June 17, 2022

Recognizing Juneteenth

On June 19th, we recognize Juneteenth, the date when slavery was ended in Texas and which now serves as the federally recognized holiday to commemorate emancipation nationwide. This is an important day to reflect upon the horrors of slavery and the long struggle Black Americans have fought for equality. I encourage everyone to remember our history, the struggle for equal rights, and the importance of preserving equality to live up to the ideals of America.

The County is recognizing this day by holding a Soil Collection Ceremony for Sam Nelson on Saturday, June 18th, at 10:30 am, during the Juneteenth Event at Pompey Park at 1101 NW 2nd Street in Delray Beach.

Sam Nelson was lynched on September 27, 1926, while being held in a Delray Beach jail on a charge of attempted assault of a white woman in Miami. No one was held accountable for his murder. During the ceremony, the County Commission will also present a resolution Recognizing the Significance of the Federal Emmett Till Antilynching Act.

The soil collected during the ceremony near the lynching site will be put into glass jars and put on display at the Equal Justice Initiative's Legacy Museum National Memorial for Peace and Justice, the Spady Cultural Heritage Museum, and other sites around Palm Beach County.

There will also be community events in the Glades in recognition of Juneteenth. Here are flyers for the Glades events:

South County Mental Health Center

On June 7, my aide Lisa Wilson attended the ribbon cutting of the South County Mental Health Center (SCMHC) West facility in Belle Glade. The SCMHC has served the residents of southeastern Palm Beach County since 1974, and I am pleased that it will now operate a crisis stabilization unit with a mobile response team to deliver high-quality behavioral health care to residents of the Glades.

BCC Approvals

More progress for District 6!

At the June 14th Board of County Commissioners meeting, the BCC authorized an agreement for architectural and engineering services for the new Fire Rescue Station #92, which will be located at 4575 Lyons Road (just south of Lake Worth Rd). This new station, approximately 17,167 square feet, will improve response times in the area.

Some other highlights for District 6 from the meeting:

approved the continuation of Go Glades, the popular Mobility on Demand Service in the Glades.

approved $919,558 for the C.L. Brumback Health Center Renovation, which will include improvements to the Youth Center facility such as new flooring, light fixtures, restroom fixtures, ceiling tiles, painting, electrical services, and modifications to the plumbing & AC systems.

authorized consulting/engineering services for hurricane hardening evaluation and recommendations at the Western Region Wastewater Treatment Facility and the Western Region North Wastewater treatment Facility.

approved an amendment to the Royal Palm Beach Pines Trails System Project to extend the length of the natural surface hiking trail.

approved an agreement with the Florida Atlantic University Board of Trustees to perform research and evaluation of a Trauma-Informed Training Initiative for law enforcement and criminal justice professionals, a key objective of which is to increase their understanding of traumas associated with domestic, school, community violence and other behavioral crises, leading to improved interactions and responses. All work will be completed in consultation with the Criminal Justice Commission.

Palm Beach Post Seeking Input on Rising Rents

The Palm Beach Post is seeking input from residents of the western communities on the impact rent increases are having on families, single people, and young professionals. Identities will be kept anonymous. To share your experience, visit here.

Important Traffic Update - Downtown WPB

Important traffic news for those travelling into downtown West Palm Beach: a quarter-mile section of Banyan Boulevard between Australian Avenue and Tamarind Avenue is closed thru Sunday, July 3, 2022, for road reconstruction. If you plan to attend a BCC meeting in-person, please allow for additional travel time.

Housing Assistance Programs

Palm Beach County’s Department of Housing and Economic Development (HED) announces the availability of funding for the following programs:

HOME Investments Partnership Program – Funding Allocation of $1,800,000:

First Time Homebuyer Program – June 20, 2022 at 8:00am – August 22, 2022 at 11:59pm (or until 40 applications have been submitted). Funding will assist income eligible first-time homebuyers with gap financing, lot acquisition, down payment, closing costs and/or rehabilitation, to purchase a new or existing home. Applicants are required to attend a Mandatory Orientation prior to application submittal. Register now at https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/6869720/HED-HOME

State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP) Program – Funding Allocation of $500,000:

Foreclosure Prevention Program – June 27, 2022 at 8:00am - until ALL funding is expended. Funding will assist income eligible homeowners who are facing foreclosure due to an unexpected loss of household income.

Community Development Block Grant Coronavirus (CDBG-CV) Program – Funding Allocation of $2,100,000:

Mortgage Assistance Program – June 27, 2022 at 8:00am – until all funding is expended. Funding will assist applicants impacted by COVID19, to apply for up to $20,000, in financial assistance to help with paying delinquent first mortgage, escrow payments (PITI), second mortgages, late fees, condominium and homeowners’ association payments, special assessments, and other mortgage associated costs related to COVID-19.

NOTE: Applications must be submitted online, and will be processed on a first submitted, first qualified, first served basis, subject to funding availability on the dates noted above by visiting the website at https://pbcgov.com/HED.

For additional information, please contact:

Palm Beach County Department of Housing and Economic Development (HED)

Mortgage and Housing Investments Division

Telephone: (561) 233-3600

HEDverify@pbcgov.org