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

Tuesday, May 5, 2020

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the City of Miami Beach is fully committed to keeping our residents, businesses and employees safe and informed.

Face Coverings Face coverings MUST be worn at all essential retail and commercial businesses, open parks, and the beachwalk and baywalk, except by children under the age of 2, persons who have trouble breathing due to a chronic pre-existing condition, or persons engaged in strenuous physical activity or exercise. Click here for a full listing of open parks and recreational facilities. Click here to learn how you can easily make your own face covering.

Parks & Greenspace Reopenings While enjoying the outdoor spaces of the City of Miami Beach, please adhere to the following rules for preventing the spread of COVID-19: Face coverings MUST always be worn, unless otherwise noted Organized activities, including sports, fitness classes or any commercial use activity is prohibited  Social distancing must be observed and there cannot be gatherings of 10 or more people Some pedestrian trails are one-way, as marked  Strict enforcement of social distancing measures will be implemented with penalties and fines Park use is encouraged to be less than 2 hours No picnics  Click the GIF image for a full listing of open parks and amenities.

Land Use & Sustainability Meeting The Land Use and Sustainability Committee will meet Wednesday, May 6 at 8 a.m. virtually via Zoom here: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87518931775. The meeting will be streamed live on MBTV Channel 660 on Atlantic Broadband or 99 on AT&T U-Verse. How to provide spoken public comment during the meeting: The public may provide spoken comment by dialing telephone 929.205.6099 or 888.475.4499 (toll free). The Webinar ID is 875 1893 1775. Press *9 to raise a hand to be placed in queue to speak.

North Beach Drive-Thru Food Distribution Join Commissioner David Richardson, South Florida Seniors in Action and Farm Share for a drive-thru food distribution this Wednesday. Wednesday, May 6 1 PM - 3 PM 7100 Collins Avenue Miami Beach, FL Please remain inside your vehicle and open the trunk to receive the food. To ensure your safety, we must adhere to "social distancing" guidelines. No walking, no bikes, no motorcycles, no skateboards, etc. You must be in an enclosed vehicle. Food is distributed on a first come, first served basis while supplies last.

Facebook Live Commissioner Michael Góngora will host a Facebook Live on Wednesday, May 6 to discuss the latest on COVID-19 with City Manager Jimmy Morales, Dr. Frederick Keroff and Alex Fernandez from the Police/Citizens Committee.  Wednesday, May 6 4 PM Tune into the Commissioners Facebook Live via his account here.

Virtual Sustainachella All month long, we'll be bringing you Virtual Sustainachella's to provide the community with the knowledge and tools necessary to live a more sustainable lifestyle. Thursday, May 7 6 PM - 7 PM Register today to obtain access to the Zoom meeting which will focus on tips you can use in your everyday lives to conserve water. Click here to register now.

Commission and Finance & Economic Resiliency Meetings The next Commission meeting is being held on Friday, May 8 at 9 a.m.  and will be televised on MBTV and streamed live on Facebook. The Finance and Economic Resiliency Meeting will follow at 10 a.m. The Commission Chambers will be closed to the public, but you can watch both meetings via Zoom at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87216813089 How to provide spoken public comment during the City Commission Meeting: The public may provide spoken comment by dialing telephone 312.626.6799 or 1.888.475.4499 (Toll Free). The Webinar ID is 872 1681 3089#. 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.

Food Assistance The City of Miami Beach is now offering food assistance to qualifying residents who have lost their employment and are experiencing food insecurity. Please visit www.miamibeachfl.gov/food to fill out the required form. After residents complete the online form, eligible residents will be contacted by the city with a date, time and location for food pick up. Households will only be permitted to pick up once per week and we will ensure that food packages are sufficient per family size. Residents receiving SNAP benefits are eligible two weeks after their SNAP allocation is loaded on their EBT card. The two distribution sites are North Shore Youth Center at 501 72 Street and the Police Athletic Building at 999 11 Street. Only residents who complete the online registration and receive an appointment will be served. The city is preparing to serve 600 Miami Beach households weekly, and will do their best to accommodate food packages for vegetarian and kosher households.

Waived Utility Billing Penalties The City Commission has adopted a resolution to waive utility billing penalties for late payments from March 1, 2020 through May 30, 2020. Residents wishing to enter into a payment plan for their utility bill can reach the city’s Customer Service Center at the following phone numbers: 305.673.7440 or 305.604.CITY (2849). Residents can also send an email to utilitybilling@miamibeachfl.gov

Feeding the Frontline 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.  This amazing program provides warm meals to those saving our community every day!

COVID-19 Testing Seniors The City of Miami Beach is offering in-home COVID-19 testing for homebound Miami Beach seniors that are 65 years and older and are experiencing symptoms associated with the coronavirus — including fever, shortness of breath or a persistent cough. Testing is by appointment only and residents who meet the criteria should call the city’s customer service center at 305.604.CITY (2489) to request an appointment. The customer service center is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Since there are a limited number of tests, the city asks that only seniors that meet the criteria schedule an appointment. In-home testing for homebound residents is provided by MedRite with the assistance of the Miami Beach Fire Department.

Get Counted! The 2020 Census is underway and we encourage every Miami Beach resident to respond! 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. If you don’t know your Census ID number, you can still complete the questionnaire. Follow the following steps: Click on “Start Questionnaire” Click “If you don’t have your Census ID” Then proceed to enter your residential address The 2020 Census will determine the number of seats each state has in the U.S. House of Representatives, and influences how hundreds of billions of dollars in public funds are allocated for critical public services like emergency response, schools, hospitals, roads and bridges over the next 10 years. Don't waive your right to be counted, fill out the Census today. Click here to view the information in Spanish.

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 permits 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* 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).