ST. AUGUSTINE, Florida — A new 37-bed homeless shelter designed to keep families together has opened in St. Augustine's Lincolnville neighborhood, addressing a growing need in one of Florida's wealthiest counties.
The Goff Family Shelter, operated by the nonprofit St. Augustine Society, can accommodate up to nine families at a time and prioritizes those in the most vulnerable situations — people living in cars or camps rather than those doubled up with relatives. Executive Director Judith Dembowski said the shelter focuses on keeping children and parents together during a crisis, rather than separating them into different facilities.
"Imagine being like 7 or 8, losing everything and then having to go somewhere where your mom is not," Dembowski said. "This keeps families together." Once families are safe, case workers help them find jobs, arrange daycare for children, and access other support services.
The need is acute. The latest homelessness census by the St. Johns County Continuum of Care showed a 16 percent year-over-year increase in unhoused individuals — from 316 in 2025 to 367 in 2026. The St. Johns County School District reported 357 students without stable sleeping arrangements at the end of the 2025-26 school year, and the census does not capture families doubled up with relatives.
