Politics
Orlando wants to foreclose on historic Lake Eola area house following long neighbor fight
On a brick-lined street not far from the iconic Lake Eola, a fight is escalating over a historic house that’s wracked up about half a million dollars in code enforcement fines and is in danger of being foreclosed on in downtown Orlando.
A handful of Lake Eola Heights neighbors have complained about 611 E. Concord St. regularly for years about the house parties and accused the homeowners of renting out large events instead of living there.
“The music is blaring with bass shaking my house next door. I am a professional who wakes up very early in the morning,” neighbor lawyer Brent Riddle wrote in November to the city, according to city records released following a Florida Politics records request. “There is a long history of this owner’s callous disregard for the applicable laws and zoning regulations.”
“Venue party at residential home. Loud music. Using residential home as event center. Again,” neighbor Mary Maher wrote the city in 2024.
Some reported the house had even been listed for rent by the hour on a website with ties to the adult entertainment business, the records showed.
Homeowner Holly Joffrion countered her neighbors’ and the city’s complaints aren’t true and called the code enforcement violations unfair.
“I guess you would call it like the Karens of the HOA but it’s not a HOA. It’s the neighbors and the city of Orlando,” she said. “They’ve nit-picked every little thing that there is and there are just as many as many houses in the neighborhood that have literally the exact same make and model of these things hung on their house with no violations, with no interest.”
The city of Orlando took action and filed a complaint Nov. 20 to foreclose on the house’s code enforcement liens. The fines are accruing $75 to $500 per day so the total amount was $483,575, the city confirmed as of Dec. 18 to Florida Politics.
“The Property has become a nuisance and/or a hazardous condition, which presents a serious and continuous danger to the public and/or occupants of the Property,” the city’s complaint said in Orange County Circuit Court.
The city also argued the homeowners improperly filed a homestead exemption on the house and said they are not actually living in the Concord Street home. The city is asking the courts to rule on the issue so Orlando can move forward to foreclose and sell off the house to pay the lien.
But in an interview, Joffrion disputes the narrative raised in court records and city records about her century-old home that her family bought in 2022 for $900,000.
She argued she does in fact live in the house as she described how the couple’s nightmare began.
Holly and her husband Mikhail quickly realized their house was in bad condition from mold to water leaks to a crumbling deck after purchasing it.
Joffrion said her relationship with her neighbors has been fraught early on as the couple undertook emergency repairs and realized they were over their head with the house’s problems.
“Our neighbor is actually the former president of the historic preservation committee, so he has eyes like a hawk. He’s watching everything,” Joffrion said. “He says we’re doing unpermitted builds. … Obviously, you don’t need a permit when you’re doing emergency repairs.”
The couple initially wanted to have the house be an Airbnb but changed their mind as they began dealing with “the headache of code violations,” she said.
The couple expanded on the use of their house in a 2023 message to the city.
“It is my profession to travel globally to design & market luxury properties for AirBNB, VRBO, Marriott Vacation Club, and Hilton Grand Vacations. I own hundreds of listings across the (country) and partner with hosts in other countries to assist in growing their properties SEO. Our listings in Orlando serve as market research that help our investors understand the market potential of the area, as well as the kinds of photography & interior designs that equate to clickable listings,” the message, signed by Mikhail and Holly said. “We have 421 days of 24-hour footage showing that the property has not been used as a short-term rental, as well as the reporting from the above mentioned partners showing no bookings have been accepted or money transacted. This house is our primary residence, and a portfolio piece for my company and partners.”
Joffrion, who comes from a large family, said the Queen Anne-style house is often the site for the family’s weddings and birthday parties.
“I’m one of seven myself. So we have 52 grandchildren amongst me and my siblings,” Joffrion said.
When Joffrion threw her own wedding renewal, she said a neighbor who didn’t recognize her, confronted her angrily in her wedding dress.
“Excuse me. Do you know that the owners don’t even live here and it’s illegal what you’re doing?” the neighbor told her, she recounted.
Joffrion argued as she has tried to be a good neighbor and disputes her parties are too loud. She said they keep a decibel reader to make sure they are in compliant with the city’s noise ordinance.
“We encourage any of the neighbors who read (this) article to please come the next time that they hear that we’re having a party. We’ve hosted open parties and invited the neighborhood. We’ve asked them to come. They don’t come,” she said. “We’re just honestly here living our life … and we will continue to keep celebrating.”
Joffrion homeschools their children and the family planted a dream garden in the backyard to grow mint, lemons and more.
When asked if she was worried about losing her home in foreclosure, Joffrion said she believed the facts will prove her case in court.
“We have six daughters. I intend to marry each and every one of them here,” she said. “So they can look forward to at least six more weddings.”
The appointment, Kevin Mason, is an alumnus of University of West Florida.
The University of West Florida (UWF) Board of Trustees is getting a new member while another is returning to the panel for continued service.
Gov. Ron DeSantis announced this month that he’s appointed Kevin Mason to the panel that oversees policy for UWF. DeSantis also reappointed Paul Bailey to the Board of Trustees for the campus located in Florida’s Panhandle.
Mason is an alumnus of UWF where he earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration and management from the school. Mason is also steeped in business.
Mason is the CEO and Co-Founder of Acentria Insurance which is based in Destin. The company now has offices and services throughout the Southeast United States and has grown to about 50 locations. Mason was also a Producer and Managing Partner of the North Florida Operations for the Insurance Office of America.
Bailey will return to the board following the reappointment. Bailey is a lawyer for Welton Law Firm. Welton is based in Crestview and provides multiple legal services.
Bailey is also a registered firearms instructor with the National Rifle Association. He’s also an Adjunct Professor at Pensacola Christian College. Bailey earned his pre-law bachelor’s degree from that school and went on to get his law degree from Regent University.
The UWF Board of Trustees has 13 members that sit on the panel.The board is the governing body for the institution. Florida’s Governor appoints six of those members while the board itself votes on appointments for the other five members.
The President of the Faculty Senate occupies one of those seats while another is held by the President of the Student Government Association.
The UWF campus had a student enrollment of nearly 16,000 as of Fall Semester.
The appointment and reappointment named by DeSantis still have to get final approval by the Florida Senate.
When people think about the economic engines of Sarasota and Bradenton, they often point to tourism, health care, construction, or the arts. Each sector is essential to the region’s identity and prosperity. But another driver of economic vitality exists — one that is stable, scalable, and compounding year after year — sitting on Sarasota Bay.
That driver is New College of Florida.
As Chief of Staff and Vice President of Finance and Administration, my role requires evaluating how public investment translates into real outcomes for students, families, employers, and communities. From that vantage point, New College’s economic trajectory in recent years is notable not only for its growth but for the clarity of its return.
According to a recent independent economic impact analysis, New College’s direct economic impact grew from $61.2 million in fiscal year 2023 to $104.5 million in 2025, a 71% increase in just two years. With responsible enrollment growth and continued strategic investment, direct impact is projected to reach $159.6 million by 2027–2028 and $270.9 million by 2033–2034 — more than 400% growth over a decade.
Those numbers are significant, but they tell only part of the story.
When indirect and induced effects are included — local spending by students, employees, visitors, and vendors — the regional impact becomes even more compelling. In 2024–2025, New College generated a total economic impact of $209.1 million. That figure is projected to rise to $319.2 million by 2027–2028 and to approximately $542 million annually by 2033–2034.
This growth reflects deliberate choices: strengthening academic programs, investing in campus infrastructure, and aligning the college’s mission with Florida’s workforce and civic priorities. Today, New College educates more students, attracts more talent, and draws more families, visitors, and investment into the Sarasota–Bradenton region than at any point in its history.
Universities also provide something increasingly rare in a volatile economy: permanence. They do not relocate when markets fluctuate. They create long-term jobs, attract research funding, and generate consistent demand for housing, services, and cultural amenities. Every student who chooses New College represents years of local economic participation, often followed by long-term residency and workforce contribution. More than 1,100 New College alumni live in Sarasota today, reinforcing the institution’s lasting imprint on the region.
Higher education remains one of the most reliable vehicles for public return on investment. Independent analysis shows New College delivers substantial returns on a relatively modest public investment. That is not theoretical. It is measurable, repeatable, and already underway.
Geography amplifies that impact. Situated between Sarasota and Bradenton, New College functions as a connective institution and a key driver of cross-county collaboration, supporting a truly regional economy. Students live, work, intern, and volunteer throughout both communities. Faculty and staff serve on nonprofit boards, contribute to civic leadership, and support local businesses across Sarasota and Manatee counties.
This is where investment matters most.
Institutions either capitalize on momentum or allow it to stall. Every additional dollar invested in New College does not simply preserve what exists; it multiplies regional return. Enrollment growth drives housing demand. Academic programs strengthen workforce pipelines. Campus development supports local contractors and suppliers. A thriving public liberal arts college enhances the region’s ability to attract employers who value talent, innovation, and quality of life.
Communities that transformed their economic futures — Austin, Pittsburgh, Raleigh — did not do so by accident. They made sustained, disciplined commitments to higher education as a cornerstone of growth. Sarasota and Bradenton face that same choice today.
From my seat overseeing budgets, strategy, and long-term planning, one conclusion is clear: New College of Florida is not a cost center. It is a growth engine. The returns are visible in the data, evident in neighborhoods, and reflected in the people who choose to live, work, and build their futures here.
When Florida invests in New College and regional leaders align on its continued growth, the result is not incremental benefit but compounding value. The impact is durable. The returns are shared. The opportunity is substantial.
That is not optimism.
That is strategy.
___
Christie Fitz-Patrick is Chief of Staff and Vice President of Finance and Administration at New College of Florida.
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