FILLING IN THE INFORMATION GAP!
WELCOME!
Suzee Bailey
Founder
Residents for Resilience
Is it safe to drink the water?
Is it safe to enjoy our waterways?
Will stormwater flood my home again?
These are the questions I hear every day from concerned
residents across South Florida.
At Residents for Resilience (R4R), we’re working to
answer them—by connecting our community with clear,
science-based information and real, nature-based solutions.
We focus on four critical water issues:
💧 Safe, clean drinking water
🌊 Flood mitigation and stormwater management
🌴 Storm resiliency and coastal protection
🐚 Waterway and marine ecosystem restoration
Our mission is simple:
to fill the information gap between experts, decision-makers, and the public—through education, communication, advocacy, and collaboration.
Because it’s hard to care about what you don’t know about.
We bring experts to the table, foster informed conversations,
and help communities better understand both the challenges—and the solutions.
Together, we can build a more resilient South Florida.
Stay informed • Stay connected • Stay resilient
TO RECEIVE OUR FREE NEWSLETTERS
AND INVITES TO SPECIAL RESILIENCY MEETINGS AND EVENTS!
Don’t forget to like us on
Facebook, X, Nextdoor and LinkedIn In
as we share even more informative articles on important water issues!
We can't do what we do with out your support!
"IT’S HARD TO CARE ABOUT WHAT YOU DON’T KNOW ABOUT!"
Suzee Bailey
Founder & CEO, Residents for Resilience (R4R)
Event Hosts & Moderator
Facilitating a post-film discussion and audience Q&A focused on resilience, flood mitigation, and solutions for South Florida's future.
Catie Muñoz
Director of Daily News & Original Live Programming, WLRN
MEET OUR GUEST PANEL
Following the screening, join our expert panel and audience Q&A focused on flood mitigation, resilience planning, climate adaptation, and practical solutions for South Florida communities.
Stefan Perritano
Stefan Perritano leads Broward County’s Rapid Alert and Information Network (RAIN), an innovative flood warning system that provides real-time monitoring and alerts for roadway flooding conditions. His work focuses on applying innovative technology to improve water management and climate resilience across the county.
Previously, Stefan worked for the City of Fort Lauderdale, where he was the project manager for the city’s vulnerability assessment and supported stormwater asset management initiatives. He also worked for the University of Miami Health System, where he worked on hazmat compliance and drone operations.
He holds advanced degrees in hydrogeology and GIS from Auburn University.
Mark Hagerty
Mark Hagerty is a 40-year veteran of the construction industry specializing in floodplain management since 1993. Mark was among the first in Florida to obtain the Certified Floodplain Managers (CFM) certification in 2001. His floodplain management career began with the City of North Miami where he was an integral part of the floodplain program until his retirement in 2013.
Mark is currently the Floodplain Manager, Floodplain Administrator, and Community Rating System (CRS) Coordinator for the City of Fort Lauderdale.
Mark has been an active member of the Florida Floodplain Managers Association (FFMA) since its inception in 2001. As an FFMA Regional Director, a position he held for 6 years, Mark hosted numerous FEMA and FFMA training courses. He has been a proctor for the CFM exam since 2017. Currently, Mark is the current Chair of the FFMA.
Frank Balsamo
Garrison Flood Control Systems, LLC. is led by Vice President of Sales Frank Balsamo, an industry veteran with over 25 years of experience in business development, sales leadership, and market expansion within industrial and custom-engineered sectors.
His professional expertise merges executive-level manufacturing and product development leadership with a dedicated focus on customer-centric solution selling.
Before joining the team at Garrison, Frank served as Director of Sales & Marketing at Pelican Wire for a decade, where he managed product development engineering, marketing, and sales teams to achieve operational excellence and consistent growth.
A graduate of Florida Atlantic University with a Bachelor of Science in Ocean Engineering, Frank applies a results-driven and technical approach to water management, flood mitigation, and resilient solutions.
FLOOD RELIEF GRANT FUNDS UPDATE - APPLICATIONS
NOW OPEN!
The City of Fort Lauderdale’s online application portal for Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) housing assistance programs will open on Wednesday, May 27, 2026. These programs are designed to support residents impacted by the April 2023 flood event and
may include assistance for:
-
Home rehabilitation and reconstruction •
-
Elevation of homes •
-
Reimbursement for eligible flood-related expenses •
-
Other recovery and mitigation activities
Residents can apply online at: Fort Lauderdale Application Intake - Smartsheet.com Residents who need assistance with the application
process can call - 954-495-4533
for support.
To help residents better understand available programs, eligibility requirements and the application process, the City has also scheduled additional community educational meetings. Community Educational Meetings:
Thursday, May 28, 2026 6 p.m. Sanctuary Church –
Banquet Hall 2501 NE 30th St. Fort Lauderdale, FL 33306
Monday, June 1, 2026 6 p.m. South Side Cultural Arts Center
701 S Andrews Ave. Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316
Residents who are unable to attend in person will also be able to view recordings of the educational meetings on the City of Fort Lauderdale’s YouTube channel. Additional educational meetings are currently being planned. Information on future meetings will be shared as soon as it becomes available.
Additional information, updates and application resources are available on the City’s dedicated CDBG-DR webpage: https://ftlcity.info/CDBG-DR We encourage residents impacted by the April 2023 flood event to learn more about the available programs and apply if eligible.
Learn More - https://www.fortlauderdale.gov/Home/Components/News/News/8425/16?widgetId=41
2023 FLOOD DISASTER RELIEF FUNDS
CDBG-DR Funding Allocation -
Fort Lauderdale Flood April 2023
On December 21, 2024, the Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2025 (Public Law 118-158)(‘the 2025 Appropriations Act”) made available an allocation of $88,051,000 in Community Development Block Grant -Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funding to the City of Fort Lauderdale.
Action Plan
City of Fort Lauderdale has completed an Action Plan for Disaster Recovery. The Plan provides a high-level strategy for how the funding will be used to address eligible communities' long-term resiliency and mitigation needs. The Action Plan was developed with the input from County Departments and Divisions, local jurisdictions, advocacy groups and community partners, as well as citizens, to determine the remaining long-term resiliency needs and the most critical disaster mitigation needs.
Filling the Information Gap!
CLICK EACH PICTURE FOR DIRECT LINKS TO THOSE PAGES
 What If We Retrofitted Holiday Park to Hold Millions of Gallons of Stormwater? |  $88 Million Flood Relief Grant READ MORE |
|---|---|
 What YOU can do to mitigate flooding in your home and neighborhood. |  RETROFITTING PARKS FOR RESILIENCE |
 BAYSHORE PARK- a model of resiliency and sustainability |  🌿 WE WON (for now)— MANGROVES STAY! 🌿. READ MORE... |
 YOUR VOICE MATTERS! Sample Letter Provided CLICK HERE - |  Questions that may need to be asked regarding Artificial Turf - "Plastic Grass"! - READ MORE |
 Is it safe to drink the water? READ MORE |  Arkly Flood Map - Downtown Las Olas High Risk READ MORE |
 Mangroves vs. Warehouse! READ MORE |  Millions of Coral Will Be Affected! Port Everglades Expansion Project READ MORE |
 What is Compound Flooding? READ MORE |  Flood Insurance Discount - Community Rating System (CRS) READ MORE |
 MIAMI WATERKEEPER WATER QUALITY MONITORING RESULTS READ MORE |
| |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
|  |  |  |
 |  |  |  |
 |  |  |  |
 |  |  |  |
 |  |  |  |
 |  |  |  |
 |  |  |  |
 |  |  | |
 |
R4R IN ACTION!
Flood Mitigation & Stormwater Management
Helping fill in the information gap by sharing updated flood information, innovative stormwater
management approaches, homeowner preparedness guidance, CRS rating benefits, and available
relief or grant opportunities for flood-impacted residents.
Waterlogged Events
Bringing residents together with top specialists to better understand flooding and storm preparedness,
waterways remediation efforts, storm water management , and exploring innovative resilience solutions.
Mangroves and Coastal Protection
Supporting thoughtful decisions that recognize the flood protection, habitat value, and resilience benefits natural
mangrove systems provide.
Students for Resilience
Engaging and mentoring the next generation of environmental leaders through
education, innovation, and community service.
Artificial Turf & Public Health Awareness
Important questions that may need to be asked regarding the health and environmental concerns linked
to artificial turf (“plastic grass”), including excessive heat, microplastic shedding, vapor exposure, and long-term
impacts on both people and the environment.
Restaurants for Resilience
Recognizing and encouraging sustainable practices within the local business community.
Nature-Based Solutions
Promoting practical approaches such as living shorelines, mangroves, water filtration research,
biochar pilot studies and marine habitat restoration.
.
Coastal Projects & Marine Impacts
Addressing major coastal concerns including sand bypass activity, coral impacts near the port,
shoreline changes, and the broader marine and environmental questions linked to coastal construction and expansion.
 |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
 |  |  | |
 |  | |
Continuing Our Student Partnership
with Florida International University!
A sincere thank you to Florida International University for once again inviting Residents for Resilience (R4R) to partner through their Spring 2026 Writing About the Environment course — an exciting collaboration that continues connecting students with real-world environmental issues
shaping South Florida.
We are especially pleased to continue expanding our partnership with Dr. Marta Gierczyk, and Lucas, Luke Rodewald, and FIU’s Department of English and Community Partnerships program.
As part of this collaboration, we were invited to introduce students to the R4R mission and share our presentation on the four critical water issues that guide our work:
Safe, clean drinking water
Flood mitigation
Storm resiliency
Restoring the health of our priceless waterways
Students will now begin developing environmental storytelling projects tied to real-world environmental concerns, with R4R helping guide project development and connecting classroom
learning to meaningful community impact.
We are always encouraged by the thoughtful questions, ideas, and discussions that follow these presentations. Vice President Tricia Halliday also joined the discussion, helping contribute
to the thoughtful exchange that followed.
Our future looks brighter when students are encouraged to think critically about the environmental challenges facing South Florida and explore how communication, science, and collaboration
can help shape practical solutions.
R4R's Students for Resilience initiative continues to grow by engaging students through:
• mentorship
• project collaboration
• internships
• community engagement
• exposure to scientists, engineers, professors, and environmental professionals
These conversations matter — because informed communities are resilient communities,
and the next generation has an important role to play in shaping that future.
Thank you again to FIU for welcoming R4R into these important conversations!
|  | |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| |  |
Congratulations to Broward County
on another outstanding
Water Matters Day at Tree Tops Park —
A wonderful reminder of how much meaningful work is happening across our region
in support of water conservation, nature-based solutions, and long-term resilience.
A special thank you to Jennifer Jurado, Gregory Mount, and the Broward County’s resilience team for helping make this annual event such a success. It was encouraging to see so many municipalities, civic leaders, students, educators, and community partners come together around this year’s theme: “Reclaim Water, Regrow Nature.”
It was also wonderful to see Broward leaders including Commissioners Nan Rich, Beam Furr, Robert McKinzie, and Steve Geller present in support of this important event and the County’s continued focus on water conservation and nature-based resilience.
The event beautifully highlighted how green infrastructure — including rain gardens, wetlands, tree canopies, and Florida-friendly landscapes — can help mimic natural hydrology, reduce runoff, recharge groundwater, and improve water quality while strengthening community resilience.
It was especially meaningful to thank Commissioners Beam Furr and Nan Rich, for their strong support for nature. A Big THANK YOU goes out to all of the County Commissioners who unanimously voted 8–0 in favor of protecting the mangroves in the Dania Beach Mangrove vs Warehouse discussion!
I also appreciated the chance to share ideas with Alec Bogdanoff of Brizaga regarding possible collaborative efforts, and it was wonderful catching up with our friends from the Sierra Club and Hollywood Resiliency Team's Elaine Franklin who continue doing such important environmental work.
One of the most encouraging parts of the day was seeing students, teachers, and schools recognized for their outstanding work through Broward County’s infographic challenge and NatureScape awards — a reminder that our future looks brighter when young people are actively engaged in understanding and protecting our natural resources.
Events like this help reinforce an important truth: nature-based solutions are not optional extras — they are part of the long-term resilience strategy South Florida needs.
WHAT’S IN YOUR WATER?
I wanted to take a moment to sincerely thank Sasha Jones for the opportunity to be part of her NBC series on such an important topic—
drinking water safety. Her thoughtful questions and dedication to raising awareness are truly appreciated, and I'm honored to have
contributed to the discussion.
I'm also incredibly grateful for the wonderful shout-out she gave to Residents for Resilience (R4R). Her support means a lot to us, and it will certainly help amplify our mission to improve water safety and resilience in our communities.
I look forward to following her impactful work!
Watch segment below.
Let’s Work Together -
We welcome collaboration with residents, educators, scientists, civic leaders, students, and organizations who share a commitment to stronger, healthier, and more resilient communities.
Residents for Resilience, Inc.
1314 E. Las Olas Blvd. #727
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
E-Mail: info@residentsforresilience.org
