The Gulfstream Hotel has so many developers make proposals over the years, I find it hard to trust that Restoration St. Louis’s proposal will actually happen, because so many developers have failed in the past.

Mark Foley, former-US Senator who grew up and started out in business in Lake Worth, supports the Gulfstream Hotel Project. Mark has supported so many visionary projects in Palm Beach County (PBC), which have made PBC a destination for tourists and young folks to raise families as well retirees.

Lake Worth Beach Commissioners McCoy, Stokes and Diaz are sensitive to the needs of the lower income folks who are reeling from recent inflationary increases in basic needs - rent, food and electricity.

I have a suggestion which may help.

Lake Worth Beach Commissioners could REQUIRE COA, HOA, Cooperative and Trailer Parks owners who are non-homesteaders to list their Apartments for rent whenever they are not in-residence at their Apartment.

This would increase revenues for Lake Worth Beach from Business License and Use and Occupancy Fees and Building Inspections. Non-homesteaders would be REQUIRED to pay the Tourist Development Tax which benefits arts, culture, history, sports in addition to other amenities which benefit visitors and residents of Palm Beach County.

The housing stock available for tourists (Airbnb, VRBO, etc.), which I believe would convince landlords to value good renters, particularly with the threat of rent control on the horizon.

Some non-homesteaders may find this REQUIREMENT untenable, in which case the the City of Lake Worth Beach could suggest that they sell their Apartment and move to West Palm Beach, Boynton Beach or Delray Beach, where the rules are different.

And the Lake Worth Commissioners could mandate that all buyers file for homestead during closing as a condition of purchase.