the member Aunts Vice chair Lonegan former McCordon here or member Newbold here and chair Rosenwald here here okay so we're going to start the presentation Mr. Abert thank you very much board chair We will begin this evening's CRA meeting with a usual presentation, our CRA update, which is presented to you by the Economic Development Director, Ms. Nesah Herrera. Madam. Thank you, Mr. City Manager. Good evening, Mayor Vice Mayor and Commissioners. Neserreda Sierra in Economic Development Director. As part of this month's update, I am pleased to announce that the 2023 O'Compare Market report is now available. This report reflects our strong commitment to both enhancing the economic landscape and quality of life of our community. Over the past five years, the city has seen over $450 million of private investment flowing into the city with notable projects such as the Oakland Park with notable projects such as the Oakland Park, excuse me, notable projects such as Sky Building, Hope, Oakland, and Bliss. It's no surprise that the leading sector remains retail with approximately 842 businesses. Oakland Park's culinary arts district, it's now a trendy spot of the state's economy. The state's economy is growing in a diverse array of galleries, salons, bars, retailers. With 2.6% of vacancy rate, that signifies that there's a strong demand for retail spaces in the downtown. With regards to income metrics, the median household income is reported at $58,688 with a forecasted increase of 18.6% from 2023 to 20-28. Even though the city has experienced a substantial increase in appreciation of property values, the city's residential prices remain lower than other cities and the rest of the county. It is important to note too here on this slide that according to information provided by the Broward County property appracer, the CRA's total property tax base has increased from 2023 to 2024 significantly. In 2023, the total property tax base was $1.4 billion. In 2024 is $1.6 billion, which is an increase of over $200 million, or 15.7%. The Alconquerque Sierra is growing faster than the city as a whole, which has experienced a 14.26% in their total property tax base from 2023 to 2024. Now it is important, let's go back a little bit here on this screen. It is important to understand that the result of this rapid growth of the CRA compared to the city as a whole is the result of targeted investment and policies that have been designed to revitalize an area in need. Business has continued to believe in Oakland Park and continue to open their doors in our community. Bushwick Lounge located on Dixie Highway next to Lempan, Alaloka is now open and they're planning to host a grand opening. So we're coordinating with them on the date for that. A pastio Pizzeria andia restaurant has reopened their doors after undergoing renovations to their space. It truly looks beautiful inside so I invite you to go there and try some of their authentic Italian dishes and my personal favorite, the meatballs. Yeah, delicious. So we also welcome we're excited to welcome satellite pinball lounge which is a unique space with pinball machines located here in the heart of our downtown culinary arts district as well as moon pizza pie. We're also excited to welcome and looking forward to see it open in our community Red Sea, which is the highly anticipated Ethiopian restaurant that continues is build out space. So we're looking forward to seeing them open soon. We're also looking forward to seeing Lustem open in our community. It will be located just in the building just south of City Hall. Now let's talk about the sky building. Our growth catalyst for the downtown and our future home for the City Hall. I am thrilled to tell you that the sky building developers are aggressively seeking commercial tenants. I am also excited to tell you that they are offering a build-out incentive of their own to perspective tenant. Therefore, we are to make sure that our efforts working team them with them, we are negotiating a plan that would convert our financial commitment from a build-out space to an employment support program. This plan would provide financial support for new commercial tenants for job creation within our CRI. Feeling the new building with new tenants, with new commercial tenants that plan their own spaces and hired new employees is a win-win for our community. So look for a potential amendment to the agreement at our future commission meeting. Our special events are economic development drivers as they provide support to our businesses and visibility as well as providing food traffic to their locations. At this point I would like to thank all the artists and businesses that participating in the last Oakland Park Art Walk and we invite go to mark your calendars for the next OPA that will take place on August 17th from 6 to 9 p.m. on Mainstreet. I am so looking forward to this celebration. I have no doubt that it will be an event filled with fun and entertainment. The Wonderland Pride event will take place this Friday at Jaco Pasterios Park, so please join us and make sure that you sign up for the karaoke and lip sync competition. So looking forward to that. I like to thank you also, all those who attended the Downtown Partners Meeting that took place last month. And we'd like to encourage the downtown businesses and stakeholders to attend the next meeting at Black Flamingo on July 9. It is important that we understand that the purpose of these meetings Black Flamingo on July 9th. It is important that we understand that the purpose of these meetings is to provide an opportunity for networking with other business owners and also to learn about city projects and activities. This is also a way to provide feedback. Now, I like to take this opportunity in time to remind the commission and members of the public of some of the city resources that we have available for businesses. Earlier this year, the City Commission for the addition of qualified census tract area and certain bordering areas close to the QCTs. Now this program is a reimbursement grant that funds permanent exterior improvements and for the areas that are located within the Acucities, you see them on the map highlighted in yellow and the additional adjacent areas are the ones that are highlighted in blue. The existing business incentive program was designed to attract private investment and to revitalize the CRA for example. A large portion of the CRA is comprised of a QCT as you can see here. The CRA is outlined by the Purple Boundary. But what are QCTs or qualified census tract? These are economically underperforming areas that are designated by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, in urban development, in which 50% of the household have incomes below 60% of the area median gross income, or have a property rate of 25% or more. QCTs are usually areas that are characterized by this investment and high conditions of Islam and light. So the purpose of this QCT and the existing business incentive program within the CRA are to provide tools for sustainable economic development. Now, taken into consideration the limited nature of the funds that we have in the city and city resources as well as the guiding principles of smart growth, focus investment of time, resources and money on target areas that have a documented need show to be most effective in these case. And that goes back to the information that I was providing at the beginning of my presentation that shows a significant growth of the CRA compared to the city as a whole. Now, going back to this explanation of the reason why we focus on a particular area is because we want to make sure that we focus our efforts on an area in need that is both big enough to create opportunities for growth and for change, but also small enough that creates opportunities for visible and for visible investment, for example, that would spur economic development. Now when we think about this, over time that small focus area could be expanded to build on those successes. And the strategies that have proven to be successful within that targeted area can be replicated in other areas, in other targeted areas that have documented needs in the future. So, we understand and recognize that there are businesses citywide that do need the working capital to support their businesses. Therefore, in order to leverage our existing resources, the CRA and economic development staff are committed to identifying those resources provided by other partner agencies, such as the county, for example, with this microgram program that provides working capital to businesses to buy equipment to also offset the cost of their rent. So what we're doing is to leverage what we have and maximize our level of assistance to the businesses through these programs offered by other organizations or nonprofit agencies, for example. So to learn more about these programs and business resources that are currently available to businesses. We encourage you to tell members that would be interested in these resources to join our business newsletter and if they're located within the CRA, join the CRA email blast. And of course you can also learn about city updates and be notified about some of these resources on our social media pages. And with that I conclude my presentation and I thank you for your attention and I'm open to answer any questions you may have. Thank you so much, Nasa. Are there any questions or comments from board members? Vice Chair? Sure. Thank you, Chair. Hey, just want to say great job, Nesa. We appreciate you having having you back on board and leading things. Welcome to our new businesses. It's great to see satellite pinball lounge now goes along with our level. The video game. 10th level level. Yes, almost at 12. Sorry, 10th level. Wow, I talk about a diverse diverse businesses here. Wonderful. So again, I just wanted to say welcome to these new businesses. Please go out, support our local businesses and help make them successful. Thank you, Nasa. Thank you. Board Chair. Thank you. I remember Gordon. Thank you, Boat Chair. Thank you. Love this presentation. To see all of the new businesses coming into our city is always So wonderful to see I Did have a question regarding the grant? Mr. Herrera mm-hmm the The grant that is it 20,000 yes up to $20 maximum. OK. If a business is not located in the qualified census track, can they apply? If they're located within the areas that are adjacent of the qualified census track, adjacent. OK. Yes. Some of the ones that were shown, if any, is there any way to go back to the presentation? The map on what page 10? So for example here, if the business is not located within the qualified census track, which is the area in orange, but they're located on the adjacent area that is circled in blue, for example, they would be eligible under a disclet. Okay. Thank you. You're welcome. Great presentation. Thank you, Commissioner. Thank you. Good member, Nibble. Thank you for the member of the board. Thank you, Miss Herrera. Great presentation. Very informative. I do have a few questions. I'm so happy that the CRA portion of it has, you know, extended, but for clarification for those that may misunderstand what it covers. On the west side, I know the area that's in blue, they can apply for the grant. They could. Now Commissioner, if I may clarify. So this expansion is not an expansion of the CRA boundaries, because in order for that to happen, there would have to be certain steps that per state statu would have to be taken in order to for that to happen. So what this grant, what it does is to provide funding resources for businesses located within the qualified census track that was recently designated by HUD. Okay. And if I could follow up just for clarity, the CRA is intended and is a creature of the state that provides for areas in need of economic redevelopment. So it's focused on empowering areas that are underprivileged. That designation has to be approved by both the county and by the state. And the county has been reticent to approve any additional CRA creations. In fact, I think ours was one of the last that was approved by the county all the way back in the early 2000s. So we don't have that opportunity available to us. However, there is that new federal designation called a Qualified census track that does something very similar in identifying the boundaries of an area in need. And at the urging of our policymaking body, the commission of the City of Oakland Park joined by the CRA board. You have urged us, please, as a city to extend some of our grant opportunities to that other area that has been identified as in need of investment and support. And so, even though it's not a CRA per se, we have replicated the program that has been successful in the CRA to provide these additional resources to businesses in that area and now that is available to the west side as well. Right. And again, I'm so appreciative of that because that's a step in the right direction and this is only for business owners, not anyone leasing the property. If there are commercial tenants, there would be a legible. I think the key factor here is that it is for exterior improvements. So if there are tenants, they would have to get the approval and the permission from the property owner to make those improvements. Okay. And one last thing, this does not apply to residents, the residential portion. No, this is a commercial grant. Okay. Thank you. I can't great presentation. I appreciate you. Thank you. Thank you. What number are you? I can't say anything more than, we can't say anything else that hasn't been said, but I'm just glad that you brought your knowledge and professionals in back to the city of Bokeh Park. Just can't say enough. You just, you had a hard, big shoes to fill and you're filling them right now. Thanks for being here. Thank you, Commissioner. Happy to be here. I join with everyone and welcome you back yet again but it's well deserved. On the matter of the $20,000 grants have we had any takers yet? Any that we've approved? We are in conversations with people that are interested in applying to the program. So yes, there is interest. I know it's slower with a new rollout, but we want to, you know, I'm just glad the commission supported that, that I was thinking we need to expand this and getting back to geographic equity with the capital improvement and now with commercial grants. So awesome, great work. Thank you so much, Nathan. Welcome to all of our new businesses. And whenever they contact me, I will, to your predecessor, now to you, I redirect them to you. In fact, what is it called? Vice-merit submission, barbecue? Right, so they're having a, oh, I'm sorry. They're in our nibbreen with Fort Lauderdale, but we like them. But but anyway all those in Oakland park Just for you to remember if you want a ribbon cutting because sometimes they go through you another time Is they don't know you but also just ask all of my colleagues to remember to route any new Restaurants or or anyone that you've met to naysah and show coordinate the ribbon cutting Thank you, okay So now we'll move into public comments ribbon cutting. Thank you. Okay. So now we'll move into public comments. Um, any one who has any comments about the city, uh, in general, any city business? No, this is CRA. I apologize. I'm in the wrong. You're right. These are public comments for the CRA. Apologize. Please love for four minutes. Thank you. I'd like to thank you for your love for a minute. Thank you. For Cheryl but who's seven twenty northeast fifty nine court. Thank you. Miss Herrera. I want to thank you for the presentation and some maybe some clarification. To the board. The job creation incentive uh Mr. Manager. Last budget cycle we approve a fifty thousand dollar entrepreneurship training program. And that was created by the predecessor, Dr. Tinsley. I advocated for that in other community leaders. And it was mentioned in the last board minutes of last month. So it is on the record. And I looked to see the job creation incentives. I think that's a new incentive program. And I'm pleased that entrepreneurship should be part of the job creators building new companies, jobs. We need to come up with a new plan. See, all across the city to as well, the Qualified Census Track. That's interesting. It's also destination, besides the Qualified its will. Qualified census tract. That's interesting. There's also destination besides the qualified census tract. Also, herp zone within those two areas on the lake side and central part of Oak and Park. That's federal designation. Uh, Mr. Rare, I made me, of course, we want you to be aware of that. There are other opportunities for investment. So with that, in addition, I look to see in the consent item agenda, the job creation incentive, I want to know this for the city manager to enter everyone, because you're probably gonna prove the consent agenda. Why do we have to go 40 cities through the South last city in Miami Day County, homestead to get a staffing contract for here in Browell County. I just think it's unacceptable. And I need no reason why for that. We have staff and companies in Browell County let's circulate the dollars in Browell County not you know have to go circulate it. This is job creation incentive. Part of the CRA it is part of the CRA because it's job creation. I think it is just clarified in your comments this manager but there's something that I destroyed in the Denver Army and I was conflicted by that. So, I'm really supportive of the great job you're doing, Mr. Red, because I didn't think you was going to get caught up at that speed, and you did provide the great expectation, presentation to this board on the economic development. But we need to be a little bit more tighter. I need clarification. If I'm saying something out of turn, that's because I don't have clarification. So I try to speak to commissioners and communities to get clarification. So with that, that's why I'm raising the issue. I'm big on the economic CRA expansion. I would say the conference two weeks ago about that. And it was great stuff that's going around in the whole South Florida region, and I want to bring it here in Oakland Park. And I'm looking forward to doing more in the lakeside and in the central part of Oakland Park. I think we could expand even though it's not in the CRA map, but we could do some stuff with our incentive expansion. So, let's see if we could be more creative. Thank you so much. Thank you, Mr. Boutou. Next speaker. Chris Fisher, 37-11 North East, 13th Avenue. Last month, I had said regarding, namely after the closing of Kethanko, which was beat log to Mung Saul and neighbors, and as the president of the Coral's Wilkum Park Neighbor Association, have to put that out there. A lot of the residents, especially at our Coral's meeting, were really remissed in it, and saddened by the fact that that business closed, and I'm glad to see Nase Herrera and her office you know now that she has moved into it she's kind of hit the ground running and it is learning on job training you know even though it's more expansive role now but the city has responded and I did bring up in last month's meeting that we needed to do more to provide for small businesses I know a lot of you through the ribbon cuttings Commissioner Long and Vice Mayor I know you have champion small business Steve Steve Barnes, being all of you pretty much are small business owners, except for Dr. Rosenwald, but I understand. But I just wanted to say thank you for the city for responding. So quickly to this and kind of coming along and even Commissioner Lamar Fisher coming through and sending us information. I think we can do a lot more than just fixing up the exterior. I think we need to approach, not to call out people, but Dean Cyrillic, the finebergs, some of the people within our CRA that have a strong footprint of building ownership to provide weather to them or the businesses within those. Their buildings, some rental relief, something to get them through summer. I don't know how often you walk the downtown with a newborn. I'm walking it every night and businesses are very slow. I'm not going to name the ones that are slow right now, but it's not the hustle and bustle that we see obviously in the wintertime when the snowbirds come down. But right now they're closing down the restaurants and some of these establishments by 8 p.m. Which is not a good look for a city on the rise right now. And if that is what they're seeing when businesses come through, when it's the sky building, whether it is going to be horizon or any other project into the future. If they're seeing the sidewalks rolled up at 8 p.m. they're not going to want to invest in these big projects that are with a brand new building where those buildings are going to cost them even more in rental value. So I know Dean has got quite a few businesses interested in the Kith & Co. former Kith & Co. building. But there's more room. I mean, you know, with the finebergs building right there next fusion. I've lived here eight years. It's supposed to be three different restaurants. None of them have opened their doors. Voodoo Gastropub is not coming here. And then, you know, that also speaks to permitting. I know we're trying to do something about permitting relief, but I think these are areas for expansion within the business aspect of the CRA. We need to alleviate a little bit better or do a better job. Honestly, I've had contractors specifically tell me within our CRA area, they do not want to do business here. They want, with my real estate business, they prefer to go to Welton Manor's because they're expedited. It gets through much faster than our permits do. So we need to look into that and we also need to figure out something to help our small businesses. I know it's tough, it comes down to business models and things of that nature, but if we can expand upon what we're doing with the CRA, Nesa, I know it tasks you with a lot in your office and I know there's a lot to do, but I think it would help by leaps and bounds toward the future success of our city. So thank you. Thank you, Mr. Fisher. Anyone else like to speak on the series public comments? Okay. Seeing none, we'll close our closed public comments and Mr. Judy that can send agenda. The approval of the CRA minutes for April 17th, 2024 constitutes consent agenda. Motion to approve. Second. Remember, aren't. Yes. Vice Chair Lone approve. Second. Board member Arnst. Yes. Vice Chair Lonegan. Yes. Board member Gordon. Yes. Board member Newbold. Yes. Chair Rose and Walden. Yes. So now we come from reports from Board members. Board member Newbold, do you want to start us off? I have no reports. Okay. Board member Gordon. Nothing to report, sir. Okay, Vice Chair Lonergan. Hey, thank you Mayor. I thank you chair. Just again welcome to businesses. Mr. Fisher your comments were heard loud and clear and we appreciate you being here to share those and I have no doubt that Nesa and the city manager and the team are just looking at ways. As you know, there's so much on their plate right now. So I have no doubt that it's in their focus though. Thank you. Thank you, board member Ernst. Really, I don't have too much to say except, follow what Mr. Fisher said. Does anyone thought about doing a local park downtown or CRA group on? Maybe something we might want to look at. Okay, you know, say what you said on local. On group on. Oh, group on. Okay. Group on. It might, you know, because I remember, the mic I used to do it on the summer because someone was just slow there. So what they did is they had a, they had a, you join the Mike high club and they gave you certain coupons they were good for certain things at different nights and what it did brought business into the into there when it's normally a slow time of season and this was one way we might want to you know think about something like that just to to get people downtown you know it may not be at a full price, but it keeps the doors open, and it keeps the money flowing into the business. And it's something you may just want to think about. It's a, like I say, Mike I had a real good one when they were open, which will definitely be open and hopefully soon. But it really worked. In fact, every year I joined the Micahue Club because it was the time I go to the Micahue. It didn't cost me two arms in the leg because you get the same food, you get the same everything. And it's just at a slower time of season, slower time of the year. And so it was at a better price that was affordable. So it's just something to think about. So that's all for me tonight. Thank you. Well, thank you to both our speakers and Mr. Budhoo. Well, I won't put Mr. Aver on this spot, but we'll get an update on the entrepreneurship academy. It's soon we'll be briefed on that and let people know. And yeah, I agree. We need to think, I mean, this is more task for parks and leisure. We used to back in the day have dancing on the streets. I think it was monthly for a while, but these are all very huge undertakings, but just ideas, you know, we have the summer movies that go on, which are wonderful. And they're a little removed from downtown Main Street. So how do we think about in the future, I don't know if we know at the summer, but how do we think about more activities in the downtown because more people are certainly gonna go there, but then the piece is gonna be, well, it's on the east, right? And so then how do we have things on the west? So, but it's important to talk about that and permitting your comments are well heard there and Mr. Fisher but yeah I I Nasa has a staff of two if I recall right it's just two of you so it's a tall task with economic development I just want to do a kudos this was mentioned I going to say at the end, but these are available, obviously digitally, but hard copies. This is so impressive. This is the 2023 Oakland Park Market Report. And this coupled with, this includes the CRA, the Oakland Park on the, the Oakland Park on the rise, which has a good amount of CRA in it. These two things, these two documents together really showcase everything that's going on in the city and there's always improvements we can make. But these fine documents, the result of improvements over decades, and we continue to move forward. So I want to thank you all and thank you Mr. Abert. Mr. Abert. Mr. Abert, do you have any reports? Report. No, thank you, board chair. OK, at this point, we're going to adjourn. I'm at the board attorney. Is that on here? I defer at the per-reson time. It does mess me up. He's not on here. OK. Got a little off on my papers on this wayward key fob thing. Okay. At this journey. We're going to now be reconvened.