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Islanders, can you believe it's already August? Not only does that mean Dine Out Fort Lauderdale is back, but the late summer theater scene is back in swing. This week, it's opening night of "Thrill Me" at Island City Stage and "Oleanna" at Empire City Stage. Get your tickets while you can!
Also check out our reporting on the latest housing numbers that impact Wilton Manors -- and how we deserve better.
-- Christiana Lilly, Editor |
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Wilton Manors Affordable Housing Crisis Put In Focus
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Broward County’s affordable housing crisis has been years in the making, and solving it may take even longer. During their meeting on July 25, Wilton Manors city commissioners were briefed on how dire the situation has become.
Ralph Stone, Broward’s Director of Housing Finance and Dr. Ned Murray of FIU, laid out the Broward County Affordable Housing Master Plan Update. When it was first published, last autumn, the median sale price of a home was $565,000 (it has since jumped above $600,000), making homeownership unaffordable for 92% of county residents. The news is no better for renters. Broward is last in Florida for available affordable rental units, with only 25 for each 100 families.
In a county of about two million people and many municipalities, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution.
Even in a city as small as Wilton Manors, it will take a multi-prong approach.
The report shows the city needs about 1800 affordable housing units. That’s a tough ask for a city of only about 12,000 people. Stone acknowledged the number seems overwhelming and suggested breaking it down into increments. If the city builds 90 affordable units a year for 10 years, that’s 900 units and a halfway mark.
“In the case of Wilton Manors, we’ve set for hours with [city staff] talking through the problem from a Wilton perspective,” Stone said. “It is a multipronged approach. There’s probably a menu of two dozen items that can bring something to the table.”
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Brandon Wolf: The Florida I Moved to is Not the Florida of Today
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A conversation with Brandon Wolf was led by Robert Kesten, the executive director of Stonewall, and the two discussed elements of Wolf's new book and the changing tide in Florida.
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Over $10M in HIV/AIDS Funding at Risk in South Florida
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A proposed budget cuts over $500 million from the CDC and Health Resource and Services Association HIV/AIDS programs.
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Local Activist Terry Dyer Joins CAN Community Health
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Terry Dyer doesn’t sit still for long. The community activist has joined CAN Community Health as their new Director of Donor Development. CAN and Dyer made the announcement last week.
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TODAY: Dine Out Fort Lauderdale The annual foodie event is back! Dine Out Fort Lauderdale offers dining specials throughout Broward County at participating restaurants through the end of the month.
WED: Pam Ann -- Going Down Comedian Pam Ann will have you rolling in the aisles at Hunters with her latest airline news, gossip and hot topics.
THURS: Pride Skate Night Lace up your skates, it's Pride Skate Night at Xtreme Action Park! Hit the rink for music, dancing, drinks, and performances by Velvet Lenore and Rianna Petrone.
FRI: "Oleanna" In this new play at Empire Stage, a college students goes to her professor for extra help -- and a power struggle ensues and leads to a sexual harassment accusation.
SAT: "Thrill Me" "Thrill Me" at Island City Stage takes you back to 1924 with characters Richard and Nathan as they attempt to commit the perfect murder.
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Shift Leader -- Wilton Manors
Time to make the donuts! Dunkin' in Wilton Manors is hiring a shift leader to be a part of the restaurant's management team.
Certified Nursing Assistant -- Wilton Manors
The Pearl at Fort Lauderdale Rehabilitation and Nursing Center is in need of a certified nursing assistant to help residents with bathing, feeding, dressing and other daily living needs, as well as servng food trays, making beds, and other tasks. |
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Wilton Drive was converted into Main Street on July 28 with the Little Mermen performing Disney favorites. (Photos by JR Davis)
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Hunter Stephens is a former federal employee who moved to Wilton Manors in 2019 from Washington, D.C. He is the most recent honoree of the Skip Stadnik Community Spirits Awards which is an annual notable volunteer recognition put on by the city.
Stephens developed the “In Plain Sight” map, which is a map that shows art around the city. The physical copy of the map can be found in different locations in Wilton Manors or online.
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He is the vice president of Wilton Art which creates public art installations. One of their projects was adding interesting sayings to road signs.
He is also president of the West Side Association of Wilton Manors which advocates for Westside residents. He is married and has been with his husband Mark McKenzie for over 25 years. They have a miniature poodle.
In his free time, Stephens enjoys photography, traveling, cycling, and tennis. He is a member of the Dolphin Democrats.
Who should we profile next? Is it you? Send your neighbor nominations to islanderwm@gmail.com. |
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Our mailing address is: The Islander | 2520 N. Dixie Highway | Wilton Manors, FL 33305
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