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Mayor’s Message

he new City Commission recently laid out a bold agenda of goals for the next
year — eradicating homelessness, improving traffic flow, increasing
T affordable housing, upgrading infrastructure and combatting climate change.
Homelessness was at the top of the list. The encampment next to the main library
downtown is more than an eyesore. It’s an ever-present sign of this community’s
failure to properly address homelessness.

We can expect some significant steps in the coming months.
Our police department and the judiciary plan to create a special court division
where individuals are not jailed for offenses like panhandling but are diverted to
the services that they need. We also are working on triage for homeless people
arrested elsewhere in the county but released from jail downtown.
Most significantly, a new task force of business leaders has formed to determine
how to expand rapid re-housing and social services to get people off the streets.
At last, we have found a new source to fulfill our funding gaps.
Regarding traffic, city staff has been tasked to work with the county and state to
Dean Trantalis synchronize traffic lights on our main streets. We expect Sunrise Boulevard to be re-
Mayor, timed between Interstate 95 and the Gateway intersection by the end of the year.
City of Fort Lauderdale Broward Boulevard is also being worked on.

Staff will report back on how to synchronize other key streets like Federal Highway,
Oakland Park Boulevard and Commercial Boulevard within the next couple years.

At the same time, our transportation planners will look into new technology to make
getting around Fort Lauderdale easier. For instance, one suggestion is live sensors
so you aren’t stuck at a red light when there is no traffic. They will report back to
the commission by December.

Affordable housing is equally as important.
The prices to rent or own a home in Fort Lauderdale continue to escalate, and as a
community, we need to ensure we don’t price middle- and lower-income families
out of living in our city. Already, some hospitality workers spend several hours
commuting to beach hotels and restaurants from western suburbs.
Based on our goal-setting sessions, city staff will brings us ideas on incentives and
other tools to promote affordable housing. Fort Lauderdale must be a place where
teachers, secretaries, bank tellers and waiters can afford to live.

Office Contact: Fort Lauderdale has been ground zero in climate change. This will be a top priority, too.
Scotty Wyman
Assistant to the Mayor We have a $200 million plan ready to address the seven neighborhoods
Email: swyman@fortlauderdale.gov experiencing the worst flooding -- Progresso Village, Victoria Park, Dorsey
Phone: 954.828.5004 Riverbend, Southeast Isles, River Oaks, Edgewood and Durrs. We will make a
decision on how to fund this in the next six month with the intention of completing
construction in five years.

There is a lot on our plate, but we are determined to make Fort Lauderdale a better
place to live.

Sincerely,

Dean Trantalis
Mayor, City of Fort Lauderdale

10 The Landings & Bay Colony