On Tuesday, February 19, with a 5-0 unanimous vote, the Board of Commissioners of St. Johns County approved the rezoning of a 3.94-acre property at the intersection of King Street Extension and N. Clay Street, from Residential, Single-Family (RS-2) to Workforce Housing (WH).
This site will be developed by Habitat for Humanity of St. Augustine/St. Johns County as its fifth neighborhood, Cypress Village. The workforce housing designation allows Habitat St. Johns to build 17 single-family homes, all of which will be affordable, workforce housing for low- to moderate-income homeowner partners. These are people who work in the community but would otherwise not be able to afford to live here, such as teachers, firefighters, law enforcement, medical workers, and hospitality employees.
Malinda Everson, Executive Director of Habitat St. Johns, states “We really appreciate the support of the county commissioners in approving this project for workforce housing to allow more affordable living options for our local workforce. Home ownership is life-changing for the people we work with, creating stability and self-reliance now, and generational wealth that helps families for decades. And our housing benefits the larger community by keeping our workforce local.”
She goes on to explain, “Habitat homeowners work very hard. They have to do 200 sweat equity hours building their homes and other homes within the Habitat program. Homeowners take courses in budgeting and financial literacy, basic home maintenance, and more. They get to know their neighbors, develop pride in the neighborhood, and are set up for success as homeowners and contributing members of the community.”
Cypress Village will be made up of 2-bedroom 1-bath, and 3-bedroom 2-bath homes like the homes in Volusia Woods. Construction is expected to get underway in the summer of 2026 and about half of the property will be developed, leaving wetlands and trees in place for water runoff and an abundance of natural surroundings.
Habitat St. Johns has in the last year increased capacity from building 4-6 houses per year to constructing 18 homes annually to better keep up with the demand for affordable housing in St. Johns County. Habitat St. Johns adopted the goal of increasing production to 30 homes per year by 2028.
Habitat for Humanity of St. Augustine/St. Johns County has been serving our county’s hardworking families and individuals for over 30 years and is an affiliate of Habitat for Humanity, International that originated in Americus Georgia in 1976. Since 1992, Habitat for Humanity of St. Augustine/St. Johns County has built approximately 170 houses for families and individuals in need. To qualify for homeownership, applicants must demonstrate need, ability to pay,
willingness to partner through two hundred sweat equity hours and have worked or lived in St. Johns County for at least one year.
