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Mayor’s Message

his past month, the City Commission and city staff convened a two-day
goal-setting session to map out our objectives for the coming year. We chose
Tto pursue some ambitious undertakings to ensure our infrastructure is up to
par, that we are better prepared for the world’s changing climate and that more
housing options are available for everyone.

The city has achieved great progress since 2017 when burst sewage pipes flooded
streets and yards.

The city has installed new 30-inch mains downtown and opened new lift stations in
critical areas. Projects are underway to reduce stormwater from entering the sewer
system and overwhelming it. Construction of a new lift station downtown near Broward
Boulevard and Federal Highway has proven challenging but is nearing completion.
At our goal-setting retreat, the commission told staff that we must press ahead and
look beyond the requirements that the state set for the city in late 2017.
Particularly, we need to make a decision soon about the Fiveash Water Treatment
Dean Trantalis Plant. As you may remember, outside experts told us that the plant was at
Mayor significant risk of calamitous failure. A study is underway of whether it would be
better to repair the existing plant or build a new one.
At the same time, the rest of the commission and I want to move ahead with
planned improvements to our stormwater system. Too many of our neighborhoods
are at risk of flooding during high tides or heavy rain. In April, the commission
expects to receive a rate plan to pay for the work. Projects are designed and ready
to go. We plan to spend $200 million which will include upgrading the seven
neighborhoods experiencing the worst flooding — Progresso Village, Victoria Park,
Dorsey Riverbend, the Isles and Rio Vista, River Oaks, Edgewood and Durrs. Sea-
level rise is occurring much more rapidly than scientists expected, so we need to
undertake immediate action. These flood-control projects are a critical part of that.
Housing is a major priority because the cost to buy a home or rent continues to
climb in Fort Lauderdale. We want to make sure that the city remains affordable to
everyone. The core of our workforce cannot be priced out of living here. That is not
a sustainable community. Private developers unfortunately have stepped forward
with relatively few workforce housing projects, particularly in the downtown area.
The commission wants to find ways to encourage more — whether that’s through
changes to our code or through some sort of collaboration. Staff is going to
explore what our options are.
Affordable housing also includes a discussion of how we deal with homelessness.
This remains part of the commission’s housing priority. We’ve had tremendous
success in recent months. We cleared the encampment next to the main library. We
followed the nationally recognized housing-first approach where an offer of housing
is combined with social services to address medical issues, mental health problems,
substance abuse or job training. We also started a community court that deals with
homeless people who are charged with minor offenses. Rather than sentencing them
to jail, these individuals also are connected with social services and housing.

However, we cannot rest on our success and let these efforts dissipate. When the
CITY OF FORT LAUDERDALE city joined with the county, business leadership and non-profit community, we

18 rio vista civic association • www.riovistaonline.com