WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — West Palm Beach is in the midst of a construction boom — cranes in the skyline, heavy machinery on the streets, and new developments transforming entire blocks.
But behind the promise of growth, neighbors say the reality is much louder, messier, and harder to live with.
The growing pains aren’t just downtown — they’re spilling into quiet residential streets, where frustration is building and patience is wearing thin.
Now, homeowners surrounded by construction chaos are turning to WPTV's Joel Lopez for help.
He is on the ground, hearing their stories firsthand — and pressing city leaders for answers.
Neighbors Say Construction Crews Are the Bigger Problem
Residents in West Palm Beach, south of Forest Hill Boulevard, say massive new houses being built in their neighborhood is one issue — but it’s the challenges they’re facing with construction crews during the process that has them turning to us for help.
“There’s noise and there’s stuff and there’s trucks all the time,” said longtime resident Steven Fayer, who lives along Alhambra Place but has been seeing large new construction at nearly every turn.
“It’s not a peaceful community anymore,” Fayer added.
During our interview, a truck drove by honking its horn.
“Yes, you can hear it now,” said Fayer.
“It’s been terrible, it’s been frustrating and we shared it with other neighbors, and we kinda feel helpless about doing anything,” he said.
Early Morning Work, Blocked Sidewalks and Trash
On Leigh Street, one neighbor emailed Lopez saying crews were starting work at 4:30 in the morning, blocking sidewalks for what residents say have been days at a time, even leaving trash scattered.
After Lopez called the city of West Palm Beach, code enforcement officers were dispatched and found the contractor was violating multiple city codes — and the company corrected the issue that same day.
The city issued a statement:
As our city continues to grow, we remain committed to balancing development with the quality of life of our residents. We encourage residents to report concerns so the City can take appropriate action and ensure construction activity remains in compliance with all applicable standards.
“When you looked into it things started to happen, so we really appreciate your efforts,” Fayer said.
Zoning Rules and Bigger Houses
But it’s not just the crews — it’s the size of the houses that’s drawing attention.
“What are the rules?” asked Veronica Whitlock, pointing to a massive house next door.
“This was a two-bedroom bungalow and now it’s huge and two stories,” Whitlock said.
The city responded that the new large houses do meet zoning and building regulations, explaining:
All new construction must comply with the City’s zoning regulations, including requirements related to setbacks, height, lot coverage, landscaping, and overall building scale. In designated historic districts, there are additional protections in place… New construction… must go through a Certificate of Appropriateness review process.
They say these standards are designed to prevent overdevelopment and make sure new homes fit within the neighborhood.
A neighbor living in newer construction didn't want to go on camera but told Lopez people should be allowed to build what they want on their property.
Frustrations Over Work Hours and Access
“They have no consideration for my house. People are working after 8 o’clock at night, all morning, all weekend. it’s just frustrating,” Whitlock said.
City code states: “Construction noise is permitted beginning at 7:00 a.m. on weekdays… 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Monday through Friday… and 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on weekends.”
Residents have taken some matters into their own hands, putting orange traffic cones down at the end of their driveways to block construction cars from parking there, blocking them from leaving their homes.
Since October, the city investigated 18 code enforcement cases and issued five warnings for construction violations — violations that could cause permits to be pulled until compliance is restored.
“I understand people have to make a living but people are also living here and trying to have a life,” said Whitlock.
City Urges Residents to Report Problems
A spokesperson acknowledged the growth the city of West Palm Beach is experiencing, and wants the appropriate action taken to maintain the quality of life for residents.
To ensure construction activity remains in compliance with city standards, if you have issues with construction activity, the city wants you to reach out to its code enforcement division and report it to the City of West Palm Beach Code Enforcement Division at (561) 822-1465.
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