Dear Neighbors,

  As you may know, I have long advocated for the tunnel as the New River Crossing local preferred alternative (LPA) for the future of Broward’s Commuter Rail. I am happy to report that we are making much progress in partnering with the Broward County Commission toward a New River Crossing. I believe a tunnel is a far better solution than a bridge going through our downtown.

  The city’s parks bond project is progressing, and I am committed to expediting the completion of our parks. I requested that City staff provide routine updates on the project status of each of our district’s parks to ensure efficiency and accountability. This past month, our Parks department has been working diligently with our neighborhood associations to help make their vision a reality. A few examples: community leaders spearheading efforts for Lauderdale Isles Landing and Harbordale Elementary recently met with project managers to coordinate a desirable design for their neighborhoods. Within the next few weeks, the project managers will be presenting these designs at their upcoming civic meetings for public input and discussion of the next steps. The community meeting for Floyd Hull Stadium was last night and we are now moving forward with finalizing designs before showcasing to nearby neighborhoods. You all have my full support and together we will elevate our recreation and scenic spaces. You can learn about recent updates to your neighborhood park by viewing the city’s website here: City of Fort Lauderdale Parks Bond Program or you can email me your specific questions. 

 Homelessness continues to be a major challenge in our city. Drastic changes will not happen unless Fort Lauderdale, nearby cities, and the County work in tandem with each other. I am currently meeting with as many relevant stakeholders as possible and connecting them so we can all commit to a role and create ONE unified plan together. We are working on identifying suitable land to build housing or renovate existing structures to increase bed capacities for our homeless population. Other stakeholders are discussing engagement centers which would help provide resources and services to individuals and help integrate them back into society. This is a dilemma we will combat one step at a time.

Please reach out to me or my office anytime. I hope to see you out in the community or at a City Commission meeting! My email is bsorensen@fortlauderdale.gov and my cell is (954)-802-3311. To contact my office please call (954)-828-5028.

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Ben