About the City Manager
Christopher Cooper
Acting City Manager
Christopher Cooper has more than two decades of experience in public service, working with both municipal and county governments. Throughout his career, he has demonstrated strong leadership by building effective teams and focusing on strategic solutions to address community needs. He is known for fostering clear communication and building collaborative relationships among a wide range of stakeholders. His experience spans municipal operations, internal organizational support functions and intergovernmental coordination to advance community goals.
He has overseen the addition of more than $1 million in grant funding for homeless services, led significant planning efforts including area-specific master plans, and advanced initiatives related to tree and landscape protection, historic preservation and customer service enhancements. Cooper began his tenure with the City of Fort Lauderdale in 2018 as deputy director of the Development Services Department and was promoted to director of development services in 2022. As director, he oversaw a broad portfolio including urban design and planning, building services, land development, zoning and landscape, community enhancement and compliance, business tax, housing and community development, public art and cultural affairs, and administrative services. He led all aspects of development projects—from planning and design to permitting and completion—as well as code compliance and housing initiatives.
Before joining Fort Lauderdale, Cooper served from 2006 to 2018 with the City of Gainesville, Florida, as intergovernmental affairs coordinator and code enforcement division manager. As intergovernmental affairs coordinator, he played a key role in the City Manager’s Office, leading state and federal advocacy, coordinating with local and state agencies, and managing citywide grant efforts. As code enforcement manager, he implemented a strategic plan to improve code enforcement, led a City Commission initiative to enhance effectiveness, and introduced new technology to improve transparency and accountability, including a case management software platform and fleet tracking system. Cooper began his public service career as a planner with Marion County’s Community Development Department. He led efforts to prepare reports required for state and federal grants, including the Community Development Block Grant and the State Housing Initiatives Partnership. He also authored the county’s first Annual Report of Fair Housing, focusing on compliance with fair housing regulations and identifying resources for residents facing housing discrimination.
Cooper holds a Master of Arts in political science with a focus on public affairs from the University of Florida and a Bachelor of Science in political science from Florida State University. He is credentialed by the American Institute of Certified Planners and certified as a code enforcement professional by the Florida Association of Code Enforcement. He is active in the Florida City and County Management Association and is a member of the International City/County Management Association.