Florida to Receive $8.4 Billion to Provide Relief
for Foreclosed Borrowers
A landmark $25 billion joint
federal-state settlement was agreed to with the
nation’s five largest mortgage servicers over
foreclosure abuses and fraud. According to the
attorney general of Florida, Florida’s share of
monetary benefits under the settlement is
approximately $8.4 billion. Florida borrowers will
receive an estimated $7.6 billion in benefits from
loan modifications, including principal reduction
and other direct relief and approximately $170
million will be available for cash payments to those
who lost their home to foreclosure from January 1,
2008, through December 31, 2011, and suffered
servicing abuse.
Learn more. |
Do Your
Share for Cleaner Air
May is Air
Quality Awareness Month and
Broward County’s Air Quality Program is providing
educational resources to help you make greener choices that
can improve the air, your health and reduce your carbon
footprint. Check out the 2012
Air Quality Awareness Month public outreach activities
that include exhibits, special events and educational
presentations.
Public Invited to New Young at Art
Museum and Broward County Library Grand Opening
The opening of the new
Young at Art Museum and Broward County Library located at
751 S.W. 121 Ave. in Davie brings a new era of arts
education and entertainment to South Florida. On Saturday,
May 5, at 9:30 a.m., the doors to the spectacular 55,000 square-foot,
LEED-certified museum and library will open with a weekend
of fun-filled celebrations and festivities for the whole
family.
More…
QR Codes Provide Bus Riders On-the-Go
Access to Library Services
If you’re one of the thousands of visitors
to the Broward County Transit (BCT) Central Terminal, 100 W.
Broward Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, you now can have access to
more than 34,000 free e-books and the Broward County
Libraries free mobile app, BCL WoW – Broward County Library
Without Walls. Libraries and BCT have partnered to offer
this service to anyone with a smart phone, tablet or e-book
reader through scannable QR codes.
More…
Animal Care Offers New Initiatives to
Help Pet Owners
In an effort to reduce the problems
associated with pet overpopulation, dog and cat owners can
now have up to four pets per household, per year, spayed or
neutered through the County's pet sterilization program,
SPOT (Stop Pet Overpopulation Together) for low-to-moderate
income households for $10. Previously, the program permitted
the processing of no more than four pets per household, per
lifetime. Animal Care is also making it easier for pet
owners to get their
pet licenses renewed by visiting any of the 130
participating veterinary offices, Broward County Animal Care
locations, Pet Supermarket stores or by registering by mail
or accessing renewal registration tags online.
More...
Learn How to Swim at Three Broward
County Parks
Registration begins May 5 for swimming
lessons offered at three Broward County Parks – C.B. Smith,
900 N. Flamingo Road, Pembroke Pines, 954-357-5179; Central
Broward Regional, 3700 N.W. 11th Place, Lauderhill,
954-357-7088; and T.Y., 3300 N. Park Road, Hollywood,
954-357-8811.The Learn to Swim Programs, for ages 2 through
10, will meet for eight lessons on Mondays through
Thursdays, from Monday, June 11, through Thursday, August
16. Call the park of your choice to preregister today.
More…
Waterway Cleanup Bags
Tons of Trash
The 35th Annual Waterway
cleanup on March 10 was a huge success with more than 2,000
volunteers collecting 20 tons of trash from Broward’s
waterways, rivers and canals. While most volunteers came by
land, 150 participated with boats at the 24 collection sites
throughout the County. Sponsors included Broward County
Environmental Protection and Growth Management Department
and Waste and Recycling Services. For more information on
the cleanup, call 954-524-2733.
Port Everglades
Begins $54 Million Cruise Terminal Renovation Project
Port Everglades is embarking on a $54 million renovation
project to transform four existing cruise terminals into
modern passenger facilities for more than 30 different
Carnival Corporation cruise ships as well as cruise ships
from other lines. Renovations will begin in Cruise Terminals
2, 19, 21 and 26 by the end of April, with completion dates
ranging from mid-December 2012 through early June 2013.
More…
Prescription Discount
Cards Continue to Help Residents
Residents who used
National Association of Counties (NACo) Prescription Drug
Discount Cards offered through the County's Human Services
Department saved more than $467,000 over the retail cost of
prescription medications in 2011. The card was used by an
average of nearly 1,100 Broward County residents each month
and presented more than 13,000 times (based on multiple
prescription orders).
More...
Popular South Jetty
Walkway Re-opens at John U. Lloyd Beach State Park
The South Jetty Walkway at
John U. Lloyd Beach State Park is once again open to the
public. The jetty, a longtime favorite spot for residents
and visitors to fish and view cruise ships coming in and out
of Port Everglades, suffered storm damage in 2004, making
the structure unsafe. The restoration was made possible
through a $350,000 Florida Inland Navigation District (FIND)
grant that was matched by Broward County ($200,000) and the
State of Florida Department of Environmental Protection
($150,000). It is estimated that the jetty will increase
visitation to John U. Lloyd Beach State Park by
approximately 150,000 visitors per year and make an annual
economic impact of more than $5.9 million.
Report Profiles
Broward's Unincorporated Neighborhoods
Broward County's Planning and Redevelopment Division has
released a report that profiles the remaining unincorporated
neighborhoods in the County. Data tables and maps provide
information about the geography, population, housing,
schools, service providers and property taxes within each
unincorporated neighborhood. Demographic and housing data
have been tabulated from Census 2010 data, along with the
American Community Survey five-year averages (2005-2009).
More...
Airport's South Runway
Closed For Extended Period
In preparation for the South Runway Expansion Project, the
existing South Runway (9R27L), which primarily handles
general aviation aircraft, closed on April 17. This will
have limited impact to passengers on large commercial
airlines.
The closure allows construction crews to build the
structures over Federal Highway and the FEC Railroad tracks.
The new South Runway is expected to reopen in late 2014. For a complete update, visit
FLL Airport Improvements and Renovations.
Local Elementary
School Students Teach Residents About Water Conservation
The
Broward Water Partnership, a collaboration of 18 local
governments and water utilities, is helping the community
save water and money through the
Conservation Pays rebate and incentives program. To
reach their goal of saving 30 million gallons of water, the
partnership teamed up with a group of second grade students
at Virginia Shuman Young Elementary School, Fort Lauderdale,
and created a
new online video that teaches residents the importance
of water conservation.
More…
Historical Commission to Recognize Broward’s
Education History
The Broward County Historical Commission will host the
Broward County Heritage Celebration at 5:30 p.m. on
Thursday, May 10, at the historic West Side Grade School,
301 Harmon (S.W. 13th) Ave., Fort Lauderdale. This year’s
theme, "Broward’s Education History: A Path to the Future,"
was selected in honor of Historic Preservation Month,
celebrated annually each May. The event will feature keynote
speaker, Robert W. Runcie, superintendent of Broward County
Public Schools, musical selections by the Blanche Ely High
School Jazz Cats and several preservation awards.
More...
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Broward County residents, be sure to get the latest news
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PublicInfo@broward.org. Homeowner associations please
pass this newsletter along to your members, or invite them
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Community Update, a monthly newsletter from the
Board of County Commissioners, is produced by the
Office of Public Communications. Address questions
concerning articles to 954-357-6990. To receive
Community Update electronically, send an email
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publicinfo@broward.org. Please include your
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954-831-3940 for additional information. |
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