City of Miami Beach Update on COVID-19, 5/27

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Wednesday, May 27, 2020

Ensuring the safety and health of Miami Beach residents, visitors and businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic remains the city’s most important objective. Read the latest updates below from the City of Miami Beach and visit our reopening webpage for information/guidelines on various industries, including retail and restaurant establishments. Message from the Mayor View today's message from Mayor Dan Gelber below and read it in Spanish here.

HAND Program Launches COVID-19 Rental Assistance Portal The Housing Assistance Network of Dade (HAND) Program launched a Rental Assistance Portal today, specifically geared toward helping individuals and families impacted by the COVID-19 public health emergency.    A household may be eligible to receive COVID-19 rental assistance for past due rent, current rent due and rent for upcoming months.    The HAND COVID-19 Rental Assistance Portal is open to accept screening questionnaires until 11:59 p.m. on June 5, 2020.   To apply, or for more information, prospective applicants can visit: www.miamidaderenthelp.com.    Prospective applicants with special needs or those with limited access to the internet, may apply by calling the Homeless Helpline at 1.877.994.4357 and selecting Option #3, or the HAND Program at 305.231.7667.   To qualify for COVID-19 rental assistance, applicants must meet the following criteria:   Individuals residing in Miami-Dade County who lost their job or have less income as of or after March 1, 2020. Household income is below 50 percent of the Area Medium Income, based on HUD criteria. (i.e., for a single person, monthly income is below $2,666 or $3,429 for a family of four). Household rent is at or below 120 percent of the Fair Market Rent rates for Miami-Dade County, based on HUD criteria (i.e., $1,216 for an efficiency/studio, $1,432 for a one-bedroom unit, or $1,800 for a two-bedroom unit). Because funding for the program is limited, and need is expected to exceed available funding, a computerized lottery will determine the order in which eligible applicants can be assisted. However, selection in the lottery does not guarantee assistance from the HAND Program. Households must successfully meet all eligibility requirements and submit required documents for final determinations of assistance.

Special Commission Meeting The next Commission meeting is being held tomorrow, May 28 at 9 a.m. and will be televised on MBTV and streamed live on Facebook. The Commission Chambers will be closed to the public, but you can watch the meeting via Zoom at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87969403035 How to provide spoken public comment during the City Commission Meeting: The public may provide spoken comment by dialing telephone 301.715.8592 or 1.888.475.4499 (Toll Free). The Webinar ID is 879 6940 3035#. Press *9 to raise a hand to be placed in queue to speak. How to submit written public comment before the City Commission Meeting: The public may submit written comments by sending an email to CityClerk@miamibeachfl.gov by 5 p.m. the day before the Commission Meeting. Please identify the Agenda Item Number in the email subject line. Emails received will be forwarded to the Mayor and Commissioners and will be included as a part of the meeting record.

Get Counted! Now more than ever it's important to get counted! For the first time in Census history, you can now fill out the form online as well as by phone or mail. Responding is fast, easy, safe and important — and it’s key to shaping the future of your community. Visit my2020census.gov and make sure you get counted.

Facial Covering Requirements Face coverings MUST be worn at all essential retail and commercial businesses. If you are visiting one of our open parks/greenspaces and/or beachwalks/baywalks, you must wear a face covering unless social distancing can be achieved. This does not apply to children under the age of 2, person's who have trouble breathing due to chronic pre-existing conditions or persons engaged in strenuous physical activity. All city parks and tennis centers that are currently open close at 8 p.m. South Pointe park is open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. and is closed on the weekends. Click here for a full listing of parks/greenspace openings and view below facial covering requirement details. Click here to learn how you can easily make your own face covering.

Hybrid Testing Site The COVID-19 testing facility at the Miami Beach Convention Center campus has the capacity for up to 750 tests per day. Testing is FREE and available to anyone, 18 years or older, regardless of COVID-19 symptoms. A patient that has been tested is welcome to be retested at any time. For more information on testing or testing for homebound seniors view the 'Testing' tab on our Coronavirus dedicated webpage.

Customer Service Our city hotline at 305.604.CITY (2489) is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. You can also email your questions to MBCovid@miamibeachfl.gov

To help keep you informed on the latest details of this ever evolving COVID-19 pandemic, the city has created a dedicated, city-related coronavirus webpage. We encourage you to continuously visit www.miamibeachfl.gov/coronavirus for the most up-to-date information, including a list of frequently asked questions, important resources, impacts to city services and more.

Below is an ongoing summary of updates from the City of Miami Beach. Miami Beach Resource Center Has your business or job been impacted by coronavarius pandemic? The City of Miami Beach is here to help! Please email your contact information and inquiry to resourcecenter@miamibeachfl.gov and one of our resource agents will assist you.

You can also view some helpful tools and resources for businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, including information on Governor DeSantis' Florida Small Business Emergency Loan Program and more on our dedicated business portal. Meals for Seniors If you are a senior citizen 60 years or older and are having problems getting meals, please call Miami-Dade County’s 311 Call Center between the hours of 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. and you will be immediately patched in with their Emergency Operations Center to get you the meals or other services that you may need. If you are not a senior, we still encourage you to share this message with any senior you may know. Miami-Dade Public Schools Meal Distribution Nautilus Middle School has replaced Miami Beach Senior High as the meal distribution center for Miami-Dade Public Schools grab-and-go meals in our community. Those in need can pick-up meals from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesdays and Fridays, click here for more information and other school locations. Free meals for kids are also available through FLIPANY, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and Feeding Florida. Impacted Meetings/Events For a full list of impacted meetings and events, please visit www.miamibeachfl.gov/coronavirus. Miami Beach Restaurants - Takeout and Delivery The City of Miami Beach is maintaining the general curfew throughout the city beginning at midnight each night, but permited restaurants to continue to operate their kitchens after midnight, for delivery services only. *Support local businesses by clicking here to view a list of Miami Beach Restaurants open for delivery and takeout* Created to help out local restaurants, Miami Eats has now expanded its efforts to also support your local front-line medical staff, police and fire first-responders through Meals for Heroes Miami.  Stay Informed The City of Miami Beach remains committed to ensuring the safety and public health of our residents, visitors and local businesses. As the information is changing rapidly pertaining to COVID-19, the administration is conducting daily interdepartmental calls to monitor the progression of novel coronavirus COVID-19 to ensure that we stay informed and respond when needed. We are also closely following the guidelines provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Florida Department of Health (FDOH). For updated information on the city’s efforts, please visit: www.MiamiBeachFl.gov/coronavirus. We will also post updated messages via email, Nextdoor, Facebook, Twitter and via text message (text MBAlert to 888777).

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