Two prominent Democrats, Bobby Powell Jr. and Richard A. Ryles, are competing to be the next Palm Beach County commissioner in Tuesday's primary election.
The victor of the Democratic primary will face Republican Leonard L. Serratore in November, along with two write-in candidates, Boaz Fleurena and Javonta Jerome Taylor.
The winner in November will replace county commissioner and state Sen.-elect Mack Bernard — who is term-limited after spending 8 years on the dais. He’s succeeding outgoing state Sen. Bobby Powell Jr. in Tallahassee.
Bernard, the first and only Haitian-American on the county commission, is most widely known for his affordable housing advocacy. He was a major proponent of the county’s $200 million dollar housing bond that aims to entice developers to build more homes.
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The county seat is one of three up for election. The new candidates are looking to address many of the same concerns surrounding home and rent prices, transportation, and livable wage issues in the predominantly Black District 7.
WLRN spoke with both candidates about how they plan to represent the area, which includes cities such as Riviera Beach, Delray, Boynton, Lantana, Hypoluxo, Mangonia Park and Lake Park.
Bobby Powell Jr.
Powell Jr, who represented West Palm Beach in the State Senate, says he’s using his urban planning experience to push for improvements in public transportation and request additional housing bonds — including “an additional $25 million in an ad valorem taxes to be spent for the construction of housing within district seven.”
"Housing in the black community has sometimes been one of the biggest obstacles and barriers to being able to build wealth and to be able to stabilize families and mental health. So, that's one of my biggest issues,” Powell Jr said.
Housing prices have soared in recent years. The median sales price for a single family home in Palm Beach County is $650,000, according to county estimates. That’s just over 10% higher than the same time last year.
Richard A. Ryles
Ryles, a practicing attorney and former West Palm Beach commissioner who was chairman of the city’s Housing Authority, said, among many priorities, he would call for temporary rent control to relieve cost-burned residents because home and rent prices have risen higher than livable wages.
“I think that the county is going to have to become more proactive and by policy restrict the raising of rents so that people can remain in a truly affordable apartment,” Ryles said.
For most working families and households who earn a living in service sector occupations such as retail trade and hospitality, “over 65 percent of owners and 90 percent of renters in these income categories are cost-burdened, according to county’s 2021 Affordable Housing Needs Assessment.
Meanwhile, foreclosures in Palm Beach County rose last year to more than 2,400 cases, nearly double the total from 2022, according to county data.
Click here to view a series of Public Service Announcements for Palm Beach County's Supervisor of Elections. And for all voter and election inquiries, visit: votepalmbeach.gov
