One in nine homes here is now a short-term rental
Rental math, plate-reader questions, and two September dates to hold.
Here's what changed in St. Augustine: short-term rentals are nearing 1,000 properties, the Yellow Jackets are No. 1 in the state, and two September dates are worth saving.
St. Augustine now has close to 1,000 short-term rental properties. That works out to roughly one rental for every nine homes in the city.
The count puts a number on a change many residents already see near the historic core: more homes operating as nightly stays instead of long-term housing. It also adds context to local arguments over parking, noise, housing supply, and neighborhood character.
For renters and buyers, every property used for short stays sits outside the regular housing market. For neighbors, the ratio shows how concentrated the visitor economy has become beyond hotels and inns.
St. Augustine takes the top spot in the state football ranking
St. Augustine is the new No. 1 in Florida's high school football Super 10.
The Yellow Jackets moved to the top after the latest week of games. Rankings change as results come in, but St. Augustine opens September with the state's top spot.
St. Augustine Society is up for a $200,000 grant
The St. Augustine Society is Florida's only finalist for a 2027 Chick-fil-A True Inspiration Regional Award. The nonprofit helps individuals, young people, and families facing hunger and housing instability.
Chick-fil-A owner Wayne Efford nominated the group after working with its From Hunger to Housing approach for nearly a decade. Its finalist spot comes with a $35,000 grant. The organization is also competing for an additional $200,000 to expand food support across its three programs.
Public voting opened September 1 and runs through September 30. Anyone can cast one vote through the Chick-fil-A app.
License plate readers are getting a second look
St. Johns County's license plate readers are drawing new scrutiny. The cameras log plates as vehicles pass and help deputies connect cars to crimes. The Sheriff's Office points to cases the system helped close.
The questions now are about limits. How long is the data kept? Who is allowed to search it? What stops a casual look-up? A tool that solves real cases can also record a lot of drivers who did nothing wrong.
Most of us pass one of these cameras without thinking about it. That is the part getting a closer look, and the policy side is still being argued out.
The Home & Garden Expo runs September 12
- When
- Saturday, September 12 · 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
- Address
- 25 W. Castillo Dr, St. Augustine, FL
The Old City Home & Garden Expo runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, September 12, at 25 W. Castillo Drive.
The seven-hour expo brings home, garden, and improvement vendors into one place. If you have a project in mind, bring photos and rough measurements so vendors can give you a more useful answer.
A hundred years of keeping in touch with Spain
The Fundación Consejo España-Estados Unidos selected St. Augustine for its 11th Bernardo de Gálvez Award. The award recognizes institutions and communities that strengthen relations between Spain and the United States.
It was presented June 12 in Avilés, Spain, St. Augustine's longtime sister city. Mayor Nancy Sikes-Kline took part. The two cities marked 100 years of their formal relationship in 2024.
The September 11 ceremony starts at 8:30 a.m.
- When
- Friday, September 11 · 8:30 AM
- Address
- 170 St George St, St. Augustine, FL
The city's 9/11 Ceremony of Remembrance begins at 8:30 a.m. Friday, September 11, at 170 St. George Street. The annual downtown ceremony is open to the public.
This year marks 25 years since the attacks. Arrive early if you need time to park and walk to the ceremony site.