8 June, 2026 3 3 Comments

Carrying The Dream Forward

June 8, 2026 By 3 Comments

Award Winner Emmanuel “Dupree” Jackson.

When people remember Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., they often think about the dream.

 

But Dr. King was more than a dreamer. He was an organizer, a strategist, and a builder. He believed that lasting change happens when people are empowered to lead, serve, and lift up their communities.

 

That legacy lives on in Delray Beach through the work of my friend  Emanuel “Dupree” Jackson Jr. Recently, Dupree was honored by the National Education Association with the

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Award. The award is given to leaders who emulate Dr. King’s leadership and philosophy.

The recognition is a very big deal. A national award! I can’t imagine a more deserving honoree.

I’ve been watching Dupree for years now. He’s a special person and a special leader.

As founder of the Emanuel Jackson Sr. (EJS) Project, Dupree has dedicated his life to creating opportunities for young people. Named in honor of his late father, who instilled in him the values of education, service, and community, the organization has become one of the most impactful youth development programs in Palm Beach County and a national model.

 

The Carl Angus DeSantis Foundation is proud to support EJS because we believe in investing in people who are making a lasting difference in the communities they call home. Few people embody that mission more completely than Dupree.

 

For more than a decade, EJS has helped over 5,000 young people build brighter futures through academic support, mental health counseling, leadership development, workforce training, and paid internship opportunities. But the organization’s impact extends far beyond the services it provides.

 

EJS creates spaces where young people can have honest conversations about issues affecting their lives. Participants learn about history, current events, civic engagement, and the responsibilities that come with citizenship. They are encouraged not only to understand their communities, but to help shape them.

 

Through participation in City Commission meetings, engagement with the Delray Beach Police Department, and direct interaction with civic and business leaders, young people gain firsthand experience in leadership and public service. They learn that their voices matter and that they have the power to make a difference.

 

One of EJS’s signature initiatives, Purpose Pays, offers youth ages 14 to 18 compensated work experiences, and professional development opportunities. Participants earn income while learning teamwork, communication, initiative, project management, and workplace responsibility. The program reinforces a simple but powerful idea: opportunity creates confidence, and confidence creates leaders.

 

Anyone who knows Dupree knows his commitment goes well beyond programs and statistics. He organizes neighborhood beautification projects, sponsors after-school tutoring, and leads educational trips that expose young people to history and African American culture. For many participants, these experiences represent their first opportunity to travel beyond their immediate surroundings and see a larger world of possibilities.

 

More importantly, Dupree shows up.

 

He shows up for young people who need encouragement. He shows up for families looking for support. He shows up for a community that believes deeply in the potential of its next generation.

 

His personal motto—”Bout Dat Action”—is more than a slogan. It is a philosophy of service. It reflects a belief that meaningful change requires commitment, consistency, and a willingness to do the work every day.

 

That is why his recent recognition with the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Award feels so fitting.

 

Like Dr. King, Dupree understands that dreams matter. But he also understands that dreams become reality only when people are willing to roll up their sleeves and get to work.

 

For years, he has been doing exactly that—helping young people find their voices, discover their purpose, and realize their potential.

Delray Beach is better because of it.

Check out the EJS Project. It will give you hope for the future. https://ejsproject.org/

 

 

A Teachable Moment

I had an odd experience recently, that I thought I would share because the story contains some lessons that I think may be helpful.

I subscribe to a real estate blog that I usually find interesting. It includes a video summary that covers what’s happening in South Florida.

Recently, when it showed up in my inbox it had a provocative headline referencing an “old” Delray mayor embarking on a real estate project.

I thought, “Which of my predecessors is taking on a project in such a challenging environment—high interest rates, inflation, labor issues, and more?”

Then, I read the story, and I realized they were referring to me. Only they were using the name of a work colleague, who never served as mayor of Delray Beach.

Many things about the story were inaccurate, starting with the names.

As a former journalist, this kind of stuff nags at me. I don’t get mad, just annoyed.

Now the blogger is not a reporter, he’s a real estate broker. But still, come on folks. Two minutes of checking via Google would have cleared up a few very basic things.

I shrugged it off ( even the reference to being “old” rather than being referred to as a former mayor) but then I clicked on the video which implied that the misnamed old mayor used his political influence to get the project approved. There were a few snarky remarks, a bunch of innuendo and the impression that this is how it works—elected officials serve so they can monetize their office.

Well, I’d like to say that’s never true, but I can’t. However, it’s not true for every elected official. And it’s not true for me.

I don’t use my former position to get favors from city government. There are five elected officials in Delray, I know four of them, have never met one, have never talked to another, and the remaining three I don’t talk to unless they call me, which is rarely if ever. I am friends with Commissioner Judy Mollica. Our friendship predates any thought of her running for office.

In addition, I barely know anyone who works at City Hall these days. The folks I worked with are long gone.

It’s nothing personal. I’m at a different place in life. I wish them all well. Go forth and build a better Delray. It’s someone else’s turn now and has been since 2007 when I was termed out.

Don’t ask me about parking. Don’t ask me about beach renourishment. Don’t ask me about the Coco Market.  I am no longer current. And when it comes to development, I have one piece of advice: follow the rules.

I sent an email to the blogger/real estate guy clarifying the facts. A few hours later I got a response from his “content manager” assuring me the blog was corrected and it was. The content person also said that associated materials were also corrected. But the video is still floating around, which isn’t cool.

I bring this up because I think it’s what they call a teachable moment.

We miss local journalism, done well by people trained in how to obtain and verify facts. I am not saying that the press is perfect, they’re not. They make mistakes, there are biases (reporters are human) but there used to be curation and fact checking. I miss that.

I listen to a podcast called Top of Mind Florida which is co-hosted by former Channel 5 anchor Michael Williams and long time Palm Beach Post political writer Brian Crowley. It’s on all the usual platforms and I highly recommend you check it out. What makes it stand out  is the perspective these two veteran journalists bring to the subjects they cover. They know Palm Beach County, they know Florida, they know about life and it shows in the questions they ask and the context they bring to the podcast.

Journalism is the only profession named in our Constitution and it’s at risk. Democracy really does die in the darkness.

Now, I am not saying that a real estate blog that made a mistake is a threat to Democracy. But I am saying that facts matter.

On a recent visit to Chicago, my colleagues and I sat down with the president of the legendary MacArthur Foundation in his incredible office in the famed Marquette building.

John Palphrey is an impressive person. A great grandson of Teddy Roosevelt. A man who has taught at Harvard, written books, ran an elite educational institution and now is making a big mark in philanthropy around the world.

I asked Mr. Palphrey where his foundation’s investments made the most impact. His answer surprised me.

“Local journalism” he said without hesitation. He saw an immediate impact via investment in supporting local news.

It was an interesting answer. And one that surprised me.

I’ve been thinking a lot about what he said that day. I heard a similar sentiment during a recent visit with the head of the Arthur Vining Davis Foundation.

On another note, there’s a business lesson in how you handle mistakes, which do happen. You own them and you correct them, personally. I wrote to the real estate blogger. I got a kind response from the content manager. That’s a missed opportunity.

When I screw up, which I do from time to time, I try to take responsibility, learn from my mistakes and personally apologize. I don’t outsource that part of my life.

Often, in life and business, it’s not the mistake that matters, it’s how you handle it.

 

24 February, 2025 5 5 Comments

Housing: The Impossible Dream?

February 24, 2025 By 5 Comments

The high cost of housing has created a waiting game for many Americans.

I read a stunning statistic last week.

The median age of first-time homebuyers is 38.

Considering that the average lifespan in America is 77, that means that Americans are middle aged before they purchase their first home. Or looked at another way, first-time buyers are out of high school 20 years and only 24 years away from the earliest age they can receive Social Security benefits when they purchase their starter home.

Yikes.

As soon as you acquire a home (and a list of honey do projects that go along with it) you also acquire a sore back, creaky knees and a desire to nap because you’re pushing 40.

In 1991, the median age of first-time homebuyers was 28. As a twenty something in the early 90s, That sounds about right. I remember that era as a time when most people of my generation were settling down and buying “starter homes.”

Our first townhouse in Delray cost $69,000 with all the upgrades included. It was brand new, affordable; the neighborhood was cute, and it came with a pool and a tennis court.  Not too shabby.

The townhouse itself was modest, we had a small courtyard, a tiny home office and room (barely) for a golden retriever. I remember being thrilled to be an “owner” and felt connected to my community.

Not that renters aren’t important or connected, but there’s something intrinsically different about homeownership. You feel a part of things. Your vested; and invested too.

Back in those affordable days, things overall felt different. There was a palpable sense of community back then, South Florida felt like a new frontier with limitless possibilities. It was affordable and on the move.

But these days it feels like we live in a very different landscape. And I think a lot of it is driven by home prices and the cost of living overall. When you factor in insurance, taxes and everything else it takes to make it these days you scratch your head and wonder: how does anybody afford this? And how are young people supposed to get started?

For example, recently I had lunch with two retired fire chiefs.

They were telling me that they are seeing firefighters living hours away from the cities they serve because they can’t afford to live anywhere in our community.

Work schedules enable these men and women to live in far flung places and make the long drive back home after working 2-day shifts in which they sleep at the fire station.

I recently spoke to a retired Delray police officer who now consults on public safety and emergency preparedness nationwide. He says he knows of firefighters in California who fly home to another state in private prop planes after clocking out to find more affordable housing.

All of this is perfectly understandable. And the trend is not limited to firefighters. Police officers, city managers, department heads and other civil servants, including teachers and nurses are finding it hard or impossible to find attainable housing—and that includes affordable rents.

If you didn’t have a home before the rise in prices, this is a hard market to crack.

I ask people that I know—some very wealthy—if they could afford to buy the home they currently live in if they had to buy it today. To a person, all have said no.

So ,what do we lose when essential workers, public servants and public safety workers can’t afford to live where they work?

I would argue a whole lot. Instead of long-term contributors we may end up with people who clock out emotionally as soon as they are off the clock. Of course, this is not universal. I know plenty of people who don’t live here who care more for this place than those who do. But it’s human nature to give back to the place where you rest your head at night. It would also be natural to quit your job in Palm Beach County if you can find something closer to your home in Palm Bay or Port St. Lucie.

But if your workforce lives locally, they often serve that community and care about that community in myriad ways. They may coach youth sports, they may serve on their homeowner’s association board, or volunteer for a local nonprofit. They get involved in schools because their kids are being educated where they live, not where they work.

I think the holy grail for a city is to create a place that people love. If you fall in love with your city, you commit to that place, you invest your time, charitable dollars and soul in that city’s success. It becomes more than just a place where you work and leave for that long drive home, it becomes home.

I was fortunate to serve with a team of city department heads and staff that lived, worked and played in Delray. Because they lived here or nearby, their hearts were here too. They were long-term players who devoted their careers to this place.

I remember being a young reporter and covering Mayor Tom Lynch and the commission he led. Last week, I ran into former Mayor Jay Alperin and former Vice Mayor David Randolph at a charity event, and I started to think about those days again. It was the early 90s and one of the bedrock principles of that particular commission was to encourage home ownership. They formed a Neighborhood Task Team to dive into issues impacting neighborhoods. They talked about code enforcement, trash clean-up, lighting, landscaping and public safety. It was all aimed at stabilizing neighborhoods and encouraging people to come here and put down roots.

It was a sound strategy. And it worked. But today, it’s harder because the barrier to entry is daunting.

Clearly market forces and societal changes are playing a role in delaying the age at which people buy their first homes. People are getting married later and birth rates are declining too.

Another factor is that older homeowners with lots of equity or even a paid-off primary residence are a little less sensitive to the recent mortgage rate increases. Or they can’t afford to move because if they do so, their taxes will triple even with portability thanks to Florida tax laws.

But regardless, I think what we’re seeing is sobering and needs to be studied. As noted in a prior column, our area is changing rapidly. Major players with vast resources see our slice of paradise as an opportunity for more commerce, more luxury, more everything.

It’s exciting. “Change” my friends, is inevitable. It is not something to lament, but it is something to shape.

Hopefully, as we rapidly evolve, leaders will consider the price of housing, both to own and to rent as they shape the future. Because if we don’t find a place for our teachers, cops, service workers and young professionals we lose a lot. We lose the soul of our communities, the people who make a place, a home.

 

Notes:

Congratulations to Community Greening’s Executive Director and Co-Founder Mark Cassini who recently won the 2024 “Friends of the Urban Forest Award” for being an  “Outstanding Advocate”.

This recognition was highly deserved as Mark is indeed a champion of urban forestry and his organization does outstanding work in so many communities.

It has been a joy to watch Community Greening grow and thrive.

17 December, 2018 0 Comments

Sometimes Life’s A Whirlwind

December 17, 2018 By Leave a Comment

Do you ever feel caught in a vortex over a whirlwind?

Did you ever have one of those weeks?

You know the type, just a whirlwind of activity, commitments, travel, deadlines and pressure mixed with a few surprises that make you scratch your head and say “why does this have to happen this week of all weeks, I’m so busy!”

 

Mix in the holidays with its mix of fun and stress and you have a recipe for exhaustion.

I know you can relate. We’ve all been there.

So I wanted to post about this amazing breakfast I attended last week at the gorgeous and historic Colony Hotel in Palm Beach. The breakfast was sponsored by the Business Development Board of Palm Beach County, an organization that I admire and one that I’ve been on the board of a few times over the years. The BDB—as it is widely known—is Palm Beach County’s economic development organization responsible for recruiting, retaining and growing business in our beautiful community.

Their “Upper Level Breakfast” attracts about 150 CEOS and senior level business leaders so the audience is time pressed, smart and the kind of people who make things happen. At this particular breakfast, they welcomed Palm Beach County’s newest relocation, Mueller Industries, a $2.3 billion a year company with 4,500 employees that does business all over the globe. Pretty cool. And I got to sit at the same table with their top local exec which was also pretty cool.

The focus of the breakfast program were three significant—I would argue potentially transformational real estate projects—two of which happen to be under way in Delray Beach with the third in Boynton Beach. Those projects are iPic, Town Square in Boynton Beach and the redevelopment of the former Office Depot site on Congress Avenue. Since my company is involved in the Office Depot project I was asked to speak.

Now, I’d like to tell you more about those other projects and I will. In another blog post, hopefully this week.

But truth be told, last week was such a blur that I couldn’t tell you much. It was my goal to simply get through it—and I did. But my recall of the details is less than stellar.

So here’s how it played out.

We had a major hearing on the Office Depot project on Tuesday and a lot of pressure because of timing etc. So we have been consumed with a slew of details and questions.

Now I know there are people who can’t stand developers and this is not a call for sympathy, but trust me when I say that the field is not for the faint of heart or those who can’t handle endless curveballs and hundreds and hundreds of details that if missed can sink the project and take a huge bite out of your check book.

Since I am not a developer but work for a company that invests in real estate (and many, many other things) a lot of this is new to me and it’s like drinking from a fire hose of complexity on issues ranging from the law and sewage (not the same thing despite rumors to the contrary) to design and engineering.

I thought I knew a lot—and I do—for a layman. But there is no substitute for sticks and bricks experience and so I’ve surrounded myself with people who have been there, done that and know enough not to make the same mistakes— although there is always the chance to make new ones.

But I digress.

We got through the hearing with a nice vote of support from our City Commission and an ongoing pledge to work with the community. But it was late at night and I found it hard to sleep.

The next day I was up at 4 a.m. to catch a flight to Asheville, where we have invested in a really cool start-up. We wanted to meet the team, assess progress and talk about future needs. It was a great day, but also a long one since I had to fly back the same day in order to get up early again and drive to Palm Beach for the breakfast.

I was honored to speak because I respect the BDB and it was a good opportunity to access a slew of top business leaders and put our site on their radar. You never know when the next Mueller Industries may want to come to our beautiful city and we have a very special site.

But even after more than 20 years of public speaking I still get nervous before each and every speech I give. You’d think I’d be able to draw on experience or draw inspiration from past talks that went OK but I still sweat it… every… single…time.

Adding to my stress for this particular speech was my lack of sleep, my lack of preparation (because I’ve been running around) and my inability to connect with Tim Tracy, my BDB contact who was the keeper of the format, timing etc. Tim tried. I tried. We just couldn’t get each other on the phone. Ugh.

When Tim learned I was in Asheville the day before, he freaked out a little and was sending texts early on the morning of the breakfast to make sure I got back to Palm Beach County.

Of course I did and I made sure to be at the breakfast at 7 a.m. 30 minutes before the start so I could exhale and work on my prepared remarks which I inexplicably discarded when I got up to speak.

I’m not sure what I said…but it seemed to go OK. There was applause (a few laughs, I hope it was laughing with me not at me) and I met a lot of nice people after the program who expressed interest in our project. The other guys did great too….I just wish I could remember what they said. I was just relieved it was over.

I treated myself to a leisurely ride back to the office along A1A. I caught up on calls and soaked up the coastal scenery.

The rest of the day was a blur of meetings and emails and day dreams of my couch and hanging with my dogs—Randy and Teddy. But I was reminded by my wife that we had a party to go to that night at the Delray Hideaway, a neat little bar on East Atlantic.

Ugh…

Now, I like parties and I like people. And I really like the host of the party the amazing Delray Beach Community Land Trust and the incredible people who make that organization so cool.

But for one night only, I liked my couch more.

When my wife got a screw in her tire and texted me from XpertTech I replied that I was sorry and I guess we couldn’t go to the party. “Nice try” was the response from a woman who is always supportive, tolerant and sympathetic to my emotions. We were going.

And so we went and had a great time.

I’d like to tell you more about the Land Trust and someday I will. Just as  soon as I recover.

 

 

8 February, 2016 0 Comments

On Doc’s, Real Estate & The Importance of Libraries

February 8, 2016 By Leave a Comment

Doc'sRandom thoughts on Disparate Subjects…

Real estate prices in Delray Beach and Boca Raton can be mind boggling.
We’ve all seen the headlines regarding Doc’s, the Sundy House, the Green Owl and Huber’s Drugs.
Big prices. Huge bets being made by deep pocketed people.
These are iconic properties and as such important.
Change is also important and inevitable but it’s also critical that a city hold onto to its history, it’s look and it’s feel.
While I cannot begrudge property owners for selling their land for big prices I think there are two concerns that cities can address–they’re not easy challenges and the solutions are imperfect but worth considering.

Those concerns are affordability and  design.
Maintaining affordability in a sizzling market is not easy–market forces are strong and difficult to buck. But there are some strategies cities can deploy to ensure that mom and pop merchants can remain viable.
On the residential front tools such as density bonuses can be used to ensure at least some affordability.
Delray has also done yeoman’s work by creating and supporting a very effective Community Land Trust in which a non-profit entity buys land, develops property and places the land in a trust to ensure affordability in perpetuity. Homeowners own the homes but the land remains in the trust and increases in values are capped.
One wonders whether a similar approach can be taken to commercial property–an expensive proposition no doubt but it might be something to explore for culturally important properties.
Other tools include historic designations which would not cap appreciation of values but would control what can happen to a property if it is bought and redeveloped. If properties are not already designated historic, property owners often balk at seeking the designation because it hinders development. This is not a phenomenon limited to developers, we’ve seen single family neighborhoods rebel when the historic word is used.
I always felt CRA’s could be used to strategically acquire properties so that the city can control their disposition.
While there are some constraints and limitations (including the Sunshine law which makes it hard for CRA’s to move on land discreetly) there’s no doubt that CRA’s can and have bought important properties enabling cities to shape the future look, feel and use of land and districts.
I think an opportunity was missed to purchase the warehouses in the Artist’s Alley neighborhood. If the CRA had grabbed that strategic real estate to go along with their wise purchase of the Arts Warehouse there’s no doubt we could have had a sustainable arts district–our version of Wynwood which could have been placed in a trust and managed by another entity.
Instead, the battle between community desires and market forces will persist and we all know the win loss record on that front isn’t good. Delray’s track record is actually better than most cities in this regard as a result of visioning efforts and CRA investments. When you own properties you can control their destiny. The City Commission would be wise to tighten their relationship with the CRA, get on the same page and work together on these types of initiatives.
The other tools available to cities worried about gentrification are to develop design guidelines to stop or mitigate generic architecture and to encourage the development of other shopping districts so that as areas heat up, independents have a place to go.
Delray’s brave decision to narrow Federal Highway has converted that stretch from a highway to a neighborhood street opening up commercial possibilities. South of the avenue and other nooks and crannies may also offer opportunities now that Atlantic Avenue and Pineapple Grove’s prices have soared. Of course, with prices exceeding $1 million on acre on US 1 it won’t be easy.

Libraries are cool
We had an opportunity to attend the 10th annual Laughs With the Library event at the Marriott featuring the terrific Bobby Collins.
If you haven’t seen Bobby perform, put it on your bucket list. He’s a comedian’s comedian.
A large crowd turned out to support our library. That was heartening to see.
Lots of rumors are swirling around the library including making it a city department. That would be a mistake.
The Delray Library has a rich history and it’s location is ideal to serve the community. It also happens to be a beautiful place.
Is there a place for a library in the 21st Century? Yes, as a community hub, intellectual center, lifelong learning facility and a place for children and families to develop and indulge a love of books and reading. That’ll never go out of style.

Real estate buzz at Lynn

A few weeks ago, Lynn University President Kevin Ross convened a round table to discuss the creation of a real estate program at Lynn.
I was privileged to attend the small gathering and encouraged to start spreading the word. So I will. Gladly.
I’m a huge Lynn fan and a big admirer of Dr. Ross who is entrepreneurial and innovative. He’s a leader. And I like leaders.
The idea is not fully hatched yet but there’s a resolve and a commitment to create a boot camp program to teach skills to those passionate about real estate.
Executives from GL Homes, Kayne Anderson, Avison Young are at the table and there is a huge need to train people in all aspects of the profession.
Since growth and development are always at the top of the list in Boca and Delray it’s important to train a new generation in skills ranging from design, transaction, land use, resiliency, environmental sustainability, urban planning and more.
There’s also a screaming need to elevate the dialogue around these issues. Here’s predicting that Lynn will lead the way.

8 October, 2013 0 Comments

Some Points To Ponder for Boca/Delray

October 8, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Well, here goes…..

If you had to name the geographic location of “downtown” Boca Raton, where would it be?
1. Mizner Park
2. Royal Palm Plaza
3. Palmetto & Federal
4. Other?
What would happen if you gathered a few 12 year olds, brought them to a basketball court and rolled out a ball? Maybe nothing. It just appears that today’s youths are so accustomed to organized sports with time clocks, statistics, uniforms, and officials that they have lost the real value of just playing in a park. Remember when we used to call our own fouls and balls and strikes, chose up our own teams, and played till we lost. Think about it. It was a real-life lesson. Just a thought.
Here we go. Entering prime time of Hurricane Season. How many have actually rolled out their generators and fired them up? I know one person who hasn’t.
Ever want just a regular slice of pizza? Stop by Tomasso’s on Palmetto Park Road, just east of I-95. Nothing fancy, just a good slice. This is what we call a pizza “joint.” A bit of a departure from the gourmet pizza, stone fired, etc. Speaking of pizza, isn’t there something wrong with putting pineapples on a pie?
Some things we take for granted here in Florida:
1. The most picturesque highway is the one leading down to Key West
2. Florida sunsets
3. The clouds. A friend once said that “Florida clouds are our landscape.”
4. South Florida is really becoming home. We’ve stopped asking – “Where are you from?”