead have not issued any public statements regarding the incident or the allegations of discrimination.