By Coral Gables Gazette staff

For Coral Gables Commissioner Melissa Castro, serving on the City Commission has not been easy. At the Oct. 14 meeting, Mayor Vince Lago cut her off several times while speaking on an item she had sponsored. Since the April elections, her efforts have often met resistance from colleagues, culminating in a formal censure earlier this year.

That rebuke came after she sought an opinion from the Florida Attorney General about the city’s decision to move its election date by ordinance rather than by voter referendum—an opinion that ultimately confirmed her position.

The friction inside City Hall contrasts sharply with the reception she receives elsewhere. When she represents Coral Gables before the Florida League of Cities, Castro says the tone changes completely.

“Every time I get out of Coral Gables, it goes amazing with everyone,” she said. “Unfortunately, when I come back to my favorite city, it’s misery.”

A broader stage

Her work outside city limits has not gone unnoticed. Earlier this year, she was named vice chair of the League’s Development, Code Compliance and Redevelopment Committee. This month, she received another appointment—to the League’s Federal Action Strike Team (FAST), a group that works directly with members of Congress on issues affecting Florida’s cities.

“I was cherry-picked,” Castro said, noting that she did not apply for the role.

In a letter announcing the appointment, Florida League of Cities President Holly Smith praised Castro for her “leadership within the League” and for cultivating “strong relationships with members of Congress.” The FAST committee will meet on December 5 to discuss federal issues with local impact, including infrastructure, housing and transportation policy.

Defending local control

At the most recent City Commission meeting, Castro briefed her colleagues on her League work and submitted a memo summarizing discussions from her committee’s first meeting in Tallahassee. As vice chair, she said she helped lead conversations on a range of topics from affordable housing to impact fees and redevelopment authority.

“Every time I get out of Coral Gables, it goes amazing with everyone. Unfortunately, when I come back to my favorite city, it’s misery.”

Commissioner Melissa Castro

One priority, she said, was protecting Community Redevelopment Agencies (CRAs), which cities use to fund revitalization projects in blighted areas. “Several members, including myself, voiced concern about how proposed legislation would cripple local revitalization,” Castro wrote in her memo. The committee voted to recommend that CRA authority remain a key League priority for 2026.

Another issue drawing debate was the state’s Live Local Act, a major housing law designed to increase affordable development by overriding local zoning rules. Many municipalities, including Coral Gables, have criticized its uniform approach.

“We understand where the state is coming from,” Castro said during her City Hall update, “but we need flexibility and for the state to work closer with us.”

The committee also reviewed a proposal that would require all cities to allow Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs)—such as backyard cottages or converted garages—by right. The measure would eliminate owner-occupancy requirements and mandate a minimum rental period of 30 days. Castro raised concerns that older neighborhoods could face new strains on infrastructure and code enforcement.

“The theme of the meeting was clear,” she told fellow commissioners. “The Legislature continues to preempt, and our committee is united in defending home rule.”

Support from peers

The League’s policy meetings draw representatives from more than 80 cities across Florida. Castro said she finds the atmosphere collaborative and energizing.

“Everybody up there knows me so well,” she said. “A lot of mayors follow me on social media—they’re appalled by the way I’m treated at home and tell me to keep going.”

Her growing visibility in Tallahassee and Washington circles underscores the paradox of her political standing: a commissioner often isolated in Coral Gables who commands respect among peers statewide.

Focus on the City Beautiful

For Castro, that duality appears to sharpen her sense of purpose. Despite her frustrations at City Hall, she says her focus remains unchanged.
“We’re trying to make a difference in the Gables and the rest of Florida,” she said. “That’s what this is about.”