HOLLYWOOD, Fla. — A member of the City of Hollywood’s Historic Preservation Board has resigned after questions arose about a possible conflict of interest involving a controversial project and real estate solicitations sent to nearby homeowners.
City officials confirmed that Stephanie Bendoym submitted a resignation letter after the city became aware she had distributed a real estate marketing flyer to residents near a project she had recently voted to approve.
The issue centers on a Feb. 10 vote by the Historic Preservation Board approving variances for a proposed nonresidential mikvah at 1434 Monroe St. in the Hollywood Lakes neighborhood. The vote passed by a narrow three-to-two margin. Bendoym voted in favor of the project.
Shortly after that vote, residents in the surrounding neighborhood received a letter from Bendoym, who is also a licensed realtor and does business under the name Stephanie Rae. In the letter, she referenced the project and offered her services to homeowners who might be considering selling their homes.
The letter stated in part that if residents were now thinking about selling their property, she would like to serve as their local real estate expert.
The timing of the vote and the letter raised concerns among some residents who questioned whether a board member should solicit real estate business from neighbors affected by a decision she helped make.
Hollywood officials said the city had begun looking into the situation before Bendoym resigned.
“The City did receive a letter of resignation from Stephanie Bendoym as a member of the Historic Preservation Board following her vote and real estate flyer,” said Joann Hussey, Director of Communications, Marketing and Economic Development for the City of Hollywood. “The City was made aware of a real estate flyer she distributed following the HPB meeting. There was no disclosure or discussion of her intention to solicit customers for her real estate business with city staff prior to her vote.”
Hussey said the city had started reviewing the situation once it learned about the flyer.
“We were looking into the matter when she submitted her resignation, which was accepted by the way,” Hussey said. “At this time no specific or official complaint has been filed with the City regarding this matter.”
The situation first came to light after a nearby resident contacted Local 10 News raising ethics concerns about the letter.
Susan Mercier, a 20-year licensed Florida realtor who lives directly across the street from the proposed project, said she was stunned to receive the solicitation after the board vote.
“I have always held the Realtors’ Code of Ethics in the highest regard throughout my career, prioritizing integrity, fairness, and community impact,” Mercier said. “I’m deeply hurt and insulted that a fellow Realtor and Historic Preservation Board member voted in favor of the variances and then promptly sent solicitation letters to nearby homeowners offering to help sell their properties if they were upset by the change she helped enable.”
Mercier said the letter raised serious concerns about whether the board member may have stood to benefit from a decision affecting the neighborhood.
“This appears to create a serious conflict of interest, especially in a quiet, historic residential neighborhood not zoned or designed for high traffic non residential uses,” she said.
Mercier also said residents in the area had already voiced strong opposition to the project during public hearings and through a neighborhood petition.
“As someone living right across the street, I’m angry and frustrated that residents like me feel we have virtually no meaningful say in what happens on our own block,” she said.
A conflict of interest in municipal decision making generally refers to a situation where a public official’s private business interests could potentially benefit from decisions they make in their official role.
In this case, critics say the concern is that Bendoym participated in a vote affecting the neighborhood and then sought real estate business from homeowners who might consider selling as a result of that decision.
Local 10 News also reached out to the Miami Association of Realtors regarding whether the situation could raise ethical concerns under the industry’s professional standards. A spokesperson for the organization said the association cannot comment on potential ethics issues involving members or whether a complaint has been filed because such matters are confidential under the National Association of Realtors Code of Ethics procedures.
Local 10 News reached out to Bendoym for comment, she did not respond.
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