A Better Hallandale Beach: Shared Responsibility

This Saturday,  April 5th, 2025, at OB Johnson Park, 1000 NW 8th Avenue, Hallandale Beach, FL the One City At A Time: A Memorial Healthcare Community Impact Initiative presents the 2nd Annual One Hallandale Family Fun Field Day. The event is hosted by our very own Hallandale Beach PAL and is a part of PAL’s Healthy Futures Initiative, empowering youth for a lifetime of healthy futures. General admission, activities and entry for a chance to win raffle prizes are FREE. Register at www.hallandalebeachpal.com

The event is filled with fun for the entire family: a BSO Fire Helicopter landing, bounce houses, entertainment, activities, Flag Football Tournament-Hallandale Beach Police vs. PAL Coaches, a Resource Fair, Home Depot Tree giveaways, a Health Fair, Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue Emergency fleet display, Smatt Tennis Academy and Sloane Stephens Foundation Tennis & Pickleball Demos, and so much more.

General admission includes a free snack pack for the first 1,000 attendees and free entry for a chance to win a raffle prize. Free Ice Cream and Italian Icees by Tycoon Party, Samples from Chick Fil A, and Los Verdes. Raffle prizes include brand new flat screen TVs, gift cards to Home Depot, IHop, Denny’s, Chick Fil A, Marshalls, Home Goods, TJ Maxx, Sierra, and more. You must register to be entered into the raffle and be present to win.

Last week, I had an opportunity to be in our city at a Mayor’s Forum hosted by The Realtors. It is always a great chance to highlight our city and update the Broward County real estate industry on city issues. I had the chance to answer a few questions about affordable housing and homeownership. A representative that services mortgages inquired about how we can better help residents afford a mortgage.

Our CRA has many programs to support home ownership. Down payment assistance, Neighborhood Improvement grants, emergency rental assistance and even senior assistant programs. While we have many programs to help our residents, my response included that all clients need to understand home ownership is simply not about a mortgage but the financial stability of the applicant.

During the 2008 bubble many applicants were given mortgages that truly could not afford a home. This led to the crisis of 2008. I sat on the Hallandale Beach Housing Board back then and had to tell many applicants even though you are approved your income does not work. All property owners’ single-family, multi-family or condominium have the shared responsibility of maintaining their property. If they are not keeping it in shape they will end up in Code Enforcement.

Our city continues to work hard to address many issues, but we cannot do everything. Private property is just that, private. There are shared responsibilities. Property owners must maintain not simply their building but all land including their swales. We do not cut trees nor pick up debris and illegal dumping. The complaint I often get is “It is your swale not mine.”

Main corridors like Hallandale Beach Boulevard, Ocean Drive, US1 and the FEC corridors are not owned by the city. We have an interlocal agreement to keep landscaping and in some cases parking with the agencies that do. In all other cases, owners must keep clean and support sidewalks and swales.

Another big expense residents are not prepared for is the fact water, sewer and drainage beyond the meter, interconnections and in parking lots are the responsibility of the property owner. If you have a broken line on your property, you must fix it. These types of breaks can cost thousands of dollars. We as a city will not go on to property and fix them.

Many single-family owners are not aware that there is Service Line Insurance. There are multiple companies that provide insurance. For years, our city has partnered with the National League of Cities and their Service Line Insurance Program. This program will repair lines that break. The one thing that they will not do is ensure breaks under homes that require extensive repairs to foundations. This would be your homeowner’s insurance.

In addition to line repair, the Service Line Insurance offers to reimburse 2500 towards water bills from leaks in your home. A simple break in a pipe can cost hundreds of dollars in bills that must be paid by the owner.

In December, I asked that we invite the NLC Representative to provide a presentation to our commission to develop awareness of the earth program and its benefits presentation. As a city, we know many of our city pipes are well over 40 years old. This means many homes have aging pipes. In the State of Florida property owners are not aware that they must now have those pipes inspected and cleaned. I have great concern about the added cost burden this will have on our already struggling families. This program or another that can help offset these types of unexpected costs is the goal.

You can sign up for this program through ServLine.com. Through the partnership the fee is under ten dollars and will be added to your monthly water bill. Please, for more information, visit their site or call 1-866-974-4801.

As always, I am available anytime for your questions, concerns, and ideas to make our city a better place at phone/text 954-632-5700 or you can email me at jcooper@cohb.org. Please visit me on my Facebook page at Mayor Joy Cooper. Like, follow, and share.