October 25, 2020

WEEK OF OCTOBER 19 – OCTOBER 25, 2020

From the Desk of the City Manager

Historic Signing: City Finalizes Purchase of 45 Acres of Open Space

The largest land acquisition in more than 30 years in the City of Hollywood is now official. Mayor Levy signed the closing documents to purchase 45+ acres of open space, formally known as the Sunset Golf Course. The $12 million purchase of the property, located between Johnson and Arthur Streets along I-95, was made possible through funding from the voter-approved General Obligation Bond. This historic purchase for Hollywood residents will provide significant new open space for all to enjoy for years to come.

City Expands Ban on Plastics & Prohibits Releasing Balloons In yet another bold move yesterday, the City Commission approved a ban on the use and distribution of single use plastics and polystyrene on City-owned property and by City vendors. Plastic utensils, straws, foam plates and other single use items have been banned on the barrier island since October 2018. Now, City-owned properties such as community centers and City Hall are included in this Ordinance. This measure makes Hollywood one of only a few cities in Florida to take strong measures to limit all types of single use plastics. The Ordinance also bans the intentional release of balloons. An outreach campaign will be launched to educate the public over the next six months prior to issuing citations for non-compliance.

WEEK OF OCTOBER 19 – OCTOBER 25, 2020

From the Desk of the City Manager – (continued)

Traffic Alert: Sheridan Street Closed The Sheridan Street Bridge over the Intracoastal Waterway is closed today (Thursday, October 22nd) from 10:00 a.m. through Friday, October 23rd at 3:00 a.m. The permit for this closure has been coordinated with FDOT and is to facilitate a feature film call “Three Men” that is set right here in Hollywood. Motorists are urged to seek an alternate route to avoid delays, detours will be in place to direct motorists. Public access to West Lake Park, West Lake Village and the Anne Kolb Nature Center will be maintained. The filming for the movie will continue at locations around the City throughout next week.

Residential and Small Business Assistance Update The City continues to use a variety of CARES funding for residential and small business assistance programs. In fact, to date, the City has provided Rent and Utility Assistance to 105 tenants at a cost of $509,708 and on the small business side, 63 applications have been approved totaling $315,000. Additionally, through the CARES funding the County received and allocated to Hollywood, $1.2M has been allocated for residential assistance and $1.4M for small business assistance.

City staff is working to get the word out about the individual assistance which will help families struggling to pay for basic needs such as housing due to the impacts of COVID-19. For Hollywood residents worried about eviction, or not being able to pay eligible utility bills, the City of Hollywood has funding to help. Up to $10,000 is available for qualified Hollywood residents for rent, mortgage payments or utility bills with no reimbursement required.

The City entered into agreement with the State of Florida, Broward County and HOPE South Florida for the Eviction Prevention and Re-Housing Rental Assistance Program and a Foreclosure Prevention/Mortgage Assistance Program. The application window is open now. For additional information and to apply, please visit www.HollywoodFL.org/Assistance. If you have questions or require assistance with the application, please contact the City of Hollywood Community Development Division at 954.921.3271.

WEEK OF OCTOBER 19 – OCTOBER 25, 2020

From the Desk of the City Manager – (continued)

More than $1 Million Available in Grants for Hollywood Small Businesses Additionally, the City recognizes COVID-19 continues to heavily impact our small businesses with emergency orders to protect public health and safety and consumers behaving cautiously.

Grant funding to pay eligible utility expenses, lease and mortgage payments, as well as expenses related to COVID-19, is available to Hollywood small businesses of 20 employees or less. Just over one million dollars in federal funding is earmarked for Hollywood small businesses. This program will be administered by the Broward County Office of Economic and Small Business Development.

The target date for the application window to open is Monday, November 9th. The City will be putting out information about technical assistance sessions prior to the opening of the application window to help business owners ensure they have all the right documentation ready to submit.

The City of Hollywood is also distributing additional federal funding to help businesses with 5 of fewer employees through the Micro-enterprise Assistance Fund. A second funding cycle will be launched, the target date for the application window to open for this next cycle is December 1st.

For more information on business relief programs or other economic development needs, please contact the City’s Economic Development team at 954.921.3620.

Hollywood Increases Score on Municipal Equality Report Card The Office of Human Resources has worked with the Human Rights Campaign and the Hollywood LGBTQ Council to provide information about City initiatives that support equality and anti-discrimination. We’ve just received word that our score this year has increased to an 81 on the annual Municipal Equality Scorecard. The Human Rights Campaign accepted our submissions and awarded additional points in several areas. Many of you participated in our raising of the PRIDE flag during the month of June and that was one of the initiatives that we submitted to the HRC.

WEEK OF OCTOBER 19 – OCTOBER 25, 2020

From the Desk of the City Manager – (continued)

Gracewood Neighborhood Sidewalk Project The City of Hollywood is applying for a grant to fill in missing sidewalk sections in the Gracewood neighborhood surrounding West Hollywood Elementary School and McArthur High School. The primary purpose of this project is to improve pedestrian safety by providing a safe network of interconnected sidewalks that will allow people of all ages and abilities to travel to and from the many schools and retail locations in the area.

Additionally, the addition of several bicycle mobility options, including an 8 foot wide multi-use sidewalk on North 64th Avenue between Hollywood Boulevard and Johnson Street, would give students a safe way to ride their bikes to and from schools in the area.

The grant process, in part, requires “community support” for the project. The City is offering a number of online options through the city website, www.hollywoodfl.org, where residents can lend their support for the project by signing an online petition, or find out how to take part in a virtual meeting.

Up to $3 million in grant funding is available for this project as part of the Complete Streets and other Localized Initiative Programs (CSLIP), administered by the Broward Metropolitan Planning Organization.

Applications Being Accepted for the SPARK Hollywood Start-Up Pitch Competition The City of Hollywood and the Greater Hollywood Chamber of Commerce are partnering again to present the 4th annual SPARK Hollywood Pitch Competition. The ‘quick-pitch competition’ will feature entrepreneurs and new ventures competing for cash and in-kind prizes by giving a three-minute presentation of their innovative business proposal to a panel of judges comprised of local investors and business professionals. Applications must be submitted by this Friday, October 23rd and may be submitted online at www.sparkhollywoodfl.com. The actual virtual event where you’ll hear the entrepreneurs pitch their business concepts will be held Thursday, November 12th at @5pm via Zoom

WEEK OF OCTOBER 19 – OCTOBER 25, 2020

From the Desk of the City Manager – (continued)

Priority testing for school staff and students - Free COVID-19 Walk-Up Testing Just a friendly reminder that testing for COVID-19 continues by the Florida Department of Health-Broward County at the Boulevard Heights Community Center located at 6770 Garfield Street in Hollywood. The testing takes place every Tuesday through Saturday, 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Mobile appointments for home- bound residents are also available call 954.412.7300.

High Seasonal Tides Causing Flooding in Low-Lying Areas Based on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s tide predictions, above average high tides, also known as King Tides, are currently impacting South Florida including Hollywood. We want to remind motorists to use caution and seek an alternative route to avoid traveling on flooded streets. King Tides can raise the water level by more than 2 and a half feet during high tide which can cause coastal roads, parking lots and docks in vulnerable areas to flood during the times of high tide. The City continues to work on solutions to help minimize the impacts of tidal flooding. I encourage all to watch the informational video highlighting the berm construction that is currently taking place in the Lakes area. The video can be seen on the City’s YouTube channel here. NOAA predicts above average high tides again on November 13th through 18th.

WEEK OF OCTOBER 19 – OCTOBER 25, 2020

QUIPS

Office of Communications, Marketing and Economic Development ROI Communications staff is coordinating an outreach campaign for the Rent, Mortgage and Utility Assistance Program that includes website, social media and email notifications, brochures, direct mail, bus bench and shelter advertisements, and more. Staff also coordinated outreach for the Gracewood Neighborhood Sidewalk Project to solicit community support for the project, which is a requirement of the grant application for the project. Staff continues promotion of PRCA Halloween events, SPARK Hollywood Pitch Competition, and educational outreach continues for the Sidewalk Repair Initiative, changes to the sanitation collection services, and Broward County’s Amendment Two.

Video Production staff coordinated the broadcast of Wednesday’s CRA Board Meeting and City Commission Meeting and continues production on several videos including short-term tidal flooding mitigation project, Boat Dock Lease/Sea Level Rise and an upcoming commercial to educate residents on the availability of financial assistance due to the impacts of COVID-19. Staff also took photos of Public Works staff that were used in a presentation at Wednesday’s Commission Meeting.

Economic Development staff continues to process Micro-Enterprise Small Business Assistance applicants. There have been delays to this program due to the ongoing guidance provided by the funding source, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The City expects to fund approximately 90 plus small businesses through this program. Staff is also coordinating future CARES Act Small Business Assistance programming with Broward County aimed at supporting the City’s small businesses during this turbulent time. This program should launch in early November.

WEEK OF OCTOBER 19 – OCTOBER 25, 2020

QUIPS

Office of Communications, Marketing and Economic Development ROI – (continued) As a part of the Interlocal Agreement between Broward County, the City of Hollywood, and the City of Hollywood CRA regarding funding for affordable housing, Economic Development staff continues to work towards the development of the Work Skills Training Scholarship Program. Staff continues to meet with potential service providers with the goal of entering into partnerships to provide work skills training programs City residents. Programming was slated to begin in April and May of 2020, however, the COVID disruption required staff to develop a different approach to provide training programs to the public in a safe and effective manner.

Through its partnership with Broward SCORE, the City wraps up its fourth and final session of the “Simple Steps for Starting a Business.” Approximately 100 participants learned the basics on starting a business through four expert-facilitated sessions during the month of October. Additionally, Broward SCORE facilitated a “Using Google Digital Ad Campaigns to Grow Revenues” workshop to help Hollywood’s small businesses grow during the pandemic. Through this partnership with SCORE, the City offers free one-on-one business mentoring, business education programs and business acceleration teams for entrepreneurs, business owners and residents of the City of Hollywood.

Technical Advisory Committee (Virtual) Monday, October 19 The Committee met at 1:30 p.m. to discuss: - Site Plan Review for a 13 unit residential development.

Pre-Application Conceptual Overview (PACO) items were discussed following TAC items. For more information, please contact the Department of Development Services, Planning and Urban Design Division, 954.921.3471, option 3.

WEEK OF OCTOBER 19 – OCTOBER 25, 2020 QUIPS – (continued)

Police Department The Hollywood Police Athletic League received a donation of 1,800 masks from MedShare. These masks have a Disney theme. The masks were donated by MedShare and will be used to ensure the safety of our kids when they return to the facility. Some of the donated masks were given to Memorial Healthcare System, Memorial Regional Hospital, for use in their Pediatric Unit. They were gladly received by their personnel. Thank you, MedShare, for your generous donation!

Public Utilities WMRP- Hollywood Boulevard to Sheridan Street from US-1 to North 21st Avenue: Contractor is installing water service lines and temporary pavement in the area between Johnson Street and Fillmore Street from US-1 to N. 21st Avenue. Lift Station installation continues in the 1900 Block of Coolidge Street. Contractor continues installation of gravity sewer on Coolidge Street towards 19th Avenue. A traffic plan is in place and traffic is being redirected accordingly.

Lift Station W-14 upgrade, Monroe Street, at South 56th Avenue: Contractor will be installing underground fittings across South 56th Avenue, and along the swale area on the west side of South. 56th Avenue in close proximity (less than 100 feet) to the City’s Lift Station W-14 at 5596 Monroe Street. However, the FDOT mobility (bike path) project in ongoing in the same area. A traffic plan is in place during the daytime hours of construction to redirect as needed. Otherwise, normal traffic patterns are unaffected.

Human Resources Employment Division The Office of Human Resources currently has eighteen (18) new hires and two (2) promotions pending final approvals. This Office continues to recruit for a variety of positions within the City of Hollywood. There are 22 open job postings which can be found at: https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/hollywoodfl

WEEK OF OCTOBER 19 – OCTOBER 25, 2020

QUIPS – (continued)

Human Resources – (continued) Labor Relations The Labor Relations Division continued to foster open communication between labor and management by administering and interpreting the City’s collective bargaining agreements, providing advice and counsel to management on labor matters, administering the grievance process, facilitating meetings between departments and their respective unions, conducting investigations, administering the City’s drug-free workplace policy, administering requests for Family Medical Leave Act and Families First Coronavirus Response Act leave, and mitigating exposures of COVID- 19.

Learning We are committed to providing programs that address all areas of health and wellness and this includes the emotional wellbeing of our employees. The Office of Human Resources conducted a short survey to help assess the level of stress of our employees and whether they are getting the support they need, especially during these turbulent times. The survey was anonymous and relevant for all employees - regardless of whether they’re working remotely, on the front line, or have returned to the workplace. Results of the survey will be used to develop future wellness initiatives.

Risk Management This Risk Management Division reviewed 32 certificates of insurance for insurance compliance for individuals or firms that perform work on behalf of the City. The flood insurance for City-owned Fire Station 45, located at 1810 N 64th Avenue, was renewed. Risk Management also processed seven new general liability claims, and reviewed three reports of damage to City property. Two of the reports of damage to City property were confirmed to not be City property, therefore, recovery is not possible. One is pending additional information from the appropriate department to determine if recovery is possible.

WEEK OF OCTOBER 19 – OCTOBER 25, 2020

QUIPS – (continued)

Development Services Building Division Between October 12th – October 15th Building completed:

Inspections Total Virtual inspections 91 In person inspections 1,213 Plan Review Total Virtual plan review 410

Code Compliance Division Code Officers continue to respond to complaints of COVID-19 violations forwarded from the County. The Inspections this weekend resulted in:

Inspections Total Unfounded Complaints 6 Warnings Issued 3 Citations Issued 0

Between October 13th – October 20th Code Officers completed:

CODE COMPLIANCE TASK TOTAL Re-Inspections 413 New Calls Of Concern 112 New Violations/Courtesy Warnings Issued 321

WEEK OF OCTOBER 19 – OCTOBER 25, 2020

QUIPS – (continued)

Community Development Division Between October 12th – October 18th Community Development completed:

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT TOTAL Neighborhood Pride Owner-Occupied Housing Rehabilitation Program – Initial Inspections 4 Housing Rehabilitation Progress Inspections 9 Assisted with Identifying Food Assistance/Navigating Online Food Stamp Platform 13 Assistance with Utility Bills Payments 9 Homeless Placements 2 Eviction Prevention Rent & Utility Assistance – Applications for SHIP 5

On October 7, 2020 the City Commission approved a Housing Policy Amendment to operate a Coronavirus Relief Fund Mortgage and Utility assistance program and two agreements with HOPE South Florida to fund Re-Housing, Rent and Utility assistance program. On October 8, 2020, the CARES Notice of Application Availability was published on Facebook and Twitter. The applications became available October 19, 2020.

WEEK OF OCTOBER 19 – OCTOBER 25, 2020

QUIPS – (continued)

Engineering, Transportation & Mobility Division Between October 12th – October 15th Engineering completed:

ENGINEERING TASK TOTAL Total Customer Service Calls 258 Row Submittals/Revisions/Issuance 29 Inspections 68 Plan Reviews 81 Traffic - Customer Service Complaints 22 Mot Plan Reviews 1

Planning Division Between October 12th – October 15th Planning completed:

PLANNING TASK TOTAL General Zoning Phone Calls, Emails 552 Permit Phone Calls 77 Permit Emails 68 Permit Plan Reviews 92 Certificate Of Use 37 Zoning Letters 3 Alcohol Licenses 2 Virtual Meetings 27