September 1, 2026, News and Notes
Amy L. Sergent has been admitted into the National Academy of Arbitrators which serves as the preeminent organization of labor and employment arbitrators in the U.S. and Canada. Jon H. Gutmacher of Indian Harbour Beach has released the latest edition of his book Florida Firearms — Law, Use & Ownership. W. Rogers Turner, Jr., of Orlando was honored […]
Hollywood vote coming on 30-story Live Local tower slated for public land at beach
Despite strong local backlash, the controversial Portofino Hollywood project slated to rise on public beachfront land is edging toward final commission approval in October. If all goes as planned, the 30-story tower would break ground by the end of 2027 and open in late 2029, says Keith Poliakoff, attorney for the developer. Opponents are expected […]
Transformation could be coming to landmark Hollywood hotel built in 1925
Hollywood Beach Resort, the century-old grande dame with a storied history, is now a vacant relic that appears to be heading toward a more cosmopolitan fate. The landmark resort that was built in 1925 by city founder Joseph Young could very well be transformed into a 398-unit luxury condo tower standing 340 feet high or […]
1301 development team pushes back on resident criticism
The developer of the controversial Portofino Hollywood project, better known as 1301, is meeting with residents to address what it says is widespread misinformation about the project. Why it matters: Related Group’s project has divided Hollywood, with many residents afraid the redevelopment of city-owned beachfront land will change the barrier island’s character and spur more high-rise development. […]
Boca Raton Museum of Art to Present $42.3 Million Mizner Park Arts Campus to CRA
The Boca Raton Museum of Art will present plans for a $42.3 million arts campus on 1.80 acres at Mizner Park’s north end when the city’s Community Redevelopment Agency meets July 27, on an agenda that also includes a downtown parking and license agreement review. BOCA RATON, FL — The Boca Raton Museum of Art […]
What you need to know about Florida today – Tuesday’s Afternoon Update
Florida Trend Exclusive Legal Elite — Notable Managing Partners Florida offers plenty of examples of elite leadership traits. Florida has the fastest-growing lawyer population, according to recent data from the American Bar Association. In the past decade, the number of active resident lawyers has grown by approximately 17%, ranking Florida fourth among states in lawyer […]
What They’re Saying About Fla. Real Estate At 2026’s Midpoint
Florida has experienced its share of real estate boom and bust cycles over the years, but while the first half of 2026 fell short of the recent past, attorneys and other industry experts say the state appears poised to buck that pattern, and that more growth lies ahead. Around the midpoint of the year, Law360 […]
Florida Trend Managing Partners
Keith Poliakoff Managing Partners In Fort Lauderdale, Keith Poliakoff drives business development, oversees firmwide compliance, champions pro bono initiatives and maintains an active client caseload representing local governments, as well as parties before local governments statewide. That includes all aspects of developer representation relating to land use, zoning, development agreements and other matters. Under his […]
Lawsuit aims to stop private condo from being built on public beachfront in Hollywood
A luxury condo tower slated to rise on public land at the beach is the target of a lawsuit that accuses Hollywood of breaking its own rules and laws to make way for the project and its controversial 99-year ground lease. The lawsuit, filed last week in Broward Circuit Court, lists the city of Hollywood […]
Keith Poliakoff, Managing Partner, Government Law Group
June2026 — In an interview with Invest: Keith Poliakoff, managing partner of Government Law Group, discussed how AI is changing the front end of land use work, why cities are rethinking revenue and community benefits, and what it takes to move development forward in a more constrained policy environment. Poliakoff also shared how public-private partnerships can earn trust […]
Hollywood, Florida invokes Live Local 4.0 to battle Broward County
Hollywood moved to override a prior county rejection, teeing up an August vote on a 210-unit plan with workforce housing. Live Local 4.0 is enabling Hollywood to advance redevelopment of a city-owned beachfront site despite a prior county rejection. Broward commissioners will decide between a 111-unit condo project or a 210-unit plan that adds 84 […]
Hollywood project isn’t a mistake — it’s an economic lifeline | Opinion
The Sun Sentinel Editorial Board’s recent clutching of pearls over the development at 1301 S. Ocean Drive (“Hollywood’s horrendous high-rise mistake,” editorial, May 27) ignores economic reality, architectural logistics and municipal survival. Far from a “horrendous mistake,” Hollywood’s handling of this project is a master class in adapting to bureaucratic whiplash and securing a future for its […]
Broward County delays vote on controversial Live Local project in Hollywood
County commissioners delayed a vote on Hollywood’s controversial high-rise project Tuesday until they return from their summer break in August. Commissioner Beam Furr, whose district includes Hollywood, said a county vote was likely moot now that Hollywood commissioners have approved a plan to use the state’s Live Local Act to move the project along. An amendment to […]
Hollywood agrees to Live Local plan for high-rise tower on public land
Amid a loud and furious public outcry, a luxury condo tower slated for public land on Hollywood beach would become a Live Local project under a controversial plan approved by the commission Wednesday night. The 5-2 vote came after a marathon meeting where nearly 30 residents blasted the idea, saying it would forever change a […]
Gearing up for the future: Hollywood paving way for 25,100 apartments on Federal Highway
Hollywood could one day have a big city skyline with dozens of new high-rise residential towers — and city leaders want to do their part to make it happen. Come Wednesday, commissioners are expected to sign off on a plan that would make way in the coming years for up to 25,100 mid-rise and high-rise […]
The Challenges To Building Affordable Housing In Small Cities
The need for affordable housing has spread far and wide across the country, including in rural counties and mid-size towns, but community resistance and inexperience within local governments can create hurdles to development, attorneys say. Demand for housing is a given, and property values are almost guaranteed to rise in hot, primary markets like New […]
Judge rules in city’s favor in Live Local lawsuit; developer plans appeal
A judge has sided with the city of Hollywood in a dispute with a developer over an affordable housing project proposed under Florida’s Live Local Act. In a March 26 ruling, Broward County Circuit Court Judge David A. Haimes held that Hollywood officials were within their rights when they rejected Miami Beach-based Condra Property Group’s […]
Florida aims to expand affordable housing pipeline with latest Live Local revisions
State legislators have approved amendments to Florida’s Live Local Act that aim to expand the categories of land that developers can build affordable housing on, as well as make financing for those projects easier. As this year’s legislative session ended in Tallahassee last week, lawmakers passed a bill to update Live Local for the third […]
Fla. Lawmakers Expanded Housing Efforts In Slow Session
At a time when housing affordability is a major concern among constituents, Florida state lawmakers produced mixed results in the realm of real estate during their 2026 session, taking some significant actions but also not reaching consensus on numerous proposals, including the most prominent — property tax reform. Friday marked the end of the Florida Legislature’s […]
Domino effect? Live Local lawsuit could bring big change to Hollywood beach
A Live Local lawsuit making its way through the courts could bring dramatic change to the Hollywood beach skyline, potentially paving the way for taller towers far north of Hollywood Boulevard if the developer wins. And if the city wins, the case would shed light on the limitations of the state’s controversial Live Local law. […]