PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — Palm Beach County officials hoped to take four buildings at the South Florida Fairgrounds that serve as emergency shelters and knock them down.
They planned to rebuild the shelters and create more room, then fit them to serve families with special needs.
However, after recent vetoes by Gov. Ron DeSantis, those plans are on hold.
"It was really disappointing and shocking to hear that it was vetoed," State Sen. Lori Berman, whose district is primarily in Palm Beach County, said.
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Berman said she didn't see the veto coming.
She sponsored the bill in the State Senate to pay $1 million to retrofit the buildings at the fairgrounds.
Palm Beach County would also spend $1 million for the project to create a type of shelter that does not currently exist.
"We have people with developmental disabilities with specific needs that aren't addressed at a normal emergency shelter," Berman said.
WPTV reporter Dave Bohman called and emailed the governor's office to find out why DeSantis vetoed this project. However, the office did not respond.
But DeSantis said his veto decisions "are made in the best interest of the state."
Berman said the project is not dead and will eventually have benefits beyond the South Florida Fairgrounds.
"It would show the rest of the state how you can do it," Berman said. "How you set up an emergency shelter for disabled people."
Palm Beach County administrators said they will apply for grants to get the project back on track and be ready by 2026.
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