LAKE WORTH BEACH, Fla. — Florida’s push to end funding for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives has set off a chain reaction and one Palm Beach County nonprofit is feeling the heat in more ways than one.
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A bill signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis will soon prohibit local governments from supporting DEI programs. The law takes effect January 1, 2027, but already, organizations that rely on public funding are seeing obstacles.
One of them is Compass Community Center in Lake Worth Beach, an LGBTQ resource hub and community gathering space, now waiting on $300,000 in federal funds. Those dollars could mean the difference between a functional facility and one melting down in Florida’s summer heat.
‘Maybe 50% of our first place air-conditioning is not working…’
Walking through the building, Compass CEO Julie Seaver points out the aging 30-year-old air conditioning units, many of them from before Compass even moved in, struggling to keep the space cool.
“Maybe 50% of our first place air-conditioning is not working. This is going to get unbearable fairly quickly,” she said, noting that summer is right around the corner. “I’m really hoping that whether there are repairs or replacements that need to happen, we hope that it happens soon because summer is coming.”
The overheated building isn’t just uncomfortable, it’s impacting vital services. HIV testing requires certain temperatures, and the sweltering rooms make those tests harder to run reliably.
Stuck Between Floors
The funding request isn’t just about AC. Compass is also hoping to bring its aging elevator up to ADA compliance.
“People have a tendency of getting stuck between floors and so we don’t want that,” Seaver said. “And so I had to close it down.”
That elevator connects to the second floor where Compass’ case managers, clinical staff, and health services team work, along with sensitive HIPAA-protected files. For now, staff are climbing stairs to access the space, and some have been moved to the first floor.
A True Community Building
Despite the state’s looming DEI restrictions, both Seaver and local officials stress that Compass is much more than a single-issue nonprofit.
“This space is utilized by the entire community outside of Compass’ regular program,” said Seaver. “Every single day throughout the year we’re hosting community neighborhood association meetings, we’re hosting trainings, the Red Cross, we’ve done training with law enforcement in here, it’s basically a community use space.”
Lake Worth Beach Commissioner Mimi May echoes that point.
“The city uses that building, the neighborhood associations use the buildings, there’s 12-step meetings in there. It is truly a community building," she said.
The total price tag for repairs, including AC replacement and elevator work, is $308,000, requested through a 2026 Community Development Block Grant.
May said Compass could get an answer on approval “within the next month or so.”
Funding Decision Reversal
Originally, Palm Beach County denied the funding request. But Seaver said County Administrator Joseph Abruzzo stepped in.
“We are so grateful that when county administrator Joseph Abruzzo had learned of the staff’s rejection for this project to be completed for the grant, he reversed that decision right away,” she said. “We’re supposed to stay tuned as to what the timeline is for this grant project.”
In a statement, the county confirmed the following:
The County Administrator has directed that we proceed with the project, which includes the Compass Community Center as a tenant, subject to HUD review and approval. Staff will continue working to ensure compliance with all applicable federal requirements before any final commitment of funds.
May insists this isn’t about politics.
“My message isn’t necessarily about DEI, it’s about allowing the cities to take care of their infrastructure and we know what our problems are, we know what we’re asking for and we’re not trying to go against any federal law or state law, we’re just trying to take care of our tenants and our residents," she said. “I’m just really grateful for Joe Abruzzo for stepping in and giving us a call and overriding that decision, because it was the right one to make.”
As for Seaver, she’s keeping things light despite the heat.
“Thank you for being here and sweating it out with us,” she said with a smile, still hopeful that the grant comes through before the Florida summer turns unbearable.
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