From David Volz
The City of Oakland Park has introduced its Qualified Census Tract (QCT) Business Incentive Program, a dynamic initiative designed to provide incentive funding for local businesses in order to increase private investment and spur the redevelopment of commercial properties in and adjacent to the QCT.
This program offers matching grants of up to $20,000 for property enhancements such as landscaping, signage, lighting, facade, and other exterior improvements — driving economic growth while boosting property values.
In November, the City Commission approved a grant for Oakland Park Plaza, LLC, the program’s first recipient. Located at 2300–2350 W. Oakland Park Boulevard, the plaza is undergoing an ambitious $547,055 transformation. It features a sleek, modernized facade, upgraded parking lot lighting, resurfacing, landscaping, and a fresh coat of paint. Grant funds will offset parking lot upgrades, scheduled for completion in early 2025.
Oakland Park is proud to share that three of the Broward County Public Schools, North Andrews Gardens Elementary, Oakland Park Elementary, and Rickards Middle School, have been recognized as 2025 Merit Schools of Distinction by Magnet Schools of America.
This national honor highlights their exceptional magnet programs and commitment to educational excellence. The official recognition will take place this April at the Magnet Schools of America Conference in Nashville, Tennessee. In addition to these outstanding school achievements, we celebrate the 2025 Career and Technical Education (CTE) Teacher of the Year recipients, including Rookie Teacher Kevin Hanson of Northeast High School and Sasha Azouth of Rickards Middle School.
