WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Staffing shortages are putting pressure on multiple West Palm Beach city departments, with officials pointing to high housing costs and a competitive job market as key barriers to recruiting and retaining workers.
The Engineering Services Department is among the hardest hit, with seven open positions forcing the city to rely on outside contractors.
WATCH BELOW: West Palm Beach staffing shortages tied to soaring housing costs
"We've been looking and looking," Engineering Services Director Kevin Volbrecht said during a meeting held May 4. "We're trying and trying very hard to fill these positions."
That reliance on contractors is coming at a steep price.
"Which cost us a significant amount more than what the positions cost themselves," Volbrecht said.
Parks and Recreation is also feeling the strain. Shortages in maintenance workers, tree trimmers, and irrigation technicians are leading to more outsourced work.
"Irrigation techs are very hard to find," Parks and Recreation Director Leah Rockwell said at the May 4 meeting. "We have contracted with an irrigation company to help us with the shortfall."
The Finance Department is down roughly a quarter of its staff.
"I have too many vacancies and too high of a workload," Chief Financial Officer Bridget Souffrant said at the meeting.
In Development Services, at least one critical role has sat empty for months.
"We have a senior planner position that has been open for several months," Development Services Director Ana Maria Aponte said during the May 4 meeting.
City officials say most applicants are either unqualified or cannot afford to live in the area. According to Zillow, the average home price in West Palm Beach is just under $400,000 — about $30,000 above the national average.
"It's expensive everywhere now in Palm Beach County, not just downtown," Public Works Director Liam Pender said.
Human Resources Director Renee Goc said the housing crunch has cost the city strong candidates.
"We have lost some exceptional candidates," Goc said at the meeting. "They get here, and they can't find a place to live."
A public records request was filed to find out what pay candidates are being offered. City Administrator Faye W. Johnson downplayed salary as a factor.
"I don't think salaries are a big reason for why we are not competitive," Johnson said during the meeting.
To address the shortages, leaders are exploring workforce housing options.
"More workforce housing," Pender said at the meeting. "We need to take a look at that and see what we can do."
Some departments are also loosening job requirements to attract more applicants. The Finance Department removed a CPA requirement from at least one position.
"It had a CPA requirement. So, we removed that," Finance Director Jade Green said.
The change appears to be working.
"And we've gotten a lot more candidates," Green said.
The city of West Palm Beach released the following statement regarding the matter:
"Like cities across the country, West Palm Beach is competing in a highly challenging market for specialized talent, where both compensation and cost of living directly impact hiring and retention. In response, the City implemented a 20% salary increase two years ago to remain competitive and continues to evaluate its full compensation package to support recruitment.
Since 2019, the City has supported over 1,500 affordable and workforce housing units — a critical investment to help ensure the people who serve this community can afford to live here."
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