Jennifer Levi becomes the third candidate to enter the race for the open Coral Springs city commission seat
Coral Springs, Florida – Coral Springs’ upcoming city commission race for the open Seat 4 has gained a new contender as Jennifer Levi, a longtime neighborhood activist and mother, officially announced her candidacy. Levi, 43, joins Jeffrey Adelman, a lawyer, and Melissa Donnahoe, a real estate broker and civic volunteer, in the contest to fill the seat being vacated by Commissioner Joshua Simmons, who is prohibited from running again due to term limits. The race promises to be closely watched as residents prepare to vote on Nov. 3 to determine who will represent them on the commission.
Levi brings a personal and community-focused perspective to the race. A resident of Coral Springs since 2014, she lives with her husband, Shai, and their three children, Joey, 15, Dani, 10, and Jake, 7, all of whom attend public schools in the city. Her youngest son has autism, a factor that has shaped much of her advocacy work in the community. “I explained to the city that my older kids get to participate in all the things that people move to Coral Springs for, all the parks and rec sports, art camp, all those amazing things. But my youngest isn’t able to. So, I have to take him outside of the city,” Levi said. “That’s not fair.” She has often taken him to programs in Boca Raton or Parkland and hopes to expand inclusion programs locally if elected.
Levi’s entry into the race follows her extensive involvement in neighborhood activism. Several years ago, she led efforts to address a surge of Airbnb homes being used as party houses in her area, as well as a number of small-scale drug rehabilitation facilities, often called sober homes, operating in residential neighborhoods. “These were businesses in residential neighborhoods,” she said. She and her neighbors went to city hall to advocate for their community, and the results, she said, were meaningful. “I’m excited to say that we made real traction with that,” Levi said. “We made real change, and we no longer have those issues.”
She also campaigned against a boundary change that rezoned Coral Springs students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School to Coral Glades High School, an experience she says helped her understand the power of a strong city commission. “Through those efforts, I learned how a strong city commission can work in favor of residents. And I started to think if I was an elected official, I could achieve more,” Levi said.
Levi is also the human resources director for First Beat Media, a local business, and brings experience in leadership and administration to her campaign. She emphasized her top priorities as commissioner would be support for first responders, smart spending, and advocating for families and students throughout the city. “People are being squeezed for every dollar. People are being priced out of their homes,” she said. She stressed the need for the city to support schools, inclusion programs, and wellness initiatives, noting that many families, like hers, moved to Coral Springs for the quality of life, parks, and schools.
While campaign finance reports show that Levi lags behind her opponents in fundraising, she views her grassroots approach and community experience as key strengths. According to the latest filings, Adelman leads with $49,555 raised and $13,422 spent, Donnahoe has raised $25,325 and spent $3,220, while Levi has raised $3,759 and spent $956. Despite the financial gap, she hopes her focus on family, inclusion, and community advocacy will resonate with voters.
Levi’s campaign underscores a commitment to making Coral Springs a city that works for all families. “My family, like so many families here, moved to Coral Springs for the schools, the parks and the quality of life. I think that the commission needs to support every Coral Springs student, every school, every family, and make smart use of what we have,” she said. As the race heats up, residents will be watching closely to see if Levi’s personal connection to the city and her record of community activism will translate into votes this November.
With three candidates now vying for the open Seat 4, the Coral Springs city commission race is shaping up to be a contest of vision, experience, and community engagement. Whether through advocacy for special needs programs, neighborhood improvements, or smart city governance, each candidate is aiming to present themselves as the best choice for the city’s next chapter, and voters will have the final say when they head to the polls later this year.
