DELRAY BEACH, Fla. — WPTV is connecting with you in your community!
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We held our latest Let's Hear It meet-up on Wednesday at the Cornell Art Museum in Delray Beach. Residents shared their stories and told us what's happening in their neighborhoods.
Janice Young has lived in the Delray area since 1949, and has concerns about the city's cemetery. She has noticed overgrown lawns and sinking plaques.
"I would think the people are upset," Young told WPTV reporter Joel Lopez. "I go out there regularly to talk to my dad, and it's just sad to see it in that kind of mess."
Young would like the city council members to take more care of a part of Delray Beach that means so much to the older community.
Sandra Owens also has concerns about the cemetery, and spoke to WPTV reporter Zitlali Solache about a plot mix-up.
Owens' mother passed away in 2005, and shortly after bought a plot so she could be buried next to her. When she went to visit the cemetery in 2024, she noticed a stranger was buried in the plot that she bought. Owens has spoken to the city and at council meetings, but still has not found a solution.
"The only thing (the cemetery) offered to do is dig up my parents," Owens said. "Make that make sense."
Delray Beach resident David Obee spoke with WPTV reporter Victor Jorges about the Delray Beach Community Land Trust (DBCLT), a nonprofit organization that provides affordable homeownership and rentals for low- to moderate-income households.
Obee said the DBCLT helped him and his brother buy a brand new, hurricane-hardened home after their landlord raised their rent.
"What would have been your situation if this opportunity that came up, that you guys came across, hadn't been there?" Jorges asked.
"Considering what we don't know about the economy and how expensive everything is, we'd undoubtedly be homeless," Obee said.
The nonprofit helps people with modest incomes, even working through credit issues.
Did you know the Cornell Art Museum hosts yoga class twice a week? On Mondays and Wednesdays, Jessica Tavares Smith of Jyoti Mind and Body teaches a yoga for all ages and levels.
"It's very special (at the museum)," Smith said. "This used to be a school for children and I can really feel that energy and vibration."
You can follow her on Instagram @jessicajyotiyoga for more information.
Obee says he was on the verge of homelessness when he and his brother learned about DBCLT and they were able to get a roof over their head, without the usual high costs of owning a home.
Both the city and the CRA donated land to the DBCLT, and the City of Delray Beach provides additional subsidies to DBCLT home owners to further increase the affordability of the homes.
We want to hear the stories that matter most to you — and work together toward solutions.
We want to be your voice and help you find solutions.
While we hold our monthly Let's Hear It meet-ups, we know many are not able to attend, but we still want to hear from you and start taking action to get you answers. You can e-mail us at LetsHearIt@wptv.com.
