Welcome to LARGO TODAY, News from the City Manager. Stay up-to-date on the superior services the City of Largo offers to our residents, businesses and visitors to build the "Community of Choice in Tampa Bay."

-Henry Schubert, City Manager
THIS WEEK IN LARGO January 8, 2021
NEW DOWNTOWN LARGO CITY HALL
The City of Largo has begun efforts toward the development of a new City Hall. The current facility is no longer suitable due to upcoming costly repairs, lack of resistance to storm damage and flooding, and limitations for projected growth. This new City Hall project is currently underway with concept design and site selection and is expected to be completed in 2023.

We want to hear from YOU on the specific design features and public use elements that should be included in this new and improved City Hall.
NEWS AND UPDATES
SHREDFEST
The City of Largo will be hosting its free ShredFest on Saturday, January 16 at the Starkey Road Collection Center (1551 Starkey Rd) from 9am-12pm, or until full capacity has been reached. This easy, drive-through event allows residents to bring up to five boxes of documents for free and secure on-site shredding and recycling. 
RESOURCES FOR THOSE WHO MAY BE FACING EVICTION
If your household or someone you know has had a continued loss in income due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, the recent federal COVID-19 Stimulus Bill extended the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) order temporarily halting residential evictions in order to prevent the further spread of COVID-19. The national eviction moratorium is in effect until January 31, 2021. The extension does not apply to foreclosures on home mortgages.

According to CDC Guidelines, the impacted household must meet certain criteria and must submit the Eviction Moratorium Declaration Form to their landlord. If the household does not have access to a printer, some copies of the Declaration Form are available at the Largo Public Library (120 Central Park Drive). Please check the Library’s operating hours due to recent changes.

Legal Services:
These legal service agencies may be able to assist households facing foreclosure as well.

Employment Websites:
  • Career Source Pinellas
  • Full-Time job listings
  • National Dislocated Worker Grant: - Short-term work that gives back to the community (matches job seekers with local non-profits for temporary, paid employment (Pinellas Gives Back) and/or paid, short-term training options (Pinellas Training to Work).

Cheryl Coller Reed
Acting Housing Manager, Community Development Department / 727-586-7452 / creed@largo.com
COVID-19 RESIDENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS SERVED 93 FAMILIES
The City of Largo, partnered with the community-based non-profit organization, Tampa Bay Community Development Corporation, to financially assist households that had a loss or reduction in income due to the pandemic with housing and utility assistance. The program began in June 2020 with State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP) Resident Assistance Program funding and continued from October – December with federal Coronavirus Relief Funds (CRF). Largo’s Resident Assistance Program served 93 families and households.

The City of Largo expended $431,583 in CRF funding by the expenditure deadline which comprised 94% of the available funds that were allocated to the City. The average amount awarded to each household was $4,240. The median household size for the households who participated in the program was two persons. Thirty-four percent (34%) of the head of households served were Black/African American; an additional three percent (3%) identified as multi-racial. Twelve percent (12%) of the households indicated they are survivors of domestic violence.

Although the program ended on December 30, 2020, additional funding for emergency rental assistance may become available in the future and interested applicants should regularly check the City’s Housing Division web page for program information.

A special thank you to our colleagues in Finance. The City could not have served this many families and households without the outstanding support of the Finance Department which processed monthly rent checks and utility bills two times a week for nine months in order to ensure that families and households avoided eviction and foreclosure and/or having essential utilities discontinued due to lack of payment.

Cheryl Coller Reed
Acting Housing Manager, Community Development Department / 727-586-7452 / creed@largo.com
GIS MAPPING SERVICE SURVEY
The City of Largo GIS Team is looking for community input regarding available online information. Largo residents and businesses are invited to share feedback to help City staff better understand what types of online applications and mapping services best serve the public. Once feedback is received and reviewed, the GIS Team will continue to publish additional public applications to decrease the information gap between city staff and the public. 
2021 HOMELESS POINT-IN-TIME SURVEY
Due to the uncertainty of the pandemic, and the potential health risks of sending volunteers to perform face-to-face street surveys, the 2021 homeless Point-in-Time survey will be done differently than in past years. Instead of conducting the survey in person, the Pinellas Continuum of Care’s Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) data will be used to generate an unsheltered sample count for the 2021 Point-in-Time Count and Survey data. The Continue of Care extends its gratitude for all of the people that have volunteered in years past. Please look for volunteer registration in September of 2021 to recruit volunteers and team leads for the 2022 Point in Time Survey.
UPDATE ON WASHINGTON AVENUE PROJECT
Do you live in the Washington Avenue Area? Join an interactive webinar about the Washington Avenue Area Pedestrian Safety Improvement Project on Wednesday, January 27 at 6pm.

The update will include:
1. How the survey informed project design
2. Planned Improvements
3. Schedule for design and construction
4. Future Neighborhood Improvements

During the webinar, attendees will be able to provide feedback through quick polls and open QA. If you need additional support to participate in the meeting, please contact housing@largo.com or call (727) 586-7489 ext.7212.
SHADE CANOPY APPROVED FOR UNITED TAXI
On December 30, 2020, the Planning & Development Services Division of the City of Largo's Community Development Department approved small scale review case SPR220-033: United Taxi – Shade Canopy. This approval will allow the applicant to construct a 608-square foot canopy at 17174 US Highway 19 N.

Rick Perez
Planning Manager / 727-587-6749 / rperez@largo.com
LIVE ENTERTAINMENT @CPPAC
BRAND NEW DAY
Saturday, January 9 at 8pm
Sunday, January 10 at 2pm
Brand New Day is an evening of entertainment featuring EOT favorite Latoya McCormick, this intimate evening of music and stories explores life as a black performer working the Great White Way.
THE GLENN MILLER BAND
Thursday, January 21 at 7:30pm
The World Famous Glenn Miller Orchestra with music director Nick Hilscher and vocalist Hannah Truckenbrod is alive and well 80 years after the original.
THE HIGHWAYMEN LIVE
Friday, January 22 at 2 & 8pm
This 90 minute country music tribute show is full of upbeat, honky-tonk hits like Ring of Fire, Dukes of Hazzard, and On the Road Again, and many more!
MISSION: Provide Superior Services that Inspire Community Pride

VISION: To Be the Community of Choice in Tampa Bay

VALUES: INTEGRITY | COLLABORATION | PASSION | CREATIVITY