Multi-family mania continues in St. Johns County.
The areas’ ongoing real estate gold rush has let loose an eye-popping burst in multi-family building projects — jumping from just 79 permits from May 2011 to May 2012 to an all-time high of 2,699 over that same span from 2021 to 2022, according to U.S. Census Bureau data.
Once dominated by large lots and one-family residences, the county is now dotted with large-scale apartment complexes in every direction.
The trend has angered residents over worsening traffic and straining resources, while others have cited the need for more affordable housing in the area.
The initial burst in multi-family projects came between May 2016 and May 2017, when 829 permits were pulled compared to 122 over the prior 12-month period.
The trajectory slowed again during the pandemic before surging up to the 2022 record breaking mark.
Multi-family development has dipped since then but remains elevated compared to historical trends.
A total of 1,936 multi-family permits were pulled between May 2022 and May 2023, with another batch of 639 since then.
