West Palm Beach residents are demanding greater transparency and community representation on the city’s Downtown Development Authority board, raising pointed questions about whether ties to prominent development firm Related Ross could compromise the integrity of decisions shaping the future of downtown.
The concerns surfaced publicly during a recent city commission meeting, where residents lined up at City Hall to challenge the composition of the seven-member DDA board — the body charged with recruiting businesses, facilitating investment and advocating for growth in the city’s urban core.
At the heart of the debate is a fundamental question about governance: who should have a voice in decisions that affect residents, and whether those with financial stakes in downtown development belong on the board making them…