ST. AUGUSTINE, Florida — A new homeless shelter designed specifically to keep families together has opened in St. Augustine's Lincolnville neighborhood, filling what advocates describe as a critical gap in services for Northeast Florida. The Goff Family Shelter, operated by the nonprofit St. Augustine Society, can house up to nine families with a total of 37 beds.
> "Imagine being like 7 or 8, losing everything and then having to go somewhere where your mom is not. This keeps families together," said Judith Dembowski, executive director of the St. Augustine Society.
The shelter prioritizes families living in cars and encampments over those who are doubled up with relatives. A recent point-in-time census showed a 16% increase in unhoused individuals in St. Johns County, with 367 people counted — 190 of them unsheltered. The St. Johns County School District reported 357 students without stable sleeping arrangements at the end of the 2025-26 school year.
The shelter was funded through a combination of federal grants, individual donors, and a critical contribution from the Goff family. Robert Goff, a part-time St. Augustine resident, made the shelter possible after the death of his daughter Katie in 2025. The facility includes "Katie's Corner," a reading nook named in her memory.
> "To me, when I drive past this place, this is like Katie's place. When I look at this, I feel like it's my daughter," Goff said.
