Monday, March 8, 2021

• The US has 12.3 million women-owned businesses.
• US women-owned businesses generate $1.8 trillion a year.
• 40% of US businesses are women-owned.
• Women start an average of 1,821 net new businesses every day. 
• 64% of new women-owned businesses were started by women of color last year. 
• Latina women-owned businesses grew more than 87%.
• There are 114% more women entrepreneurs than there were 20 years ago. 
• 62% of women entrepreneurs cite their business as their primary source of income. 
• Private tech companies led by women achieve 35% higher ROI.
• Women-founded companies in First Round Capital’s portfolio outperformed companies founded by men by 63%.
• Just 25% of women business owners seek business financing.
• Women-owned businesses added half a million jobs between 1997 and 2007.
• 57.4% of the SBA Microloan program’s loan went to women-owned or women-led businesses.

Due to the anticipated increase in visitors to Hollywood Beach and pedestrian traffic on the Hollywood Beach Broadwalk during the Spring Break season, the City of Hollywood has modified the Temporary Café Zone. Effective immediately, the distance between the Café Zone area for tables, chairs, etc. and the bike lane will increase to TEN FEET.

We appreciate your cooperation and compliance with these safety measures to protect visitors to the Hollywood Beach Broadwalk and patrons of Hollywood Beach businesses.

In an effort to assist Hollywood businesses heavily impacted by COVID-19 safety measures, the City of Hollywood designated a Temporary Café Zone along the Hollywood Beach Broadwalk. This Temporary Café Zone provides businesses, that comply with all program requirements, the opportunity to expand their dining areas onto the Broadwalk to allow for additional seating while keeping 6 feet between parties. The Hollywood Beach Broadwalk Temporary Café Zone operates from Thursdays at 2:00 p.m. to Sundays at 11:00 p.m.

Attention Florida General Contractors

The City of Hollywood Department of Development Services, Community Development Division intends to create a qualified pool of State of Florida General Contractors to provide construction services in conjunction with:

• The City’s Housing Rehabilitation Program

• The Voluntary Demolition/Replacement Program

• Demolition and Clearance of City-owned property

• The Acquisition/Rehabilitation program

• New Construction of Single-Family Homes

The term of the agreement shall be for a period of two (2) years beginning upon date of award or expiration of current agreement, whichever is later. The City may renew the agreement for two (2) additional two (2) year periods subject to vendor acceptance, satisfactory performance, and the determination that the renewal will be in the best interest of the City. The proposer must meet or exceed the following minimum requirement:

1. Possess a valid Florida General Contractor’s License and maintain proper licensing throughout the course of the program.

2. Have been in business under the present company name for a minimum of three (3) years and shall not have been declared in default on any construction contract within that time.

3. Completed at least ten (10) housing rehabilitation projects in the last five (5) years.

To review this Request for Qualifications (RFQ) in its entirety, and to submit a proposal via BidSync, please visit the City’s website. The General Contractors for Housing Programs RFQ-4657-21-RL issue date is March 1, 2021 and all proposals are due by March 23, 2021.

Notwithstanding the imposition of a Cone of Silence, a potential vendor seeking additional information may contact Robert Lowery, Procurement Services Division at rlowery@hollywoodfl.org or by calling 954.921.3552. Potential vendors may also contact Steve Stewart, Assistant Director, Finance Services for Procurement Services at 954.921.3290.

Inquiries may also be submitted in writing by mail to the City of Hollywood, Procurement Services Division, Room 303, P.O. Box 229045, Hollywood, Florida 33022-9045. Such contact is to be for clarification purposes only.

PPP Update: Exclusive Application Window For Smallest Businesses Ends Tomorrow, March 9th

The Small Business Administration (SBA) has established a 14-day, exclusive Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan application period for businesses and nonprofits with fewer than 20 employees that ends tomorrow, March 9, 2021 at 5:00 p.m. ET. Additionally, the SBA will:

• Allow sole proprietors, independent contractors, and self-employed individuals to receive more financial support by revising the PPP’s funding formula for these categories of applicants;

• Eliminate an exclusionary restriction on PPP access for small business owners with prior non-financial fraud felony convictions, consistent with a bipartisan congressional proposal;

• Eliminate PPP access restrictions on small business owners who have struggled to make federal student loan payments by eliminating federal student loan debt delinquency and default as disqualifiers to participating in the PPP; and

• Ensure access for non-citizen small business owners who are lawfully residing in the U.S. by clarifying that they may use an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) to apply for the PPP.

Borrowers can apply for the Paycheck Protection Program by downloading the First Draw PPP loan application or Second Draw PPP loan application and working with a participating PPP lender through the SBA Lender Match tool.

IGNITING YOUR BUSINESS:
FREE 4-PART ONLINE SERIES

Identify and prioritize the steps to take now to restart or revamp your business as the economy restarts. Join Broward SCORE every Thursday in March at 6:00 p.m. for their free virtual workshop series "Igniting Your Business." Registration is required.

Thursdays in March • 6:00 p.m.
Click here to register for this free online series.

City of Hollywood Adds 3D Interactive Zoning Map and Additional Tools to Optimize User Experience
 
Virtual Demonstration:
Tuesday, March 23 at 10:00 a.m.

The City has launched the Gridics 3D zoning map, text and property data platform. This new online tool brings simplicity, transparency and efficiency for City planners, residents, developers and those trying to research the City’s zoning code and development regulations. All are invited to join the virtual demonstration on Tuesday, March 23rd at 10:00 a.m. Gridics team members will demonstrate the use of each tool and will answer questions from meeting participants. The public may join in the following ways:

Join via Computer: https://cohfl.webex.com/cohfl/onstage/g.php...
Meeting ID: 132 986 5655
Meeting Password: 0000
Listen via Telephone: 408.418.9388

The new Gridics tool helps in three ways:

1. A 3D interactive map with zoning code allows users to visualize the buildable capacity of every parcel in the City as allowed by zoning. The interactive map combines a wide range of data layers for a more complete understanding of the parcel. The tool also enables publishing code text changes in real-time.

2. The online property lookup tool delivers deep, parcel-specific zoning data to help users get the answers they need.

3. The City’s Code of Ordinances and Zoning and Land Development Code have been digitized into an easily searchable tool.

The Gridics platform aims to make it easier for residents, investors and developers to do business and interact with the City and get the information they need as efficiently as possible. “These new tools developed by Gridics allow Hollywood users to easily and quickly see the City landscape and the options available to them for building and development,” says Raelin Storey, City of Hollywood Director of Communications, Marketing and Economic Development. “The technology is very powerful and provides a quick view and searchable, integrated options for a fast and easy user experience,” says Shiv Newaldass, Director of Development Services for the City of Hollywood. “We’re are extremely excited to be able to offer these tools to our customers.” The City's Code of Ordinances and Zoning and Land Development Code have also been converted into an easily searchable tool for customers’ ease of use.

Click here for more information and to begin using the suite of tools.

#LETSGOBIKING Virtual Challenge
March 1 to March 31, 2021
Cost: Free
REGISTER HERE

Additional COVID-19 Resources For Hollywood Businesses Are Available Here