Council Highlights – July 19, 2021
Last updated on July 19, 2021
Council Update - July 19, 2021
General Items
Rental Assistance
The City of Orlando’s Rental Assistance Program is still open and accepting applications to help households impacted by COVID-19 get current on up to 12 months of unpaid rent.
Since we opened the program in mid-May, we have approved more than 300 applications representing more than $1.5 million in assistance disbursed to our residents in need.
As we approach the eviction moratorium expiring at the end of this month, we want to urge any residents who may need this critical assistance to please apply as soon as possible. We are also hosting a number of informational sessions for residents to learn more about the program and to have access to tablets and scanners to complete the application.
Please go to orlando.gov/assistance to learn more about the program, apply for assistance or to register for an upcoming informational sessions.
Vaccine Sites
Commissioners, we want to thank you for your support and advocacy that has helped us ensure that COVID-19 vaccines remain accessible to residents in their neighborhoods. Thanks to a partnership with the Florida Department of Health Orange County and Orange County Government, we’re hosting mobile sites at neighborhood centers in each district.
Last week we joined Commissioner Ortiz at the Engelwood Center, where even though it was raining, residents still came out to get their shot in the mobile trailer. Every shot in the arm still matters, and every person who’s taking action to protect themselves and their loved ones is helping our community stop the spread of the virus. You can learn about upcoming vaccination sites by visiting orlando.gov/mobilevaccines.
State of the City
As more residents are getting vaccinated, it has us looking toward what’s next for Orlando and how far we have come since the start of the pandemic. That’s why we are happy to announce that Mayor Dyer will be delivering the State of the City Address on Thursday, August 19 at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts.
We look forward to joining together with our community to reflect on the city’s recent accomplishments and to highlight initiatives and priorities that will help keep Orlando resilient, connected and moving forward.
Items of Note
EDV #11 - Parklet Program
In an effort to allow businesses to utilize additional outdoor space as they prioritized social distancing during the pandemic, last year we created the downtown Orlando Parklet Pilot Program to support local businesses on their path to economic recovery while fighting COVID-19.
Parklets allow downtown businesses to expand their retail sales and restaurant seating operations into adjacent on-street public parking spaces.
Given the success of the pilot program, today we will seek to approve a multi-year Parklet Program for qualifying on-street parking spaces within downtown.
EDV #10 -American Association of Retired Person (AARP) Community Challenge Grant – Tables of Connection Project
Also on today’s agenda is a project that will advance the city’s Future-Ready Master Plan as well as the Livable Orlando Age-Friendly Initiative. The city has been chosen as the recipient of the 2021 AARP Community Grant Challenge and will receive a $20,000 in funding quick-action projects that can help the community become more accessible for people of all ages and abilities.
With this funding, we will be purchasing and installing two “Tables of Connection,” which are solar-operated, wheel-chair accessible picnic tables with shade structures and outfitted with Wi-Fi hotspots, charging stations and power for up to four laptops. One table will be installed in Prince Hall Park, and the other in Willows Park in order to provide much needed connectivity and broadband services to residents who live in the area.
Creative Village Parcel L – The Beacon Housing #1, CRA #6, Hearing#2
Lastly on today’s agenda we want to highlight we have several items related to Creative Village Parcel L which will be the third and final affordable housing parcel in Creative Village with the Beacon at Creative Village. The Beacon is proposed to contain 190 mixed-income, multifamily residential units and will help further our efforts to increase affordable housing opportunities throughout the city.