[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6296562,"mediaKeyId","2513905-c2014019b5a4d3cbcf9d52c728df88d2","parentId",2513905,"title","City approves 100% lien‑amnesty program to clear long‑standing code liens; adds letter‑of‑compliance guarantee","audioSeconds",3393,"startMs",3185125,"endMs",6578385,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2513905-c2014019b5a4d3cbcf9d52c728df88d2&start=3185&end=6578","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2513905-c2014019b5a4d3cbcf9d52c728df88d2/thumbnail_3185125.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6296562/Hollywood-City/Broward-County/Florida/City-approves-100-lienamnesty-program-to-clear-longstanding-code-liens-adds-letterofcompliance-guarantee","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6296562-fe524f4b52c80f832888ea06acbafdc0/orig.mp4?Expires=1771153096&Signature=VZoKC2J9m5qXcbuYC8fuxrnhpcNkX8baKAVPhpx2opZlP0jSRfZeAa~l4WX~gQIlvBR4OFLhcMvCyhQVHuqqPbLoVQSwR5wRXBBYq~H8zLbXWYqHJoSjQBIWaV2XJ4uG-2GZZ5AApTjzz0zKb9GnP4cawFAYsqxfekCktBhCJBOFdycaDXJnq5BIE1bNQ2iE62GCq3kjoqlLFxqVvyG-BAUL3YESIz-NbPCky0nj7WJWg9jOkgh-~AlClAao-Bw~1M4M~~W6znoiqaM~RjkrGd3sruNyxyiW-4bcfl51i3-f1GPFhwJpgwzoWjI8ruEQpl738uQbIRL20gmIjk84IQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Hollywood, FL ","date","2025-03-05T00:00:00Z","article","The Hollywood City Commission unanimously approved on March 5 a citywide lien amnesty program designed to encourage property owners to correct code violations and clear long‑standing municipal code liens.

Staff presented the program as a limited-time opportunity: property owners may apply between March 5, 2025, and Dec. 31, 2025, and the program offers forgiveness of qualifying municipal code lien principal amounts after code compliance is verified. Director Jovan Douglas, who presented the item, said the program is “designed to help resolve long‑standing liens while encouraging property owners to bring their properties into compliance.”

How the program works: Applications will be accepted online or in person once the owner demonstrates that the property is brought into compliance with the city code, the Florida Building Code and Florida Fire Code. A compliance inspection by a code compliance officer will confirm corrections. Approved applications are scheduled for a special magistrate hearing, after which liens eligible under the program are forwarded to Broward County for processing and release.

Eligibility and exclusions: Douglas explained several exclusions. Utility liens are not eligible “per state statute.” Liens tied to unsafe structures or building‑safety inspections will not qualify until all repairs or safety requirements are satisfied. Abatement or “hard” costs—such as lot mowing, debris removal, demolition and vessel removal—must be paid in full before an owner may participate. The program sets a minimum face value of $1,000 for eligible liens. Residential and commercial properties are eligible; all required permits must be submitted within the program period.

Scope and outreach: Staff said they identified 587 outstanding lien cases across the city that will receive direct mail outreach describing the program. Douglas supplied additional detail during Q&A: the average lien in the list runs about five years old and the average amount is around $50,000; of the identified cases roughly 92 are homesteaded properties and about 370 are not homesteaded.

Commission action and amendment: The commission voted to approve the program and its outreach plan. During the debate Commissioner Hernandez moved to amend the resolution to require that, when an owner has brought a property into compliance under the amnesty program, staff issue a formal letter of compliance documenting that status; the amendment was seconded and passed unanimously. The main motion (as amended) then passed without opposition.

Voices from the meeting: Residents and civic leaders who spoke at the public hearing welcomed the initiative as a “fresh start” for owners and a tool to reduce blight. Siobhan McLaughlin, who has advocated on code issues, told commissioners the amnesty is “a great first step” and thanked staff for the proposal. Rebuilding volunteers and contractors at the meeting emphasized that financial pressure—and the difficulty of getting contractors for low‑margin remediation work—were hurdles the program may help remove.

Implementation notes: After approval staff said they will launch a city web page and email help address, mail notices to the listed candidates, provide bilingual outreach materials (English and Spanish; commissioners also asked staff to add Creole), and schedule special magistrate hearings to process approvals. Broward County will handle lien release after the magistrate sign‑off. Staff made clear that unsafe‑structure citations and abatement costs remain payable outside the amnesty program and are not forgiven.

Ending: Commissioners framed the vote as a compliance tool that balances enforcement with relief for long‑standing cases; staff will track applications and report implementation results to the commission.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Regular City Commission Meeting 3.5.2025","oneSentenceSummary","The City Commission unanimously approved a citywide lien‑amnesty program on March 5 that forgives qualifying municipal code liens for owners who bring properties into compliance between March 5 and Dec. 31, 2025.","taxTitle","Hollywood City, Broward County, Florida","taxId",17630,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6296567,"Commission keeps GOB oversight board after heated debate over sunsetting",2838,2560540,5398765,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2513905-c2014019b5a4d3cbcf9d52c728df88d2&start=2560&end=5398","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2513905-c2014019b5a4d3cbcf9d52c728df88d2/thumbnail_2560540.jpg","/articles/6296567/Hollywood-City/Broward-County/Florida/Commission-keeps-GOB-oversight-board-after-heated-debate-over-sunsetting","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6296567-c25d65e8c463befabbf6181c2503036a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771153096&Signature=PlDABlWp6mP1IiEjE8Lzdb8LLgBxARI7QchQfpuk5hCwuQrv1tLq4odt9cy8w2yBk8RTpv4ErFzRW-2pX-ODPIEqNkxsFiwHF2E6Sax~VPQeMxuSII3ePXCZDpfcKajhhfSuL-5Dt~cBIo9RlkpybromuPz-Q-qJqJLsl-dZ4QTIf3nKP2a5qS956c-OooWc0AMzpSpJAc4Tl~uzwB5-tPv-VD-N1T4dWcRYkMsQkS0DoAXIfRj-8s4zCN49UsTBdBmUyTRT5m8dViLG5mrKzQ4aZH3iAamE8tgxFp9aqEykemJhn9Hem0PvssMVp~osQdbeyE56lOqQFCaAd44u7w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Hollywood City Commission voted 6–1 on March 5 to continue the General Obligation Bond (GOB) oversight advisory committee rather than sunsetting it, after a two-hour debate about the board’s utility now that many bond-funded projects are in construction.

The commission’s decision follows a motion by Commissioner Hernandez to approve the city clerk’s recommendation to continue the listed advisory boards, and an earlier amendment by Commissioner Biederman seeking to remove the GOB oversight board. That amendment failed 3–4, and the final motion to retain the GOB advisory committee passed 6–1 with Commissioner Biederman opposed.

The advisory body was created by the city commission’s implementing resolution, which the city attorney read into the record as Resolution 2018-389 and which sets the committee at 15 members with specific category and geographic guidelines (neighborhood representation, professional/industry seats, no more than three members from any single district). The committee’s chair, Terry Cantrell, told commissioners the panel has met about 30 times in five years and provides a transparency channel for residents who voted for the bond.

Commissioners debated whether the board remains needed now that most bond projects have moved into the construction phase. Supporters said the committee provides a public forum for updates and helps keep projects visible to voters; critics argued some members have not been attending, representation is uneven across districts, and staff time to support frequent meetings is burdensome.

“You have a core of them that do not not go to a single meeting,” Jose Cortez told the commission during discussion of participation and vacancy levels. Cantrell pressed for preserving the board until projects are fully complete: “The last thing I want to do is waste Jose’s time… If this is a burden for Jose and his staff, then fine, then we can reduce the frequency of it or we can go against the resolution and we can get rid of the whole thing and call it a day. But it’s really more about transparency, and the ability for residents to know that there is an oversight committee.”

Commissioners agreed to keep the board but discussed reducing the required meeting frequency (the enacting resolution sets a minimum of two meetings per year). Mayor Levy and other commissioners noted flexibility exists in the resolution for staff to schedule fewer meetings as projects wind down and urged improved outreach and clearer vacancy advertising when appointments are made.

Discussion points: several commissioners emphasized the board’s value as a public communications channel; others cited uneven attendance and district representation as reasons to consider sunsetting. Commissioners also requested that, if the board continues, recruitment and the advertised meeting frequency be clarified during the upcoming appointment cycle so applicants know expectations.

What happened next: The commission instructed staff to proceed with the clerk’s advertised appointments (including consolidating the Young Circle Arts Park advisory duties into Parks, Recreation and Cultural Arts) and to proceed with recruitment and outreach. Commissioners said city staff should evaluate meeting frequency as projects near completion and report back if additional changes are needed.

Proper names noted in debate included the GOB oversight advisory committee (JOB/GOB advisory committee), Jose Cortez (city design/construction staff), and chair Terry Cantrell.

Ending: Commissioners did not fully eliminate the oversight board; instead they kept it in place with direction to staff and the chair to reduce unnecessary meeting burden as project work shifts from design to construction and to improve public recruitment and reporting so residents can track remaining bond work.","After hours of public discussion and a failed amendment to sunset it, the City Commission voted 6–1 to continue the General Obligation Bond (GOB) oversight advisory committee, while allowing reductions in meeting frequency to address staff workload concerns.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6296561,"Hollywood awards up to $3.65 million shoreline contract for Lakes flood mitigation; DEP grant drives schedule",2792,6496920,9288970,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2513905-c2014019b5a4d3cbcf9d52c728df88d2&start=6496&end=9288","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2513905-c2014019b5a4d3cbcf9d52c728df88d2/thumbnail_6496920.jpg","/articles/6296561/Hollywood-City/Broward-County/Florida/Hollywood-awards-up-to-365-million-shoreline-contract-for-Lakes-flood-mitigation-DEP-grant-drives-schedule","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6296561-46a2debc680fb95b20a096e16668df3a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771153096&Signature=eTYkUNxuiGcUMh331NEoAdGxqm1btNfj4gG3X2Q8xWJJDBGGDRENer062YOgZqtOS73GkG8dNH~Q5EPxXDVk2dtaVIH-aHyvizDi1VgH1WEuIc4M4wlu4mhyyuf~UOOWSFXvPSJYMyZGTMQLrsumJ8uQ-TZdi91DOzStuRLJiE7utgPhPcEno-utQVHpFc3N7vG~POW3FiPIcMecOTbNRdzx0ckCsHEiyqHWPNPzR8-fJYj0gLZKlvrin5vvJyQr2Xc4I2jbcmobatA2IUk~AyDhpzu0S9LvckeFtBQZHfhHI-x1B253gjpwYSi22rMUhE~B3QOAz5KHNXGqg~7ukw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Hollywood City Commission unanimously awarded up to $3,648,000 to a shoreline contractor on March 5 as part of the city’s Hollywood Lakes flood‑mitigation and shoreline protection program.

Deputy project manager Jose Cortez presented the item and described a multi‑phase program funded by a combination of city General Obligation Bond (GOB) funds and resilience grant money administered through the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). Cortez told commissioners the DEP grant funds tied to the program require that construction-funded work be completed (or contracts executed and funds spent) before June 30, 2026, which drove the city’s permitting, phasing and procurement strategy.

The contract award covers the first package of shoreline work (scope groups A/B as presented) — smaller site segments where permits and designs are ready. Staff recommended awarding to the lowest responsive bidder for that package; two bids were received and staff recommended Shoreline (bidder listed as Shoreline/Foundation in the procurement record) after reference and capability checks. The item was moved by Commissioner Schuham and seconded by Commissioner Lehi; the commission approved the award unanimously.

Why it matters: Cortez said the city has coordinated an accelerated schedule because the DEP grant dollars are time‑limited. The work includes seawall repair/replacement, rock riprap, some living‑shoreline elements where permitted, and isolated infrastructure work at several sites around North Lake, South Lake and the Intracoastal Waterway. Staff emphasized that permitting complexity and federal/state permitting processes (including U.S. Army Corps review in some cases) are the main schedule risk, and that the city is seeking a construction manager‑at‑risk for later, larger packages to accelerate procurement once permits are in hand.

Funding context: Cortez told the commission the city previously secured DEP resilience funding as part of a larger state program and later received an additional roughly $4.2 million award; the DEP dollars being managed by the city in the current grant agreement total roughly $18.0 million. The city also has committed GOB bond funds to the shoreline mitigation work; staff said the combined city and state resources create a larger total program budget but stressed the DEP portion carries the near‑term spending deadline.

Speakers at the meeting included Jose Cortez (project staff) and a representative of the awarded contractor, who said Shoreline has performed marine and shoreline work since the 1980s. Commissioners pressed staff on permitting timelines, procurement strategy for larger packages, and maintenance/operations implications for living‑shoreline components.

Next steps: Staff will finalize the contract with the awarded bidder and continue coordination with the DEP and permitting agencies. The commission also authorized staff to pursue a construction manager procurement for the larger, later phases (scopes B–D) so the city can assemble competitive prices quickly once permits are issued.

Ending: The award moves the city into the construction procurement phase for the first set of shoreline segments; staff told commissioners the next months will focus on permitting, construction manager selection and staged procurement to meet the 2026 grant deadline.","The commission unanimously approved a $3.648 million award to a shoreline contractor to build several Hollywood Lakes shoreline protection sites. City staff told the commission the work is tied to state resilience grant funding and must meet a hard spending/permitting deadline in mid‑2026.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

City approves 100% lien‑amnesty program to clear long‑standing code liens; adds letter‑of‑compliance guarantee

Commission keeps GOB oversight board after heated debate over sunsetting

Hollywood awards up to $3.65 million shoreline contract for Lakes flood mitigation; DEP grant drives schedule