A conversation with Jennifer Levi, newest Coral Springs Commission candidate
A new contender has entered the race for Joshua Simmons’ Coral Springs City Commission seat, months ahead of the campaign deadline.
Jennifer Levi, a local mom and HR director, officially launched her campaign in December, joining Jeffrey “Jeff” Adelman and Melissa Donnahoe in the race.
Levi spoke with the Coral Springs News this month about why she’s running for a seat in local government — and how she stands out against her competition.
Levi markets herself as a mom of three in the trenches with other parents across the city; a fiscal conservative and an outsider without further ambitions in politics.
Simmons has been the city commissioner for Seat 4 since 2018. But after two straight terms, he will be term-limited in 2026.
Here’s more from our conversation:
From grassroots to government
How Levi became interested in running for office is a core part of her campaign.
In 2023, she successfully organized with other Coral Springs Lakes residents to curb Airbnb and sober living homes in the neighborhood, and also became a local advocate during that year’s controversial school rezoning process.
Levi has also been recognized for her work to make the city more accessible for kids like her 7-year-old son, Jake, who is autistic and nonverbal.
“My older two [children] get to do sports and dance and theater and all the amazing things that Parks and Rec offers, but because he’s on the profound side of the spectrum, there really was nothing for him,” she said.
Parent-centered policy
Levi says her roots in the community set her apart from her competitors and the current members of the city commission.
“I bring the unique perspective of being in the trenches, with three school-age kids in three different schools in the city. I’m not part of the clique,” she said. “I’m a political outsider. Don’t own my own business. Don’t have any self-promotion initiatives there, no political aspirations.”
She says she pulls her policy positions from what she hears from fellow parents — namely, their struggles with traffic, the cost of living and feeling as if Coral Springs is losing its city-in-the-country charm.
That includes the Cornerstone development.
“We have rental after rental high rise popping up. We don’t want Coral Springs to turn into Fort Lauderdale,” Levi said. “It’s just not matching the vision of what people wanted to see.”
It plays into a wider feeling of distrust between residents and officials, Levi said, describing a sense of betrayal when she found out about the city’s $50,000 grant to Perfumania for new signage and the art museum’s $3 million move to Cornerstone.
She sees misalignment with what she loved about the city — festivals and events that connected residents, beautiful parks with programs for all ages — and where it’s going.
At the same time, Levi wants lower property taxes, a tighter budget and fewer restrictions on local businesses.
“I think something’s got to give. Taxpayers are being squeezed, and it’s a real problem,” Levi said. “Everyone, including myself, is feeling it hard.”
When asked how she would balance fiscal conservatism and her desire to add activities, Levi said she would prioritize free resources, as well as grants and partnerships with businesses and nonprofits.
She also plans to continue adding resources for autistic children and their caregivers, including creating a sensory-friendly business registry and making Coral Springs an autism-certified city through Nova University and the University of Miami.
This story was originally published January 12, 2026 at 4:03 PM.
