Hollywood adopts 75% residency/work requirement for PEN $1,000 grants after heated public debate

The Hollywood City Commission voted 6–1 on Feb. 18 to require that at least 75% of a civic association's officers and directors live in, work in, own a business in, or have a relative in the association boundaries to be eligible for the Partnership for Engaged Neighborhoods (PEN) $1,000 reimbursement grant.

The measure, proposed by Commissioner Peter Hernandez, drew extensive public comment from neighborhood leaders and residents who said the change would penalize small or struggling civic associations whose volunteers sometimes live outside strict boundary lines. Allison Staffold, the city's civic affairs administrator, told commissioners the change would allow staff to verify that organizations receiving PEN funds are represented by people with an authentic stake in the neighborhood.

"We ask our civic associations to register via our website and submit their bylaws," Staffold said in opening remarks. Under the amended resolution, associations that wish to claim the $1,000 stipend must furnish board member names and addresses so staff can verify eligibility.

Terry Cantrell, president of the Hollywood Lakes Civic Association, told the commission the requirement would be punitive for associations that rely on business members, seasonal residents or near-boundary volunteers. "This is no different than the state taking away our home rule," Cantrell said, arguing the city would effectively tell independent nonprofit associations how to govern themselves.

Several other civic leaders, including Claire Garrett and Siobhan McLaughlin, urged commissioners not to change a successful program that helps smaller associations fund community events. "Disqualifying a civic association from receiving reimbursement for expenses related to community-enhancing projects not only punishes that specific civic association ... it also discourages associations from undertaking more of these projects to the detriment of the entire city," Garrett said.

Supporters of the amendment framed it as a transparency and accountability measure. Commissioner Hernandez said the change was not meant to "hurt" civic associations but to reduce outside influence on associations that claim to represent a particular neighborhood. He said the resolution would encourage associations to recruit local residents and to follow their own bylaws.

After more than an hour of commissioner discussion and an amendment that explicitly allowed officers and directors to qualify if they live, work, own a business in the association area or are a relative of a resident, the commission took a roll-call vote. The resolution passed 6–1.

The measure modifies the PEN program's eligibility criteria but does not otherwise change the program's stated purpose: to encourage neighborhood engagement and fund one-time, community-enhancing projects through year‑end reimbursement.

What happens next: Staff will update PEN application materials and procedures to reflect the residency/work/business/relative test and will verify applicants' documentation when reimbursements are processed. Associations with questions were urged to contact the civic affairs office for guidance.