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Community Action Plan CITY OF FORT LAUDERDALE Dean J. Trantalis 100 North Andrews Avenue Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301 MAYOR (954) 828-5004 (954) 828-5667 Fax [email protected] www.fortlauderdale.gov April 18, 2019 Jeff Johnson AARP Florida State Director 400 Carillon Parkway, Suite 100 St. Petersburg, FL 33716 Re: AARP Network of Age-Friendly Cities and Communities Dear Mr. Johnson: On behalf of the City of Fort Lauderdale City Commission, I am honored to submit this letter of support for our City to be considered for admission into the World Health Organization (WHO) and AARP's Network of Age-Friendly Cities and Communities Initiatives. Our city recognizes the importance of planning for our future through policies addressing our aging population, supporting their active and independent lifestyles, and continual improvement to ensure the aging community has access to necessary services. We understand that our residents are living longer and require a suitable environment in which they can age safely and with purpose. In 2013, the City Commission adopted a Vision Plan that incorporated 15,000 responses from residents focusing on the priorities that mattered most to them. Using input from residents and community members the city formed a common vision. The Vision plan incorporates 12 aspirational goals, 38 objectives, 191 strategic initiatives, and 142 performance indicator targets. Many of the initiatives in this plan support all of the areas within AARP and the WHO eight domains of livability. Our partnerships are strong in the community with organizations that provide services to seniors. In 2015, the City developed and implemented Club 55+. Services of Club 55+ provide adults aged 55 and older the opportunity to engage in a vast array of programs and services. Club 55+ also works with community partnerships such as the Urban League, Communities of Promise, Broward Health, the YMCA, and others in order to provide an encompassing community program. These partnerships and programs address four domains of age-friendly, livable communities including social participation, respect and social inclusion, community and information, community and health services, and civic participation and employment. I look forward to working with the AARP State Office, its members and volunteers, and other stakeholders to create an advisory committee and plan of action that responds to the needs in our community. I have no doubt that the City of Fort Lauderdale can be a shining example of Age Friendliness. Very truly yours, Mayor Dean J. Trantalis Table of Contents Community Profile 1-2 Introduction to the Plan 3-4 Domain-Specific Action Plans 5-9 Appendix 10-152 Community Profile OUR CITY AT A GLANCE engage all community members in the cultural arts by connecting The City of Fort Lauderdale is famous for its beaches, arts, residents and visitors with attractions like Parker Playhouse and culture, and events. There is dining and shopping on Las Olas the Broward Center for the Performing Arts through the city’s Boulevard, gondola rides on the canals, beautifully landscaped trolley system and improved walk ways. beachfront promenades, luxury hotels, historical districts, and The City of Fort Lauderdale regularly evaluates its services and mansions and yachts along Millionaires’ Row. Other attractions, programs to make sure that all members of the community are such as the Arts and Entertainment District and the Riverwalk, being served. After evaluating some of our key programs, it make Fort Lauderdale a premier destination for people of all was determined that the city was lacking programs that serve ages. Fort Lauderdale is a great place to live, work, and raise a older adults. The resulting information prompted the city to family, and the City looks forward to continuing to build upon its reexamine programs and services directed to this population. success to meet the challenges of the 21st Century and beyond. Consequently, the city developed and implemented Club 55+ The City operates a Commission-Manager form of government in 2015. where the Commission hires the City Manager. The Commission The program offers equitable, inclusive, and enriching is comprised of five elected officials including the Mayor and a experiences to members of the community. Services of Club 55+ Vice Mayor. provide adults, aged 55, and older the opportunity to engage The City of Fort Lauderdale is located in the east-central portion in a vast array of programs and services. The program includes of Broward County. Encompassing nearly 36 square miles with guest speakers, local organizations, and agencies that can help an estimated population of 182,827, Fort Lauderdale is the provide services, training, or support. Additionally, outings, largest of Broward County’s 31 municipalities and one of the ten social activities, fitness, and other health-related activities largest cities in Florida. create a balanced program. DEMOGRAPHICS Club 55+ addresses four domains of age-friendly, livable communities including social participation, respect and AGE-FRIENDLY FEATURES OF THE COMMUNITY social inclusion, community and information, community and Many of the initiatives in this plan support all of the areas within health services, and civic participation and employment. This AARP and the WHO eight domains of livability. The collaborative comprehensive program, which involves programming at more efforts of the Transportation and Mobility Department, than 11 parks across the city, allows members of the community Department of Sustainable Development, and the Parks and to participate in monthly roundtables, attend fitness classes, Recreation Department have enabled the Complete Streets and take part in bimonthly outings and a bimonthly coffee and initiative to become a reality within our city. conversation series. Each conversation focuses on different topics and may have local subject matter experts join in to add The Complete Streets approach addresses all three aspects depth to the topic. of sustainability: people, planet, and profit. It incorporates sidewalks or walking paths; bike lanes or paved shoulders; lanes As a Parks and Recreation agency, we believe that for buses, trolleys, or other mass transit vehicles; medians to allow interdepartmental and community collaboration sits at the resting and with features to slow traffic at key stopping points; center of our ability to meet community needs and expectations. an increased number of crossings and transit stops; innovative We demonstrate this commitment through surveys, regular signals to increase accessibility for people of all abilities; community meetings with active participants, and projects that improved drainage and swales; and green infrastructure, in order incorporate cross-departmental collaborations. to support the ideas of community building, “placemaking,” and the livability of a neighborhood. The plan improves the efficiency Club 55+ also works with community partnerships such as of streets so that people can get where they need to go easily the Urban League, Communities of Promise, Broward Health, and conveniently no matter their mode of transport. Complete the YMCA, and others in order to provide an encompassing Streets also supports urban design concepts such as: mixed use community program. This program is offered to both residents development, transit-oriented design, and densification. and non-residents alike. The annual fee for the membership is $55. Individuals that meet needs-based application Our approach also removes vehicles from the road, reduces requirements may receive membership for a reduced rate greenhouse gas emissions , and improves air quality. In addition, of $5.50 annually. The reduced rate option ensures that all this method also alleviates congestion to make businesses members of the community interested in the program are able more accessible and walking safer and more pleasant for the to participate regardless of financial means, further supporting community. This increases foot traffic to retail and also the the city’s commitment to inclusion. attractiveness of local buying. Complete Streets also helps to 1 Community Action Plan Community Profile CITY OF FORT LAUDERDALE 2.35 Average Household $51,648 Size Median Household Income POPULATION 182,827 MALE FEMALE 52% 48% Black/ African-American Lation/ 31.6% Hispanic 16.7% Asian 1.5% Other $38,099 2.1 Per Capita White American Income 42 49.9% Indian .2% Median Age AVERAGE TEMPERATURE SINGLE MULTI of 77° in Winter FAMILY FAMILY and 89° in Summer 43% 57% 3,000 HOURS of Annual Sunshine Designated as the 52% 48% YACHTING Non-Family Family Households Households CAPITAL OF THE WORLD Community Action Plan 2 Introduction to the Plan VISION HOW THE ACTION PLAN WAS DEVELOPED For the City of Fort Lauderdale to be recognized as an Age- The Action Plan was based on: Friendly Community. • A baseline assessment of Fort Lauderdale’s age friendliness in 2018, as compared to where we would like to be in 2021. MISSION • Findings from our Age-Friendly Comprehensive Survey which was held from July- September 2018. To create a world class city for all residents to work, play, and age in place. The City of Fort Lauderdale will provide its residents and • Fort Lauderdale’s Comprehensive Plan. visitors this opportunity in the below four focus areas: AGE-FRIENDLY COMPREHENSIVE SURVEY • Health and Wellness The Age-Friendly Council did research with AARP to find out • Transportation what other cities found to be the best survey method for this • Socialization endeavor. Through this research and careful planning of the council to include all of the topics we wanted covered, the Age- COMMITTEE Friendly Comprehensive Survey was established. Once established, this survey was put into an electronic format. This allowed for a wider reach in audience. In addition, hard copies were attained at homeowner association meetings, special events, Club 55 (City’s Senior Program) meetings, and the local YMCA’s classes surveyed. Hard copies were also obtained from the Housing Department once a month, when many older adults would come in to pay their bills. The survey link was also put on our website and on water bills that were mailed to all city residents.

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