The program provides forgivable financing to eligible small businesses located in Fort Lauderdale’s Northwest/Progresso/Flagler Heights Community Redevelopment Area (NPFCRA) as well as the Central City CRA. Also, eligible businesses in low and moderate income areas of the City may apply to receive up to $10,000 in forgivable loans that may be used toward rent or mortgage payments, employee payroll, or utilities. Applications for the Emergency Business Investment Program are currently available online at https://bit.ly/30C8nXY. The City has allocated $1.34 million to fund the emergency relief program. Applicants must meet program criteria in order to be eligible to receive a forgivable loan. The loans will be zero-interest for 24 months. The loans may be forgiven, if all conditions are met, otherwise they must be repaid at the end of that term. For more information, call 954-828-4617 or visithttps://bit.ly/2OM2OR0.
Department of Health Information
According to the Florida Department of Health, as of July 24, 2020, results from approximately 350,194 tests administered in Broward County indicated 303,176 negative results; 46,576 positive results; and 442 inconclusive results. To see the latest data from the FDOH, visit bit.ly/2wb29D2.
Free Drive-Thru COVID-19 Self-Swab Testing Site at Holiday Park
Free drive-thru COVID-19 self-swab testing is available at Fort Lauderdale’s Holiday Park, located at U.S. 1 and N.E. 8 Street (just south of Sunrise Boulevard). The site is open Tuesday - Saturday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., and offers free COVID-19 testing to anyone age 5 or older with or without COVID-19 symptoms. No doctor referral needed. Proper ID is required with name, date of birth, address, and photo. To reduce wait times, please register for an appointment online at https://florida.curativeinc.com/welcome. Overseen by healthcare professionals from AMR, the testing procedure for the oral self-swab test requires individuals to swab the inside of their mouth for approximately 20 seconds. The swab sample is then placed in a vial, sealed, and sent to a lab for analysis. Results are delivered to patients via email or text message. Patients who do not receive results after 72 hours, may contact Curative Inc. via email at support@curativeinc.com. For more details, visit bit.ly/ftlcovid19testing.
Free Walk-Up COVID-19 Testing at Lincoln Park
Free walk-up COVID-19 testing is available at Fort Lauderdale’s Lincoln Park, located at 600 N.W. 19 Avenue in Fort Lauderdale. The Lincoln Park testing site is open Tuesday - Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Administered by the Florida Department of Health, the site offers free walk-up testing to anyone with or without COVID-19 symptoms. There are no age or identification requirements and no doctor referral is needed. For more details and to view a video of the Lincoln Park testing site, visit bit.ly/ftlcovid19testing.
Additional COVID-19 Testing Sites Now Open in Broward County
The Florida Division of Emergency Management has opened three federally funded COVID-19 testing sites in Broward County. The free drive-thru testing sites are located at Dillard High School,
2501 NW 11th Street in Fort Lauderdale; Blanche Ely High School, 1201 NW 6th Avenue, in Pompano Beach; and MacArthur High School, 6501 Hollywood Boulevard, in Hollywood. The sites are operating from 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. daily through Sunday, August 2 at 6 p.m. The sites offer free testing for individuals 5 years of age and older, regardless of symptoms. To schedule an appointment, visit www.DoINeedACovid19Test.com. Individuals will be provided with information on how to receive results once they are tested. For a complete list of state supported testing sites, visit https://bit.ly/3fYDnbe.
Important Deadlines from the Supervisor of Elections Office
The Broward County Supervisor of Elections Office reminds everyone about the following important deadlines related to the August 18 Primary Election and the November 3 General Election:
- August 8 - Last day to request a mail-in ballot for the Primary Election on August 18
- October 5 - Last day to register to vote in the General Election on November 3
- October 24 - Last day to request a mail-in ballot for the General Election on November 3
For more information, visit the Broward County Supervisor of Elections Office website atwww.browardsoe.org.
Frequently Asked Questions on Masks and Emergency Orders
Broward County has issued two Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) documents regarding regulations included in Emergency Orders 20-21 and 20-22, including but not limited to, the daily curfew, social events, commercial and residential gatherings, dining hours, signage, facial coverings and more. To view the FAQ related to Emergency Orders 20-21 and 20-22, please visit https://bit.ly/3eY3OfQ. To view the FAQ about facial coverings, please visit https://bit.ly/3g04Hp9.
Weekly Food Distribution at Mills Pond Park on July 30
The next drive-thru food distribution event hosted by the cities of Fort Lauderdale, Oakland Park, and Wilton Manors will take place on Thursday, July 30 beginning at 9 a.m. at Mills Pond Park, located at 2201 NW 9 Avenue. Produced in partnership with Feeding South Florida, the event provides healthy and nutritious food to those impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Food is distributed on a first come, first served basis (while supplies last). Recipients must remain in their vehicles and will be instructed to open their trunk when volunteers are ready to load it. To access Mills Pond Park, please enter from southbound NW 9 Avenue. For more details, visit bit.ly/2K8cnrn. For more information about Feeding South Florida, visit www.feedingsouthflorida.org. To make a donation to Feeding South Florida, please visit bit.ly/2WJVl8Y.
Broward Schools to Open on August 19 with E-Learning
The Broward County School Board hosted a special virtual workshop on July 22 to discuss reopening plans for the upcoming 2020-2021 school year. During the meeting,Superintendent Robert Runcie announced that the school year, which is scheduled to start on August 19, would begin with e-learning to ensure the health and safety of students, teachers, and staff. He recommended that parents and students be given the option of selecting a morning or evening schedule of classes. The superintendent stated that the only way the district will be able to open school buildings in the future is when the community has lowered the number of COVID-19 cases and the infection rate has dropped. Parents and students are encouraged to check the Broward County Public Schools website at www.browardschools.com for updates.
Help Us Raise the Count by Completing the 2020 Census Today!
Attention Neighbors! Help the City of Fort Lauderdale be accurately counted in the 2020 Census. Currently, Fort Lauderdale’s response rate is 52.2%, which is more than 10 percentage points behind the current national response rate of 62.4%, and more than 7 percentage points under the current state of Florida response rate of 59.5%. Counting every neighbor in our City gives us an opportunity to receive our fair share of more than $1.5 trillion in federal funding for infrastructure, schools, housing, roads, healthcare, and public service programs. An accurate census count also provides critical funding for hospitals, disaster recovery, and emergency readiness for pandemics like COVID-19. Please respond to the 2020 Census today! Fill out and mail back the questionnaire sent to your home; complete the census form online www.my2020census.gov; or take the census over the phone by calling 1-844-330-2020.
Countywide Curfew in Effect Through August 1
Emergency Order 20-22 has been issued by Broward County. The order imposes a countywide curfew from 11:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. daily through August 1 at 5 a.m. Exemptions to the curfew include: active duty police, fire rescue, first responders, news media, delivery or transportation drivers, government employees, persons seeking emergency medical care, and medical, health care and utility service personnel. In addition, people traveling to and from their place of employment, those returning home after commercial travel, and individuals walking their pets within 250 feet of their residence are exempt from the curfew. To read Emergency Order 20-22, visit https://bit.ly/bceo20-22
Private Gatherings Restricted to 10 People
Effective immediately, under Broward County Emergency Order 20-22, private gatherings that take place at residential properties, whether indoors or outdoors, are limited to no more than 10 people. Individuals who are present at gatherings of more than 10 people are subject to civil and criminal penalties. Owners of properties where violations take place are also liable regardless of whether they are present when the violations occur. In addition, residents of residential properties, whether they own or rent, must ensure that all individuals on their property comply with all applicable emergency orders and guidelines or be subject to civil and criminal penalties. To read Emergency Order 20-22, visithttps://bit.ly/bceo20-22.
Masks Mandatory in Broward County; Violators Risk Fines
Broward County Emergency Order 20-21 clarifies that facial coverings are required to be worn in public and private spaces, including at all establishments where social distancing cannot be maintained. The order also requires the mandatory use of facial coverings in residential facilities and condominium common areas (including reception areas, hallways, lobbies, and elevators), and requires that masks be worn by all persons in any establishment other than amenities regardless of social distancing; all people working in any establishment allowed to operate; all individuals who are obtaining any good or service from any establishment; and all workers in any establishment involved in preparing, handling or serving food. Any individual or establishment that violates the facial covering requirements is subject to a criminal and/or civil infraction, with fines up to $500 per violation for a criminal misdemeanor, $1,000 per day per violation for a civil citation, or up to $15,000 per violation for a known violation that is irreparable or irreversible. To read Emergency Order 20-21, visit bit.ly/2O9GSis.
Don’t Let Your Guard Down
With COVID-19 cases are on the rise, the City of Fort Lauderdale reminds residents, visitors, and businesses that this is no time to let your guard down. Please remain vigilant and continue to follow local emergency orders and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines to help fight the spread of the coronavirus. Individuals testing positive for COVID-19, or who are experiencing symptoms associated with COVID-19, should:
- self-isolate to the greatest extent possible and avoid contact with other people
- avoid visiting establishments and amenities except when medically necessary
- avoid use of common areas such as shared kitchens, laundry rooms or recreational facilities, especially in shared housing or multi-housing developments
In addition, remember to wear a mask or facial covering to protect yourself and others, maintain six feet of social distancing, avoid group gatherings of more than 10 people, and stay at home if you are sick. In addition, wash your hands frequently; use hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol; avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth; avoid close contact with people who are sick; cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze; and clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces. For more information about steps you can take to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, visitbit.ly/3acut6g.
Avoid the Three Cs to Help Slow the Spread
The City of Fort Lauderdale and the Florida Department of Health remind everyone to protect themselves and others by avoiding the Three Cs: Closed Spaces, Crowded Places, and Close-Contact Settings and by wearing a mask in public:
- Closed Spaces. Avoid closed spaces with poor ventilation that could allow contagious droplets to linger in the air.
- Crowded Places. Avoid crowded places with many people nearby; the greater the number of individuals in an area, the greater the chances of COVID-19 spreading from person-to-person.
- Close-Contact Settings. Avoid close-range conversations and stay at least six-feet from others.
In addition to avoiding the three Cs and wearing facial coverings in all public spaces, individuals should continue to practice social distancing by staying at least six-feet away from others; stay home when sick or experiencing COVID-19 symptoms; clean and disinfect countertops and frequently used surfaces often; and wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds (or use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol). For additional prevention tips, visit www.floridahealthcovid19.gov/prevention.
For Additional Information
For additional information regarding Coronavirus, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) recommended protective measures, please visit:
Ways to Stay in Touch
The City of Fort Lauderdale offers numerous ways for neighbors to receive important information and updates:
· If you live in Fort Lauderdale, join Nextdoor
· Contact our 24-hour Customer Service Center at 954-828-8000
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