In a swift reversal, Palm Beach County has approved funding for improvements at Compass Community Center in Lake Worth Beach, backing off an earlier denial tied to Florida’s new anti-DEI law.
Julie Seaver, CEO of Compass Community Center, praised the decision while warning the situation highlights broader concerns.
“We sincerely appreciate Palm Beach County Administrator Joseph Abruzzo’s decision to do what is right by reversing the [Department of Housing and Economic Development] staff’s determination,” she said. “At the same time, this moment underscores a deeper concern: when laws or policies are written or interpreted too vaguely, they can open the door to decisions that stray from their intended purpose and create real harm in our communities.”
Sarah Malega, a commissioner in Lake Worth Beach, said once the issue reached the desk of Abruzzo, he quickly intervened to reverse the decision.
“It was fantastic. He said he will always be supportive of the LGBTQ community,” she said. “It's nice when elected officials do what's right because it's the right thing to do. I’m just really proud of Palm Beach County.”
The initial denial blocked a request from the City of Lake Worth Beach to use federal Community Development Block Grant funds for upgrades to the city-owned building that houses Compass, including repairs to air conditioning, elevators, and the roof.
County officials cited the state’s new law, signed April 22, restricting diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives as justification, despite the measure not taking effect until 2027. Malega said the county argued the law applied because the funding would not be distributed until after Jan. 1.
The decision quickly drew widespread attention, making headlines locally and nationally on Thursday, April 30.
The reversal comes after backlash from city officials and community advocates, who argued the decision unfairly targeted a facility providing critical services to LGBTQ residents and people living with HIV/AIDS.
Seaver previously called the denial a “gut punch” that set a “dangerous precedent.”
Advocates were outraged at the decision and voiced concern following the initial denial.
“It is appalling that the county refused to grant $302,000 to Lake Worth Beach to repair a city-owned facility which primarily provides services — including healthcare — to the LGBTQ+ community,” said Rand Hoch, president and founder of the Palm Beach County Human Rights Council. “The clearly unconstitutional DeSantis anti-DEI law has not even taken effect yet.
Others emphasized that the project centered on basic infrastructure, not programming, and questioned the reasoning behind the denial.
“In addition, over the years, Compass has provided meeting space to a variety of governmental institutions such as Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office and the League of Cities,” Hoch said.
Stephen Gaskill, president of the LGBTQ+ Democratic Caucus of Palm Beach County, said the denial missed the point of the funding request.
“What’s most disappointing in this case is that the money was not being spent on programming, but rather a health and safety issue for a building owned by the City of Lake Worth,” Gaskill said. “It is disheartening that Palm Beach County is withholding funds based on who uses the building, and placing ideology over safety.”
Malega echoed those concerns.
“These are needs, not a remodel,” she said. “Having people stuck in an elevator in a city-owned building — that's not a good look and it's not practicing safe ownership.”
Malega emphasized that the building serves the broader community as well, regularly hosting city workshops and other public functions.
Compass Community Center has operated in the county for more than three decades and provides health services, support programs, and HIV-related care.
This is a breaking news story. More will be added as information becomes available.
