Page 7 - Boca Exposure - March '20

Boca Exposure, Page 7
From The Desk Of Palm Beach County Commissioner

Robert S. Weinroth: 2020 Census – Everyone Counts!

Robert Weinroth, a former a notice in mid-March to complete the Census, including so they have the tools they need to learn. Also provided are
member of the Boca Raton directions on how to complete it online or by telephone. free haircuts, healthy snacks, medical testing, and new shoes.
City Council, was elected Everyone living at the address counts – grand and The Spirit of Giving Network, in partnership with the
as a Palm Beach County great-grandparents, parents and guardians, children of all Junior League of Boca Raton, provides holiday gifts to in-
Commissioner to replace ages, in-laws, relatives, extended family members, friends, need children in Palm Beach County through the Holiday Gift
Steven Abrams, who roommates, and room renters. Drive. This is an annual drive ensuring the holiday wishes
retired due to term limits You are a trusted voice. Share this information with your of over 5,000 children come true.
requirements. family, friends, neighbors, and co-workers. Together we must For more information, visit www.spiritofgivingnetwork.
Census Day. April 1 is ensure each person in every household in Palm Beach County com/.
just around the corner. This is counted to ensure full allocation of federal resources and BCC Briefs. At the Feb. 11 Board of County Commissioners
is the once per decade count allocation of congressional representation. meeting, the board took the following action:
of population and housing If you would like to learn more about the 2020 Census, John Prince Park – directed staff to develop and present
units throughout the country. please visit our website: www.pbcgov.com. a comprehensive action plan for the assessment of homeless
Florida is the third largest state in the United States, and Census Timeline: people living in John Prince Park and the delivery of the
Palm Beach County is the third largest county in the state March 12 to 20: An invitation to respond online to necessary services to assist them.
of Florida. It is imperative that we account for every person the 2020 Census (some households will also receive paper Youth homelessness – accepted a HUD Youth
in a household within our county as well as the state. questionnaires). Homelessness Demonstration Grant agreement in an amount
Responding is important. The 2020 Census will influence March 16 to 24: A reminder letter will be sent. up to $147,970 to support development of a coordinated
community funding and congressional representation for the If You Have Not Responded: community plan to prevent and end youth homelessness
next decade. Each person counted equates to approximately March 26 to April 3: Expect a reminder postcard. in Palm Beach County. Two grant-funded positions with a
$1,600 per year in federal funding. April 8 to 16: Another reminder letter and paper required 25 percent in-kind match were approved. These
Currently, the population of Palm Beach County is questionnaire. positions will be eliminated if federal funding is discontinued.
approximately 1.5 million people. This equates to $2.4 billion April 20 to 27: A final reminder postcard prior to an IFAHAP – approved revised guidelines for the Impact
a year, or $24 billion over 10 years, for education, health care, enumerator being dispatched to conduct an “in person” Fee Affordable Housing Assistance Program. IFAHAP makes
housing, transportation, infrastructure and other programs interview. impact fee interest earnings available to developers to offset
and services funded by the federal government. Also, it may Nonprofit Spotlight. The Spirit of Giving Network is a impact fees due on new affordable housing construction. In
result in additional congressional representation for our state collaborative, nonprofit organization with a focus on children return, developers accept restrictions ensuring affordability
based upon the total response to the Census. New Census and families in Palm Beach County. The organization to households with incomes no greater than 140 percent of
data will also impact redistricting of county and municipal provides a forum where nonprofits and community supporters area median income.
commission districts. share information, resources and best practices. Currently, Project Jacobson – approved a cash grant of up to
Responding is confidential. The Census Bureau is bound there are more than 65 network nonprofit organizations $1.9 million over a 10-year period and an ad valorem tax
by federal law to keep your information confidential and meeting on a monthly basis and their objective is to improve exemption of up to $400,000 over a 10-year period for
cannot release any identifiable information about you, your services while addressing challenges through internal and Project Jacobson. The company is considering locating a
home or business, even to law enforcement agencies. The external partnerships. manufacturing facility in Belle Glade, investing $45.5 million
law ensures your private data is protected and your answers The Spirit of Giving Network has many projects to acquire approximately 85 acres of land and construct and
cannot be used against you by any government agency or throughout the year which help serve the community. Their equip a 140,000-square-foot facility. The project would create
court. The answers you provide are only used to produce two signature projects are the Community Back to School 200 new jobs at an annualized average wage of $38,000. The
statistics, and is so important for our quality of life in Palm Bash and the Holiday Gift Drive. estimated five-year economic impact to the county is over
Beach County. The Back to School Bash provides at-risk children the $270 million!
Prepare to be counted. Each household will receive opportunity to begin school with new backpacks and supplies HOME – approved five HOME Investment Partnerships
Program awards totaling $2.55 million for loans to developers
of affordable housing. These are federal grant funds requiring
a 25 percent local match provided by state SHIP grant funds:
1) $550,000 to build Flagler Station, a 94-unit multifamily
rental project, including 10 HOME-assisted units in West
Palm Beach; 2) $1 million to build Quiet Meadows, a 132-
unit senior and disabled multifamily rental project, including
20 HOME-assisted units in Belle Glade; 3) $500,000 to build
Heron Estates, a 79-unit townhome-style rental project,
including 10 HOME-assisted units in Riviera Beach; 4)
$185,000 to construct two HOME-assisted single-family
homes located at 3974 Dale Road in Palm Springs; and 5)
$315,672 to construct three HOME-assisted single-family
homes in western Palm Beach County, one in Belle Glade
and two in Pahokee.
El Cid Apartments – adopted a resolution approving
the issuance of Housing Finance Authority of Palm Beach
County multifamily housing revenue bonds in the amount of
$17.5 million to finance the costs of acquiring, constructing,
renovating and equipping a 72-unit multifamily rental housing
facility known as El Cid Apartments, located at 315 Almeria
Road in West Palm Beach.
LEED Certification – authorized the county’s participation
in the 2020 LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental
Design) for Cities and Communities grant program. The
county was one of 20 local governments, nationally, selected
based upon a demonstrated commitment to and leadership in
resilience and sustainability.
Legislative agenda – approved the proposed 2020 federal
legislative agenda to be lobbied during the upcoming 2020
federal legislative session in Washington. New agenda
items include net neutrality, the Davis Bacon Act, coral reef
protection and restoration, Lake Okeechobee operations,
derelict vessels, Next Generation 911, opportunity zone
designations with the U.S. Treasury, veterans homelessness,
the Mental Health Parity and Substance Use Disorder Act,
e-rate and universal funding. To view a copy of the legislative
agenda, go to www.pbcgov.org.
Bond issue – agreed to place on the November 2020 ballot
a $150 million Environmental General Obligation Bond issue.
Additionally, staff was directed to research possibly placing
a second $150 million General Obligation Bond Issue on the
November ballot to address workforce/affordable housing and
projects to assist homeless individuals in the county.
Memorial – directed staff to prepare a resolution to
rename a section of State Road 715 near the Palm Beach
County Glades Airport in Pahokee in memory of Deputy
Sheriff Jonathan Wallace and Deputy Sheriff Donta J. Manuel
who were killed in the line of duty in 2007.