Tag Archives: Nick Sortal

Troubled Fort Lauderdale Homeless Feeding Program Moving To New Location Less Than One Mile From City Of Plantation

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Hope South Florida Moving Near Plantation

A controversial feeding program which spurred a homeless invasion of a Fort Lauderdale neighborhood is moving to a new location less than a mile from the City of Plantation. Last week, HOPE South Florida announced it was suspending services at its Andrews Avenue facility in Fort Lauderdale. According to the group, they provide clothing, showers and 8,000 meals a month to the homeless. The charity blamed complaints from neighbors for the move. “Sadly, the reality in our neighborhoods is that everyone wants to do something for the homeless but just not in their backyard,” Hope South Florida wrote on Facebook.

But, according to the Sun-Sentinel, the issues with Hope South Florida go beyond NIMBY (Not In My Backyard).

“They bring 300 people into our neighborhood to feed them and half of them would stay in the neighborhood,” one neighbor told the South Florida Sun Sentinel. “You see homeless people walking down the street heading to HOPE to get breakfast. Kids are walking to Northside Elementary School with the homeless people laid out all over the sidewalk. People are pooping all over. Residents have to come out and wash down their sidewalks.”

The same neighbor described dangerous encounters with the homeless.

“People ask for money and when they don’t get it, they threaten you,” she told the Sun Sentinel. “There was a guy living in a tree behind my house. I was working out in my living room. I looked out of the window and I saw this guy staring back at me. Now I’m afraid to let my sons play in the backyard. I don’t even have safety in my own home.”

The neighbor was even forced to call the police when a homeless man threatened to kill her husband.

“It was a very scary situation,” she said. “The police came and could not get him to leave. He did not get arrested. The police urged him to move along. The guy finally moved down the street.”

Now, just days before a new homeless law goes into effect, HOPE South Florida announced it was relocating to homeless feeding facility in Lauderhill.

LIFENET 4 FAMILIES

HOPE South Florida said it plans on continuing showers, mail services and meals for the homeless at the Lifenet4Families facility in Lauderhill. Officially known as as the Cooperative Feeding Program, Lifenet4Familes offers clothing, social services and meal services from its location on West Broward Boulevard.

Lifenet4Familes is less than one mile from the Gateway Seven corridor and numerous Plantation neighborhoods. Large numbers of homeless individuals can been seen gathering near this gated facility on a daily basis.

What happens when Hope South Florida starts bringing homeless people to this new location?

This is the latest example of Fort Lauderdale’s desire to relocate its homeless population to its border with Plantation.

Lifenet4Families Is Less Than One Mile From Plantation

BROADVIEW PARK

Two weeks ago, REDBROWARD exposed Fort Lauderdale’s plan to build a homeless encampment near Plantation. Fort Lauderdale staff floated a plan to build 100 small pallet homes in the Broadview Park neighborhood. This neighborhood in unincorporated Broward County sits across the street from the Fort Lauderdale Country Club and numerous Plantation neighborhoods.

Broward County Commissioner Steve Geller was quick to oppose the encampment plan. Plantation Mayor Nick Sortal also voiced his displeasure.

Planned Homeless Encampment Near Plantation

Now, another homeless problem in the City of Fort Lauderdale suddenly moves closer to Plantation.

Both Hope South Florida and Lifenet4Families enjoy the support of private business and government entities.

Homeless individuals have already caused issues in the Gateway Seven corridor. According to social media posts, the Wawa gas station at Broward Boulevard and State Road 7 removed its outdoor seating due to problems with the homeless.

Just a few miles west, the homeless population continues to thrive at the Broward County West Regional campus.

Will Mayor Nick Sortal stand up to these influential groups to protect Plantation and its residents?

Will Sortal allow Fort Lauderdale’s homeless problem to threaten Plantation residents and businesses?

Large homeless camp at the West Regional Bus Depot remains

Plantation Mayor: Broadview Park Homeless Camp Proposal “Unacceptable”

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Plantation Mayor Nick Sortal says the proposal to build a homless encampment in Broadview Park is “unacceptable.” On Tuesday, REDBROWARD broke the news about the City of Fort Lauderdale’s plan to build 100 pallet homes for the homeless on land it owns in unincorporated Broward. The camp would be in the middle of a residential neighborhood across the street from Plantation.

Fort Lauderdale submitted its proposal to Broward County Mayor Nan Rich and the County Administrator several weeks ago. According to Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis, the County has not responded to the proposal.

The County and municipalities are seeking ways to shelter homeless individuals ahead of the new anti-public camping and sleeping State law which goes into effect next month.

Yesterday, Broward County Commissioner Steve Geller told REDBROWARD he opposes the Broadview Park plan. “ I do not support placing the homeless palette shelters in Broadview Park,” Geller said.

On Wednesday, Mayor Nick Sortal finally responded in a special update on the city’s website. While the City was open to plans to help the homeless, Sortal said the pallet home plan was “unacceptable.”

Sortal said the City was not aware of the plan until Tuesday.

Here is Sortal’s complete statement:

The City of Plantation recently became aware of a discussion that the City of Fort Lauderdale had on Sept. 17 about the establishment of a pallet home project for the homeless at a parcel they own in unincorporated Broward County. The property is located at 4590 Peters Road, just south of the City of Plantation and nestled between two single-family neighborhoods in the municipal services district.

At no point was the City of Plantation engaged in any conversation regarding this matter prior to the issue being raised at Fort Lauderdale’s Conference Meeting on Sept. 17. While Mayor Dean Trantalis indicated that this concept was communicated to the County, it is important to note that when I reached out to County Commissioner Steve Geller, he emailed the following response while out of the country:

“I’ve heard nothing about a proposal from the City of Fort Lauderdale to place Homeless Palette Shelters in Broadview Park. Broadview Park is entirely in my district. I do not support placing palette shelters in Broadview Park. I am out of town. When I get back into town, I’ll discuss this further. For now, I do not support placing the homeless palette shelters in Broadview Park and my office has not received any communications about this from the City of Fort Lauderdale or any Broward County Agency.”

Subsequent phone calls to other leaders indicated that there may be similar plans in their infancy throughout the county. While the City of Plantation is sensitive to the plight of the homeless individuals in Broward County and willing to work collaboratively on effective strategies to deal with the issue, the Broadview Park effort discussed by the City of Fort Lauderdale is unacceptable. We find the concept to be in violation of the relevant state statutes and I have directed the City Attorney and our planning staff to monitor this issue moving forward. The City of Fort Lauderdale’s attempt to mitigate this issue outside of its boundaries in the middle of a single-family community will be vigorously opposed. 


The City of Plantation recently became aware of a discussion that the City of Fort Lauderdale had on Sept. 17 about the establishment of a pallet home project for the homeless at a parcel they own in unincorporated Broward County. The property is located at 4590 Peters Road, just south of the City of Plantation and nestled between two single-family neighborhoods in the municipal services district.
At no point was the City of Plantation engaged in any conversation regarding this matter prior to the issue being raised at Fort Lauderdale’s Conference Meeting on Sept. 17. While Mayor Dean Trantalis indicated that this concept was communicated to the County, it is important to note that when I reached out to County Commissioner Steve Geller, he emailed the following response while out of the country:
“I’ve heard nothing about a proposal from the City of Fort Lauderdale to place Homeless Palette Shelters in Broadview Park. Broadview Park is entirely in my district. I do not support placing palette shelters in Broadview Park. I am out of town. When I get back into town, I’ll discuss this further. For now, I do not support placing the homeless palette shelters in Broadview Park and my office has not received any communications about this from the City of Fort Lauderdale or any Broward County Agency.”
Subsequent phone calls to other leaders indicated that there may be similar plans in their infancy throughout the county. While the City of Plantation is sensitive to the plight of the homeless individuals in Broward County and willing to work collaboratively on effective strategies to deal with the issue, the Broadview Park effort discussed by the City of Fort Lauderdale is unacceptable. We find the concept to be in violation of the relevant state statutes and I have directed the City Attorney and our planning staff to monitor this issue moving forward. The City of Fort Lauderdale’s attempt to mitigate this issue outside of its boundaries in the middle of a single-family community will be vigorously opposed. 

Nick Sortal