Public records obtained from Bal Harbour Village appear to show that a company owned by Coral Gables Commissioner Melissa Castro
According to the records first made public by the Aesop Coral Gables blog, of the 57 permits processed by Dr. Castro’s permit-expediting firm since she assumed office, 56 were for work tied to a single address: the Bal Harbour Shops property primarily owned by Whitman’s company, Whitman Family Development.
The timing and concentration of the work have drawn scrutiny after Castro introduced a Live Local resolution in Coral Gables — a policy proposal intended to make affluent cities more attractive to developers under Florida’s Live Local housing law. While the resolution failed in Coral Gables, critics allege that its introduction and subsequent actions could have dovetailed and potentially provided cover for Whitman’s efforts to advance his stalled Bal Harbour project
Days after the resolution was defeated, Whitman published an op-ed in the Miami Herald addressing affluent communities’ resistance to affordable housing, an article that some observers called “suspiciously well-timed,” given its publication shortly after the Coral Gables vote and its alignment with issues central to his development dispute in Bal Harbour.
Whitman’s proposed Bal Harbour Shops project is currently facing litigation with village officials over interpretations of the Live Local Act, a law designed to expedite housing projects that include affordable units. The development plan includes residential units, a hotel, and retail space, and would require a significant number of permits if approved.
According to residents in Coral Gables, the potential future volume tied to the Bal Harbour project could present a reputational issue for Commissioner Castro, particularly if she were to benefit financially should the development proceed. Those concerns center on the intersection of her public responsibilities and private business interests.
Efforts were made to contact Commissioner Castro for comment on the public records and related allegations, but she had not responded by the time of this publication.
