Derek Gilliam | Suncoast Searchlight

About Derek Gilliam | Suncoast Searchlight

Derek Gilliam is a watchdog/investigative reporter at Suncoast Searchlight. During his career, he has covered courts and crime, mental health, real-estate, economic development and general business issues for news organizations throughout Florida. Most recently, Derek has focused on real estate and development while also covering local businesses for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, where he untangled a particularly egregious example of real estate fraud months before the police arrested the fraudster. That story attracted the attention of a local legislator who then was able to pass a state law to close a loophole identified in his story. A student of the University of Florida, Derek’s work has earned numerous statewide journalism awards. He has lived in Sarasota since 2021. Reach Derek via email at derek@suncoastsearchlight.org

Florida House approves scaled-back UTC District that Benderson would control

The Florida House of Representatives unanimously approved a scaled-back [...]

By |2026-03-06T16:35:24-05:00March 6, 2026 5:30 am|Manatee, Sarasota, Suncoast|Comments Off on Florida House approves scaled-back UTC District that Benderson would control

Feeling overwhelmed by misinformation online? Sarasota panel says slow down

An Internet scammer posing as Taylor Swift to sell [...]

By |2026-02-26T20:32:46-05:00February 27, 2026 5:40 am|Sarasota, Suncoast|Comments Off on Feeling overwhelmed by misinformation online? Sarasota panel says slow down

Florida bill would let homeowners recall community development district boards

A new bill in the Florida Senate would add [...]

By |2026-02-12T15:10:44-05:00February 13, 2026 5:30 am|Suncoast|Comments Off on Florida bill would let homeowners recall community development district boards

A bold affordable housing plan sputtered. Now Sarasota is trying again

Nearly two years ago, Sarasota’s then-City Manager Marlon Brown [...]

By |2026-03-13T13:05:38-04:00February 6, 2026 5:50 am|Sarasota, Suncoast, Uncategorized|Comments Off on A bold affordable housing plan sputtered. Now Sarasota is trying again

A downtown Sarasota condo promised housing. Then it was marketed like a hotel

For more than a year, a proposed 18-story, glass-and-concrete [...]

By |2026-01-22T22:04:18-05:00January 23, 2026 5:50 am|Sarasota, Suncoast|Comments Off on A downtown Sarasota condo promised housing. Then it was marketed like a hotel

Florida bill would give Benderson Development its own taxing district at UTC

A new bill in the Florida House would turn [...]

By |2026-03-06T16:23:30-05:00January 16, 2026 5:30 am|Manatee, Sarasota, Suncoast|Comments Off on Florida bill would give Benderson Development its own taxing district at UTC

Gran Paradiso’s water war ends, but fallout lands on former directors

A three-year legal saga between residents of Gran Paradiso [...]

By |2026-01-15T13:51:40-05:00January 9, 2026 5:55 am|Sarasota, Suncoast|Comments Off on Gran Paradiso’s water war ends, but fallout lands on former directors

Sarasota County offered others far less for Siesta beach lots as Holderness deal looms

Katie Gerhardt remembered when her parents’ Siesta Key properties [...]

By |2025-12-18T21:17:15-05:00December 19, 2025 5:45 am|Sarasota, Suncoast|Comments Off on Sarasota County offered others far less for Siesta beach lots as Holderness deal looms
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