Resolution 2019-30733 RESOLUTION NO, 2019-30733
A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF
MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA MODIFYING RESOLUTION 2018-30261, BY
REMOVING THE REQUIREMENT, AS PART OF THE BUSINESS TAX
RECEIPT PROCESS, THAT RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS (WITH 51% OR MORE
TENANTS OF AGE 62 AND OLDER) SHOW EVIDENCE THAT THEY HAVE
ENCOURAGED ELIGIBLE RESIDENTS TO COMPLY WITH THE MIAMI-DADE
COUNTY EMERGENCY AND EVACUATION ASISTANCE PROGRAM
REGISTRATION REQUIREMENT.
WHEREAS, at its meeting on October 18, 2017, the Neighborhood/Community Affairs
Committee ("Committee") considered the City's hurricane plans to evacuate senior citizens; and
WHEREAS, the Committee directed City staff to conduct outreach to encourage and
promote participation by elder residents in the Miami-Dade County Emergency and Evacuation
Assistance Program; and
WHEREAS, staff conducted repeated targeted outreach and registration to 13 elder-
serving buildings:
• Rebecca Towers;
• Michigan Avenue Apartments;
• Shep Davis Plaza;
• Council Towers North &South;
• Stella Maris (The building's staff registered 25 of its tenants independently);
• Four Freedoms House;
• Allen Apartments;
• Edwards Apartments;
• Lulav Square;
• Jefferson Apartments;
• Villa Maria;
• Villa Matti; and
• Federation Towers; and
WHEREAS, the elder residents surveyed were generally fearful of general population
shelters and did not want to be inconvenienced with having to take their own food, bedding, and
personal belongings to a shelter; and
WHEREAS, the following recommendations were considered and accepted by
acclamation by the Committee at its March 21, 2018 meeting:
1. Require residential buildings with 51% of its tenants aged 62 and older to submit
evidence that they have encouraged tenants to register for the Emergency and
Evacuation Assistance Program prior to the issuance of their Business Tax Receipt;
2. Encourage the building management of residential buildings with 51% of its tenants
aged 62 and older, receiving City funding, to submit evidence that they have encouraged
eligible residents to register and to report such evidence annually for a period of 10
years (and to require such evidence and reporting as a condition of future grant funding);
and
3. Encourage elder-serving agencies receiving City funding to encourage their eligible
elder clients to register for the Emergency and Evacuation Assistance Program as part
of the reporting requirements for funds received (and to require such agencies to
encourage registration and to report same as a condition of future grant funding); and
4. Collaborate with Miami-Dade County's Office of Emergency Management to consider
opening an elder-only emergency evacuation shelter that specifically caters to residents
over the age of 62 who may be allowed to bring companion animals with them to the
shelter, as needed; and
WHEREAS, the Committee recommended mandating 2 and 3 above as to existing grant
funding contracts; but, for legal sufficiency purposes, such actions can only be encouraged with
regard to entities with contacts already in existence (i.e, parties legally need to agree to any
material modifications to the terms and conditions of a contract), but can be required in future
contracts; and
WHEREAS, after the initial recommendation was adopted, the City Manager created a
task force comprised of City employees to conduct a comprehensive review of the City's
Business Tax Receipt (BTR) process to determine the efficacy and efficiency of the process;
and
WHEREAS, at its January 28, 2019, the Neighborhood/Community Affairs Committee
(NCAC) meeting reviewed the difficulties encountered with the roll-out of the revised BTR
process that included promotion of the EEAP; and
WHEREAS, the Committee unanimously agreed that the BTR process should not be
encumbered with processes that are not directly related to its function; and
WHEREAS, the Committee recommended the removal of any mention of the EEAP
registration from the BTR process and the pursuance of marketing efforts to property owners as
a means of raising awareness about EEAP and the benefits of early registration.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT DULY RESOLVED BY THE MAYOR AND CITY
COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, that the Mayor and City
Commission hereby accept the recommendations of the Neighborhood/Community Affairs
Committee modifying Resolution 2018-30261, by removing the requirement, as part of the
business tax receipt process, that residential buildings (with 51% or more tenants of age 62 and
older) show evidence that they have encouraged eligible residents to comply with the Miami
Dade County Emergency and Evacuation Assistance Program registration requirement.
PASSED AND ADOPTED this /3 day of //MI A. , 2019.
ATTEST: _= PV4 ,, f
1 1" :* —i,, .�: �..elber, Mayor
Rafael E. Granado, City lerk 'INCORP GRATED; * APPROVED AS TO
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City Attorney : �4I' Date
Resolutions -C7 M
MIAMI BEACH
COMMISSION MEMORANDUM
TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Commission
FROM: Jimmy L. Morales, City Manager
DATE: March 13, 2019
SUBJECT:A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY
OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA MODIFYING RESOLUTION 2018-30261, BY
REMOVING THE REQUIREMENT, AS PART OF THE BUSINESS TAX
RECEIPT PROCESS, THAT RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS (WITH 51% OR
MORE TENANTS OF AGE 62 AND OLDER) SHOW EVIDENCE THAT THEY
HAVE ENCOURAGED ELIGIBLE RESIDENTS TO COMPLY WITH THE
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY EMERGENCY AND EVACUATION ASSISTANCE
PROGRAM REGISTRATION REQUIREMENT.
RECOMMENDATION
Adopt the Resolution.
ANALYSIS
At the request of the City Manager, a task force comprised of City employees was asked to conduct a
comprehensive review of the City's Business Tax Receipt (BTR) process to determine the efficacy and
efficiency of the process and its ease of use by City customers. The thorough review found that, over
time, various unrelated -- though well-intentioned -- actions have been added to the BTR processes
resulting in burdensome and significant delays in the issuance of BTRs. One of these changes that led to
confusion and unexpected delays was the City's effort to promote emergency evacuation registration
among the City's elder residents as memorialized in Resolution 2018-30261.
Resolution 2018-30261, approved by the Mayor and Commission at its April 11, 2018 meeting, requires that
owners of properties with 51% or more of their tenants aged 62 and older to submit evidence that they have
encouraged tenants to register for the Miami-Dade County Emergency and Evacuation Assistance Program
(EEAP) through self-certification prior to the issuance of the BTR. The Resolution also requires residential
buildings receiving City funds which have 51%of its tenants aged 62 or older to encourage eligible residents to
register for EEAP prior to receiving City funds and annually thereafter for a period of 10 years.
While well intentioned, the amended BTR process to promote EEAP registration created confusion and
unanticipated delays which resulted in non-compliance or delayed compliance by a significant number of
properties. Many property owners expressed concern regarding inquiring about the age of their tenants and
the possible conflict with Fair Housing standards (which establish guidelines to ensure that you are not
discriminating against renters or buyers because of age, among other factors). Other properties were unsure
as to how to communicate information about the EEAP program to their tenants though most properties
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either provided flyers to tenants or simply posted the flyer provided with the City's BTR correspondence in
their buildings'common area.
At its January 28,2019, the Neighborhood/Community Affairs Committee (N CAC) meeting reviewed the
difficulties encountered with the roll-out of the revised BTR process that included promotion of the EEAP. The
Committee unanimously agreed that the BTR process should not be encumbered with processes that are not
directly related to its function. As,such, the Committee agreed to remove any mention of the EEAP
registration from the the BTR process and to instead explore marketing efforts to property owners as a means
of raising awareness about EEAP and the benefits of early registration.
CONCLUSION
The Administration recommends accepting the recommendations of the Neighborhood/Community
Affairs Committee modifying Resolution 2018-30261, by removing the requirement, as part of the
business tax receipt process, that residential buildings (with 51% or more tenants of age 62 and
older) show evidence that they have encouraged eligible residents to comply with the Miami Dade
County Emergency and Evacuation Assistance Program registration requirement.
KEY INTENDED OUTCOMES SUPPORTED
Strengthen Internal Controls To Achieve More Accountability
FINANCIAL INFORMATION
Legislative Tracking
Housing and Community Services
ATTACHMENTS:
Description
o Resolution
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