Need Work Skills Training? January 5, 2022 Share Scholarships Are Available for Eligible Hollywood Residents (Pictured) City of Hollywood Low to Moderate Income (LMI) Areas The City of Hollywood, in partnership with OIC of South Florida, is offering Work Skills Training Scholarships to eligible Hollywood residents. The 12-week course provides FREE in-depth vocational training, preparing participants for entry-level positions on their career path. Courses will be held on Saturdays from January 22 to April 16, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center located at 2400 Charleston Street in Hollywood. The course will concentrate on Warehouse logistics. Upon completion, potential positions and salaries include: Hand Laborer & Material Mover - $27,710 Packing Specialist - $25,910 Shipping & Receiving Clerk - $29,699 Only those applicants residing within the City's low to moderate-income (LMI) neighborhoods may participate in the Work Skills Training Scholarship Program. All submitted applications will go through an address verification process to ensure that participants meet this program requirement. Participants must also self-certify household income and provide proof of their U.S. Citizen or legal resident status. Online applications are now open until Sunday, January 9 at 11 p.m. at this link: https://www.hollywoodfl.org/FormCenter/CMED-6/Work-Skills-Training-Scholarship-Program-231 POSTPONED: January Operation Paintbrush Paint Distribution Event The City's supply of recycled paint for the January event has NOT been secured from Broward County. Due to the lack of supply, the January event has been postponed. The City is targeting Saturday, February 12, 2022 as a POSSIBLE date for the next event. Please continue to check the event calendar at www.hollywoodfl.org for the latest event information. < Previous News Next News >

Paid Immunity: Should We Receive Money To Get Vaccinated? Thu Sep 16 2021 04:05:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Public Art Program at The Parker - Dynamic outdoor art light projection by Mad Arts kicks off in January December 25, 2024 Share Funding Arts Broward (FAB) announced the launch of a new public art program titled, FAB Goes Public, with a dynamic outdoor artistic light display on the exterior wall of The Parker in Fort Lauderdale from January through April. Made possible with the support of Funding Arts Broward, the membership-based organization dedicated to championing the arts in Broward, in collaboration with the Broward Center for the Performing Arts and the Broward Performing Arts Foundation, The Parker and Mad Arts, FAB Goes Public is FAB’s public art initiative designed to broaden appreciation for the arts within the community, reach a larger audience and benefit emerging artists by teaching them new skills and showcasing their work. The impetus behind FAB Goes Public originated from the nonprofit’s recently published “Enriching the Arts Opportunities in Broward County’s Arts Community” report which identified key needs within Broward County’s arts community. A signature public art event was a top priority. “Public art enhances our cultural landscape, engages communities, contributes to economic vitality and celebrates diversity,” said FAB President Mary Riedel. “We are thrilled to be able to bring this multi-month outdoor light projection to the community and at the same time support our local artists.” Miami native, Marc Aptakin, Founder and acting CEO of Mad Arts, is a longtime supporter of local arts initiatives, providing complimentary space for artists exhibits and now includes education. “As a former artist and photographer, I support the arts and artists in any way that I can,” said Aptakin. “I’m delighted to partner with FAB and host instructive workshops for aspiring artists.” FAB worked alongside Sofia Bastidas, Mad Arts Curator, to identify the artists that will be showcased for FAB Goes Public. The artists include Rosanna Kalis and Miguel Gonzalez, who are both local artists working at the intersection of arts and technology. The project seeks to empower and elevate local artists by expanding their digital expertise to enhance their visibility. An important part of the program was to implement an educational initiative at Mad Arts. This program hopes to educate participants to explore their creativity and develop new technical skills, such as 3D projection mapping. “With this immersive lighting experience at The Parker, we have a unique opportunity to weave in the visual arts with the performing arts,” said Lisa Kitei, President of the Broward Performing Arts Foundation and longtime FAB member. “We look forward to lighting up the sky at The Parker to further engage our community in the arts.” The Parker is located at 707 Northeast 8th Street, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33304. Funding Arts Broward (FAB) Funding Arts Broward (FAB) is a privately funded non-profit organization that provides visual arts and arts education grants to non-profit organizations in Broward. FAB funds an annual grant pool of up to $400K, through the support of its members, corporate partners, and allied foundations. FAB was founded by local artist and philanthropist Francie Bishop Good. More information about FAB can be found at: https://fundingartsbroward.org . Follow us on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/fundingartsbroward. Mad Arts A Non-Profit Organization founded in 2020, Mad Arts is a museum, community hub, and laboratory for art and technology. Facilitating visionary exhibitions and projects by individuals, collectives, and companies, Mad Arts operates out of its flagship headquarters, a 50,000-square-foot space in South Florida. More information about MAD can be found at: www.yeswearemadarts.com . The Parker The Parker is Fort Lauderdale’s iconic, heritage theater presenting concerts, comedy, dance, family fare and more. Beautifully renovated in 2021, The Parker offers audiences enhanced entertainment and hospitality experiences. The neo-classical Lillian S. Wells Hall features outstanding acoustics, unobstructed sightlines, wide rows and continental seating. The grand S. Donald Sussman Lobby, Bernie Peck’s Bar, the intimate Haller Club, and the private members’ lounge, The Place To Be, provide ample opportunities for audiences to enjoy culture, cocktails and conversation with every visit to the theater. For more information, visit: www.ParkerPlayhouse.com < Previous News Next News >

2024 State of The City: From City of Hollywood Mayor Josh Levy jlevy@hollywoodfl.org January 31, 2024 Share Hello There, Hollywood Residents. Earlier this month, I had the opportunity to present the State of the City Address to the Greater Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, an invitation that the chamber extends to Hollywood's mayor at the start of each new year. In this year's address, I highlighted the many ways we are working to achieve our city’s mission: "To provide a thriving community, where quality living and the opportunity for success is made available to all." These are exciting times for Hollywood. We have a stronger and structurally balanced annual budget, and through that, we are continuing to usher in major improvements for our city's neighborhoods, parks, roadways, public safety, infrastructure, stormwater management, environmental resiliency, housing affordability and much more. To learn more, you can watch the complete State of the City at the video link: https://youtu.be/WE3C8TZ1Eqk?si=FoKuESEBm2cZ26Xo My discussion begins with a report on our city’s financial health, which is a critical component to the quality of life that a city can provide for its residents. For 2024, I was happy to report that through our continuing commitment to sound financial administration and governance that is future-oriented, our Operating Budget for 2024 is at a record $779 Million Dollars and it is again structurally balanced. Our citywide taxable property values are now at a record $23.2 Billion Dollars, which is up a very strong 11% over last year, and up 75% since I was elected in 2016. And together with our commitment to maintaining recommended levels of reserves, higher bond ratings and controlling expenses, we are on track to see our city flourish and able to reinvest back into our community, without burdening residents with higher taxes. We’ll see significant improvements to our parks with new playgrounds, fields, lighting, pathways, computers, fitness equipment, pickleball courts and basketball courts, dog parks and more. For our Water and Wastewater Utilities infrastructure, we are in the midst of massive injection well projects that will end the disposal of treated wastewater into the ocean. We’ll continue neighborhood watermain replacements and expanding the sewer system where we can, and we’ll continue upgrading our stormwater system to improve our city’s drainage given it no longer delivers an adequate level of service for a community experiencing changing climate conditions. Lots of work is needed in this area. We have many roadway resurfacing, streetlighting and sidewalk improvement projects ahead. Our voter approved General Obligation Bond projects are also progressing. We’ll break ground on the new Police Headquarters this year, beginning construction of tidal flooding mitigation and sea walls, renewed city golf courses, neighborhood traffic calming, planting more trees and new landscaping, beautification and much more. These are exciting times for Hollywood. We will be entering our city's centennial year in 2025, celebrating 100 years of Hollywood in better financial health, with a future for Hollywood that is physically safer, operationally better, environmentally greener and more sustainable, commercially stronger, visually more appealing, residentially more desirable and historically prouder. Together, we will continue to do great things. Best to everyone in the New Year, Mayor Josh Levy < Previous News Next News >

Elevated Pasta Night: Offers Unique Dining Experience At Arc Culinary's Emeril Lagasse Foundation Innovation Kitchen Thu Aug 29 2024 16:09:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Rhythm By The River: A Festival Celebrating Black Voices March 16, 2023 Share The most exciting and innovative Black voices in Broward County take center stage when the Broward Center For The Performing Arts Presents the Second Annual Rhythm By The River: A Festival Celebrating Black Voices from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 19th, 2023 at Esplanade Park, 32 East Las Olas Boulevard, Downtown Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33316. Rhythm By The River features live music, dance, drama and spoken word poetry performances as well as interactive events for the entire family. On the main stage, The Smoogies kick off the afternoon’s music lineup with a blend of Jazz, Funk and R&B sounds and influences that will make people feel good while listening. Miami-Born Gia Wyre, also known as “Songbird,” uplifts the audience with her voice and soul-stirring Gospel, R&B and Soul Repertoire. Singer, Saxophonist and Pianist Timothy Dukes brings the powerful sounds of gospel to inspire the audience. The party continues with the energy-packed performance from Singer, Songwriter and Producer Sizwe Collins, a staple in the Caribbean community across South Florida, who brings a contagious mix of sounds from Steelpan, African Drums. R&B and Hip-Hop Artist/Producer Jean Carlos Casely closes the festival’s performances on a high note. Free community workshops offered at the Broward Center’s Mary N. Porter Riverview Ballroom includes spoken word with Art Prevails Project Founder Darius V. Daughtry, drumming with Troupe Fall West African Drum and Dance and Hip-Hop/Dance with Developing Dream Foundation’s Executive Director Pablo Malco. The afternoon also features arts and crafts as well as food trucks from J&J Soul Food: The Food Truck, Wontons On Wheels, The Caribe Vegan Food Truck and cupcakes from Sweet Sensations By Charlene. Rhythm By The River is proudly supported by Radio Media Sponsor Cox Media Group and will be hosted live by Supa Cindy from The Pac Jam Morning Show on 99 JAMZ and Rodney Baltimore, mornings on Hot 105. Rhythm By The River is part of the Broward Center For The Performing Arts’ Arts For Action: Black Voices initiative, Co-Presented by Baptist Health and JM Family Enterprises, Inc., which focuses on how the arts and artists can be a force for change in addressing critical issues of social justice and racial inequality. To learn more about Arts for Action: Black Voices events or to get involved, visit: www.BrowardCenter.org Or email: artsforaction@browardcenter.org . The Broward Center for the Performing Arts is located at 201 Southwest Fifth Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33312. < Previous News Next News >

City Of Hollywood Honors Memorial Day South Florida Sun Times May 22, 2025 The City Of Hollywood Is Grateful To The Men And Women Who Have Made The Ultimate Sacrifice While Serving In The Military For Our Great Country. We Will Honor Our Nation’s Heroes With A Free And Uplifting Concert On Saturday, May 24th At The Boulevard Heights Amphitheater Located On 6770 Garfield Street, Hollywood, Florida 33024. VIVA, a classic rock band, will take the outdoor stage from 7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. with patriotic tunes. Please bring a chair or blanket for lawn seating. Single-use plastics are prohibited. Please consider bringing a reusable bottle of water instead. On Monday, May 26th all City-operated parks, Dowdy Field, Hollywood West Field, and Rotary Park (Pell Field and Whitlock Field) are open from sunrise to sunset. The Driftwood Community Pool will be open from 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Community Centers, Boggs Field, Driftwood Athletic Complex, Police Athletic League, and the Washington Park Athletic Fields will be closed for the holiday. For additional information, please call the Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Arts at: (954) 921-3404. We encourage everyone to enjoy and honor the holiday responsibly. For your safety, Hollywood Fire Rescue and Beach Safety and the Hollywood Police Department will have an enhanced presence citywide. City of Hollywood Marina For those enjoying a day out on the water, the Hollywood Marina offers free public WiFi, laundry facilities, public boat ramps and 24/7 security. The fuel dock is open from 7:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., seven days a week. City Staff is always willing to help with your fueling needs. All fuel pumps are cashless. The Marina is located at 700 Polk Street, Hollywood, Florida 33019. For more information, visit the Parks page at: https://hollywoodfl.org/91/Parks-Facilities Previous Next

It’s Happening in Hollywood at the ArtsPark This Weekend July 29, 2021 Share The Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Arts presents the 24th Annual Summer Talent Show "Summer Showcase on the Beach" this Friday night, July 30 at 7 p.m. Enjoy performances by the talented children of Hollywood's Summer Camps as they sing, dance, and act. The Summer Showcase on the Beach is free and lawn seating is available. Please note: ArtsPark Movie Night returns next Friday, August 6th with Toy Story 3 Hollywood ArtsPark Experience: Julian Marley The Hollywood CRA and the City of Hollywood present an evening with Julian Marley on Saturday, July 31st. Julian Marley is the son of reggae legend Bob Marley and Barbados-born Lucy Pounder. Growing up as a youth in a musical atmosphere, the Grammy Award Nominated roots-reggae musician, singer-songwriter, producer and humanitarian quickly adopted a musical lifestyle at an early age and became a skillful, self-taught musician mastering the bass, drums, guitar and keyboards. During Julian’s formative years in Jamaica, he began to study under legendary reggae veterans such as Aston “Family Man” Barrett, Carlton Barrett, Earl “Wire” Lindo, Tyrone Downie and Earl “Chinna” Smith, all of whom inspired the then fledgling song-bird. Since releasing his debut album in 1996, Marley has continued to tour and record, with his own band, and in collaboration with family and reggae legends — always clearly reflecting his roots and heritage. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the show starts at 8 p.m. with opening sounds by Dubwise. This all-ages show is free with RSVP: www.RhythmFoundation.com/#/events?event_id=42958. Lawn seating is available. Please note, single-use plastics and Styrofoam containers are prohibited at the ArtsPark. Please leave plastic bottles, bags and other single-use plastics at home. Dune Planting Volunteer Opportunity The City of Hollywood is renovating the sand dune at Hayes Street on Hollywood Beach. Volunteers are needed on Saturday, July 31st from 8 a.m. until 11 a.m. to plant sea oats in an effort to restore the dune. Children (ages 8 & up) must be accompanied by an adult. Registration by email is required at lpollock@hollywoodfl.org . Stormwater Master Plan Update In-Person & Virtual Community Workshop August 5th - 6 - 7:30 p.m. Hollywood Beach Culture & Community Center, 1301 S. Ocean Drive The Department of Public Utilities is hosting a public workshop to discuss the City's ongoing Stormwater system assessment and flooding mitigation plans where the public will share their past experiences with flooding events in Hollywood as a way to help guide the development of the Stormwater Master Plan. Issues to be discussed: flooding, existing storm systems, water quality, low-lying elevations, effect of climate change, infrastructure and resilience. All are invited to attend either in-person or virtually. Register your virtual attendance visit here: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_kCJ679HaQKGA0XPVthuA1g < Previous News Next News >

Lack Of Affordability Tops Older Americans List Of Health Care Worries Thu Oct 10 2024 19:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Broward Commuter Rail Kick-Off Meetings Planned: In-Person and Virtual Options Offered To Address Congestion Issues August 26, 2021 Share The map indicates proposed locations for Commuter Rail Stations, including a location in Hollywood The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) District Four and Broward County are performing a PD&E Study for the Broward Commuter Rail (BCR) along the Florida East Coast (FEC) Railway from Aventura in Miami-Dade County to Deerfield Beach in Broward County. The objective of the BCR PD&E Study is to develop and analyze alternatives that integrate passenger and freight service along the FEC Railway. The purpose of the study is to address congestion issues by improving mobility while supporting economic policies, as well as land development policies, in eastern Broward County. The map indicates proposed locations for Commuter Rail Stations, including a location in Hollywood. The public is encouraged to attend one of the virtual or in-person meetings to learn more about the study. Links to register your attendance and additional study details are found here: https://www.fdot.gov/projects/broward-commuter-rail Virtual Meetings: August 30 & September 1 – 5:30 – 7 p.m. Open House Session: 5:30 – 6 p.m. Project Formal Presentation Session: 6 – 6:30 p.m. Comment Period: 6:30 – 7 p.m. In-Person Meeting August 31 – 5:30 – 7 p.m. Open House Session: 5:30 – 6 p.m. Project Formal Presentation Session: 6 – 6:30 p.m. Comment Period: 6:30 – 7 p.m. Important Notice Regarding Impact to Solid Waste, Recycling, Bulk and Yard Waste Collections in Hollywood City of Hollywood solid waste, recycling, bulk, and yard waste collections vendor, Waste Pro USA, has been heavily impacted by a recent surge of positive COVID-19 infections. A large number of WastePro crew members have tested positive for COVID-19 and have been forced into quarantine, which has resulted in service impacts City-wide. Until further notice, customers can expect temporary delays in solid waste, recycling, bulk and yard waste collections. The City of Hollywood Department of Public Works would like to thank customers for their patience and understanding as they work to manage service impacts resulting from this new wave of COVID-19 positive cases. Staff will continue to monitor the situation and maintain a primary focus on weekly garbage collections, followed by yard and bulk collections. Recycling routes will be delayed, if necessary, to maintain the health, safety and sanitation of our community. For questions or concerns, please contact the Department of Public Works at 954.967.4526. 
COVID Update Dr. Randy Katz, Director of Emergency Services at Memorial Regional Hospital, provides an update on the local impact of the surge in COVID cases.Click here to watch the video Reminder: City of Hollywood Facilities Closed In light of the spike in COVID-19 positive cases in South Florida and the elevated risk to public health, all City facilities, including City Hall and Community Centers, are closed to the general public for indoor activities and recreation. The closure will remain in effect until further notice. Customers are encouraged to use the many services offered online. < Previous News Next News >

Where The Bucks Stop: Local Governments Are Adopting Budgets And Tax Rates For The 2022/2023 Fiscal Year By Hallandale Beach Mayor, Joy Cooper August 11, 2022 Share This is the time of year when local Governments are adopting their Budgets and setting their Tax Rates. I always like to share with readers that Governments look at our operations like a business, they watch every dollar and strive to control costs. With this said we are quite different. Even in the terms of households we are different but similarly we need to provide life sustaining items. Terms like “living within our means” or “what product lines are not performing well, let’s cut them” truly do not fit in the government model. Each level of Government is different. States provide specific services and operate as a pass through for many services. The State receives dollars through many financial vehicles but in Florida, mainly Sales Tax and other fees for services. County Governments receive Sales Taxes but also collect Property Taxes. They also have fees for services and other shared Tax Revenues. These Governments are not required to provide direct services per se, to each household. They provide large scale Transportation Systems, Court Systems, Jail Systems and Libraries for example. The services depend on the Government's mission as established by the Charter. Services are also regulatory in nature; Others are pass-throughs and some are adopted by Law. The School Board for example, implements everything pertaining to schools and receives Direct Taxes and State Taxes. Municipal Governments are required to provide Police, Fire Services, Emergency Medical Services, Water and Sewer Services and Trash Removal. We also implement Building and Code Requirements. We are also required to maintain our Public Realm. This can include: Parks, roads and sidewalks, depending upon if the City solely owns the property. Local City Government is truly the closest to the people. We touch everyone's daily lives. Our responsibilities are required by the City Charter and most are required to live. There are two ways we can provide services. We can directly provide them or contract out for them. Either way, we must provide them and we are where the buck stops, figuratively and literally. If your water is not on, you are calling us, not a County Commissioner or the Governor. If we cannot pay to provide water, we are all in trouble. That means our business is broke. I am oversimplifying but it truly comes down to these basic services. We cannot decide that we will not provide water, because we are required to. We will have to enter into a contract with a private company or partner with another City. But we will have to charge our residents and they will have to pay for it. To run a City, you also need a Staff. Like in any Business, Staff is one of our largest assets and one of our greatest expenses. The biggest expense is paid for through Ad Valorem Taxes (Property Tax). Our City’s Tax Rate is now 7 percent. This rate is simply not enough to pay our expenses. Our Staff and Commission have been working hard over the past years to set in place a Financial Stability Plan. Within the plan we have to make sure we can maintain the level of service of both police and fire and other vital services while maintaining an adequate reserve, we must increase our tax rate. The new proposed Rate is 8.2 Mills. While the 1.2 increase seems like a lot it will only generate $6 Million Dollars. This will also ensure that we are not utilizing any Reserves. Since 2016, our Reserve went down from $16 Million to $10 Million, the lowest ever seen. We will however, be able to build our Reserves back up to a Sustainable level, projected to between the Current Rate of $17 Million to $22 Million. I must share that we have not discussed the Rosemond case, which is still on appeal, but the jury’s verdict was for $4 Million Dollars. We are also paying over $1.2 Million Dollars on the BSO Contract. Currently, we will be able to maintain the Fire/EMS Staffing levels but without bringing the management of these services to our City’s next Budget and they may need to be reduced. Property Taxes are the biggest change this year. There are other minor changes that I will cover in next week’s article. As all of our families and students are gearing up for the new school year, I was proud to lend my support to this weekend’s event hosted by Humanity First and our dear friends of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. As always, they had a great event. If you missed it, I am co-hosting another event at Foster Park this weekend, on Saturday, August 13th, 2022 located at 609 Foster Avenue, Hallandale Beach, Florida 33009. As always, I am available for your questions, concerns and ideas to help make our City a better place! Please feel free to reach out to me at my Office: (954) 457-1318. On my Cell/Text at: (954) 632-5700. Or Email at: jcooper@cohb.org . < Previous News Next News >

Hurricane Protection Update: What Does All This Mean For Owners Of Florida Condominiums May 9, 2024 Share In this week's article let's get into considerations and details of Hurricane Protection for condominium buildings and communities. Some Florida COAs install Hurricane Shutters or storm-rated windows and sliding glass doors on the entire building, including all individual units. In other Associations and buildings, storm protection on individual unit windows and doors is the separate responsibility of each owner. The decision to do one or the other depends on the recorded Governing Documents, available funds, insurance considerations, and the desires of the Association as a whole. When the Association pays for the installation of Hurricane Shutters or storm-rated windows and doors on the entire building, the COA may also be responsible for maintaining, repairing, and replacing them as needed. Keep in mind that when the Association pays, it is using money collected from all owners. You may want to review my introduction to Hurricane Protection and products before continuing. Here is a direct link: https://thefloridarealestateblog.com/f/an-introduction-to-hurricane-protection-for-single-family-homes - An Introduction to Hurricane Protection for Single-Family Homes (thefloridarealestateblog.com). Florida's Condominium Act (Florida Statutes Chapter 718) specifically addresses COA Board authority and responsibility as they relate to storm protection for common elements (areas) and individual residence units. In fact, the Condo Act requires Boards to establish color, type, and style standards for any Hurricane Shutter or protection product to be installed on the building(s). Standards and specifications adopted by a COA must comply with County or City building codes and product approvals in effect at the time of installation. Building specifications apply to shutters and/or storm-rated windows and doors paid for by either individual owners or by the Association. The Condominium Act states in part: "Notwithstanding any other provision in the residential condominium documents, if approval is required by the documents, a board may not refuse to approve the installation or replacement of Hurricane Shutters, impact glass, code-compliant windows or doors, or other types of Code-Compliant Hurricane Protection by a unit owner conforming to the specifications adopted by the board." Attorneys tell us this means that the COA Board may not refuse owners' requests to install (at their own cost) Hurricane Shutters over their individual unit's windows and sliding glass doors, or to replace existing windows and doors with new-code rated ones. All condominium Governing Documents that I have ever read include a requirement for owners to get Board approval before installing windows, doors, or storm shutters. (Be sure to get written approval and save it in your files.) Recently-constructed condominium buildings in Florida already have Code-Compliant and storm-rated windows and doors, so this discussion applies to existing buildings more than about 12 years old. Specified Hurricane Protection for a condominium building states the type, style, and color of products approved by the Association and may include language like: • White accordion shutters, stacking equally to both sides of windows • Tan accordion shutters mounted floor-to-ceiling at the outside edge of balconies/lanais, inside the hand rail • Manually-operated (from inside the unit) white roll-down shutters over fixed exterior windows; white accordion shutters covering balcony sliding glass doors (SGDs) • Wind-rated, fixed (non-opening) windows in exterior building walls; left-opening wind-rated SGDs with dark bronze extruded aluminum frames The reasons for an Association having specifications for Hurricane Shutters and storm-rated windows go far beyond just the building's appearance and all units looking the same from the outside. Any type of storm protection will be installed on/in the building's exterior structural walls which are common elements shared by all owners. Under just about all Florida COAs' Governing Documents, unit owners are prohibited from modifying (or installing anything on) common elements. Since the Condominium Act allows storm protection on individual units, and any shutter product or storm-rated window must be installed on/in a building's exterior walls, the Board has the authority to require that all products comply with the building's specification and be installed according to current local building codes. It is very important for condominium unit owners to know whether their windows, sliding glass doors, and entry doors are maintained by unit owners or the Association. Either arrangement is possible, depending on what the Governing Documents have to say. Speak with your Board of Directors for clarification. High-rise condo buildings have their own storm protection considerations, especially when they are on (or close to) the coast. In a recent article, we discussed how impact from flying debris is the main concern when protecting Single-Family Home window and door openings, which also applies to the lower floors of condo buildings. In high-rises, the main consideration is wind loads, both positive and negative. The lower floors of taller condo buildings have to deal with impact from flying debris and some wind load. The upper floors of the same building won't usually be subjected to flying debris, though will have to resist MUCH higher wind loads than lower floors. This is why Product Approval letters contain wind pressure tables for various building heights (elevations), and building permit applications for installation contain engineering calculations for expected wind loads on a specific building. Shutter and window/door products are tested and rated for wind pressures (PSF), not for wind speeds (MPH). Fast-moving wind reacts to a tall building in its way being similar to an airplane wing. As wind approaches a building, it flows up and around, exerting both positive (pressure) and negative (suction) wind loads on different surfaces of the same building and everything attached to it. The upper floors of taller buildings are subjected to stronger and faster wind than lower floors because higher level winds do not have to deal with the "friction" of structures, trees, and other obstructions at ground level. For this same reason, coastal high-rises are exposed to higher wind loads than similar buildings farther inland. Wind coming across open water does not encounter much friction to slow it down. Product approval laboratory testing measures both impact resistance and the ability to withstand positive and negative wind pressures. Keep in mind that as a hurricane travels, wind direction can change multiple times so buildings must be able to resist changing wind loads coming from different directions. Interesting note - Negative pressures on a building are usually higher than positive pressures from the same wind. During hurricanes, unprotected and/or improperly installed windows and their frames are often pulled out of taller buildings' exterior walls from negative pressure, ending up on the ground below rather than being blown into the building. Remember the "building envelope" concept from my past article. What does all this mean for owners of Florida condominiums who want to protect their individual unit's openings? If you already have shutters or storm-rated windows and doors, you're likely in good shape. Be sure to inspect storm shutters at the start of hurricane season to clean, lubricate, adjust any moving parts, and check the proper function of roll down shutter electric motors. Many reputable shutter companies provide this maintenance service at a reasonable charge. If you do not yet have window and door protection for your own condominium unit and it is up to owners (not the Association) to install any protection product, check to see what your building's shutter specification is, then get estimates for installing them. At the same time, get estimates for replacing your windows and doors with storm-rated ones that meet the building's specs. See last week's article for descriptions, benefits, and limitations of different storm protection products. My personal opinion is that low-rise (1-2 floors) condo buildings should have storm protection. It is each owner's responsibility to protect their individual unit's openings. Conversely, I feel mid and high-rise buildings are better served when the Association protects the entire building's windows and doors with code-approved products. (After Hurricane Andrew in Miami, I spent much of the 1990s involved with product testing and approvals, insurance considerations, and new building codes as they related to storm protection for Single-Family Homes and condominium buildings. Part of that work included riding swing-stages up the outsides of high-rise condo buildings in Miami, Key Biscayne, Hollywood, and Fort Lauderdale, installing some of the very first Dade County - approved Hurricane Shutters.) The decision on whether to do full-building protection or leave it to individual unit owners is complicated, requiring input from many sources and an Association vote. If Operating or Contingency funds are not available, a full-building installation may have to be funded with a Special Assessment or bank loan. Reserve funds cannot be used for this purpose. Important - HB-1029, the My Safe Florida Condominium Pilot Program was passed during the 2024 legislative session which makes State financial grants available to Florida Condominium Owners Associations for storm damage mitigation measures, including new-code windows and SGDs. The program is not yet fully active, and requires very specific (and complicated, in my opinion) inspection and application procedures in order to be considered for grant funding. Stay tuned for updates. Here are a few reasons why installing storm protection on the entire building might make sense for some Florida COAs, especially those in high-rises: • A unit on the 5th floor has Hurricane Shutters or storm-rated windows and SGDs installed, yet the unit just above on the 6th floor has no protection. A storm blows out a couple windows in that 6th floor unit, allowing wind-blown rain to enter and leak down into the protected 5th floor unit from the inside. Installing storm-rated windows and doors in the entire building could have significantly reduced the possibility of this scenario. • Hurricanes hit Florida in the summer and early fall, when many seasonal residents are "up north." Owners are supposed to secure their units when they leave, though that doesn't always happen. If all units have the same shutters, management can see from the ground which units they may still have to secure as a storm approaches. If all units have storm-rated windows and doors, management time and effort to secure individual units are significantly reduced. • New code storm-rated windows and doors in a building (especially an older one) can make all units in it more attractive to potential buyers, supporting property values in the building. • An Association's insurance premiums for common element windstorm protection may be reduced because risk of damage and loss is lower. That's it for this week, a quick overview of hurricane protection for Florida Condominium Associations and buildings. Use discussion points from this article when addressing your building's storm protection and damage resistance with your Board, management company, and other owners. Editor's Note: Christopher Carter is NOT an attorney. He does not give legal advice. For interpretation and application to specific circumstances of anything you read in this article, you must speak with a Florida-Licensed attorney. Have a question or comment about anything you see here, if so, visit: www.TheFloridaRealEstateBlog.com < Previous News Next News >