Keep Public Lands Public
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$4,781 raised of $250K
46 donations
The Story
- On May 20, the Hollywood City Commission voted 5-2 to hand over public beachfront land at 1301 S. Ocean Drive to a private billionaire developer through a 99-year luxury high-rise lease, despite the property's longstanding public purpose as open space and community-use land. During the public hearing, the developer's lead attorney stated on the record that the project would not eliminate separate entrances and segregated amenity access for workforce housing residents—commonly known as "poor doors"—on publicly owned property.
At the same time, Hollywood residents are facing soaring water, sewer, and property tax burdens while local officials have committed up to $20 million in taxpayer-backed infrastructure funding for the project and enabled substantial property tax exemptions through the Live Local Act framework. Inland taxpayers are being asked to subsidize utility infrastructure and public benefits for a luxury barrier-island development that will contribute less to the city's tax base while residents shoulder increasing municipal costs.
The land at 1301 S. Ocean Drive was deeded for public use, yet local officials approved a long-term lease that transfers control of this valuable public asset for nearly a century. Residents are now being asked to accept rising municipal costs, diminished public control of public land, and a development model that treats workforce housing residents differently from luxury tenants on taxpayer-owned property.
Our Historic Victory
This fight is far from over—and it is entirely winnable. On May 26, our grassroots coalition achieved a major victory when the Broward County Commission removed the developer's land-use item from its agenda, effectively freezing the project's approval timeline until after July 1. This unexpected win disrupted the developer's schedule and demonstrated that organized citizens can successfully challenge powerful political and financial interests.
The county action bought critical time and proved that public scrutiny is making a difference. Momentum is building, but the next phase of the fight will be decided in court.
Where Your Donations Go
We have filed a lawsuit for declaratory and injunctive relief to challenge and overturn the city’s approval.
Our legal strategy combines taxpayer standing with direct neighborhood impact, helping ensure the case cannot be dismissed on a technical geographic loophole.
Every donation directly supports court filing fees, legal research, public records requests, evidence preservation, expert analysis, and public-interest advocacy. This campaign is entirely volunteer-led, and 100% of contributions are dedicated to the legal effort to protect public land, defend taxpayers from subsidizing private luxury development, challenge discriminatory housing practices on public property, and hold local government accountable.
Together, we can fight to preserve public trust, protect taxpayers, and ensure that public land serves the community—not private interests—for generations to come.