St. Johns Housing Partnership Adds Pinewood Apartments to its Affordable Portfolio

GREEN COVE SPRINGS, Fla. - The St. Johns Housing Partnership (SJHP) has added to the non-profit’s portfolio of affordable properties with the addition of Pinewood Apartments in Green Cove Springs, Fla.

 “We’ve been working on this for over two years. Preserving another community for low-income elderly is a huge accomplishment for our organization. This acquisition continues to build our regional reputation within the affordable housing community. Now we've got a year’s worth of rehab to bring it up to our standards,” noted SJHP Executive Director Bill Lazar. 

The 54-one-and-two-bedroom apartments, located at 1000 Pinewood Court, were built in 1979. SJHP also owns and operates Southern Villas in St. Augustin e Fla., 60 apartments for low-income seniors, and St Johns River Apartments in Palatka, Fla. units also for low-income seniors. 

"The acquisition and planned rehabilitation of Pinewood Apartments is an important investment in the future of Green Cove Springs,” noted Green Cove Springs Interim City Manager Mike Null. “Affordable housing remains a City priority and plays a vital role in supporting a stable, inclusive community. We appreciate the St. Johns Housing Partnership and its partners for their investment in our City and our residents, and their commitment to providing safe, clean, and affordable housing." 

SJHP recently received a “Property Preservation” grant from the Delores Barr Weaver Legacy Fund through the Community Foundation of Northeast Florida to immediately address some of the deferred maintenance prior to the startup of the planned rehab. 

 SJHP was also the recipient of a $50,000 grant from Enterprise Foundation Community Partners to support our rental program capacity. SJHP thanks Estate Title, Rose Community Capital, Nelson Mullins law firm and the USDA Multifamily Preservation Division and the Housing Assistance Council for making the acquisition come true. 

Rent is subsidized by the US Department of Agriculture Rural Development. Dimension One Management will be responsible for property management. Founded in 1998, the St. Johns Housing Partnership is committed to developing and preserving affordable housing while providing support for residents with low and moderate incomes, the elderly, disabled and veterans. 

SJHP is redefining affordable, low-income housing. They acquire and renovate existing housing, as well as build new affordable rental and for sale properties and repair homes. 

For more information visit www.sjhp.org or email info@sjhp.org.

KW RED Day Volunteers Converge on Southern Villas

 ST. AUGUSTINE - RED Day is Keller Williams Atlantic Partners’ annual day of giving back. This year the local Realtor had a day of service at Southern Villas.

The non-profit St. Johns Housing Partnership (SJHP) owns Southern Villas, a USDA subsidized multifamily property in St. Augustine for the elderly and handicapped. 

Every second Thursday of May, KW agents, leaders, and associates step away from their daily business routine and venture out into their communities to renew, energize and volunteer.

"Our associates and staff are proud to give back by supporting the vital work of the St. Johns Housing Partnership. RED Day is just one example of how the Keller Williams culture lives and breathes service year-round," said Trudy Padilla of Keller Williams Atlantic Partners.

Over 40 volunteers spent the day landscaping, performing yard cleanups and some needed cleaning the apartment homes.

RED Day sponsors included Southern Horticulture, LunsPro Inspections, Pro-Spect Inspection and Scott Golmic with The Realestateographers. Live music was provided by New Guys on the Dock.

Claudia Marcus is Southern Villas’ Services Coordinator from the St Johns County Counsel on Aging.

“It was a wonderful day. The residents and property had numerous tasks completed by teams of volunteers. They arrived with a spirit of giving back and really made a difference to the delight of the residents,” added Marcus.

SJHP currently owns over 80 multi-family and single-family rental properties in Clay, Putnam and St Johns County. SJHP staff including Marlee Tompkins, Sherry Harrison and Gina Birmingham coordinated the day’s activities.

The housing partnership is committed to developing and preserving quality housing while providing support for residents with low and moderate incomes, the elderly, disabled and Veterans. 

They work every day to redefine affordable, low-income housing by acquiring, repairing and renovating existing housing, as well as building new affordable rental and for sale properties.

RED Day was founded in 2009 to uphold KW’s philanthropic responsibilities to the communities they serve. It is also a celebration of the birthday of former CEO of Keller Williams and passionate builder and company culture champion, Mo Anderson.

If you have a club, organization, church or civic group that would like to do a SJHP volunteer day visit https://www.sjhp.org/volunteers-needed/, call (904) 824-0902 or email info@sjhp.org.

St. Johns Housing Partnership Looking to Benefit from Local Giving Day

ST. AUGUSTINE – The St. Johns Housing Partnership (SJHP), helping people live safer, healthier and independently with dignity, is one of the local nonprofits looking to benefit from this week’s Giving Day, May 7-8.

Giving Day 2025 is a 24-hour online giving event designed to empower every person to give back to their community by supporting local nonprofits and the causes they care about. Affordable, safe housing is an ongoing challenge for many in North Florida.

Founded in 1998, the St. Johns Housing Partnership is committed to developing and preserving quality housing while providing support for residents with low and moderate incomes, the elderly, disabled and Veterans.

SJHP is striving to redefine affordable housing by advocating for those with low incomes, the elderly, disabled and Veterans severely impacted by the absence of affordable housing or can’t afford to repair their home to make it livable and healthy.

SJHP works tirelessly to ensure every person has a safe, clean, affordable place to live.

“Housing is the reason we exist and the reason we show up every single day. We know that you cannot build a life without a safe and affordable home,” said SJHP Executive Director Bill Lazar.

Since its inception in 2019, this event grew from an idea to help local people give wisely, to a movement that has inspired a broad culture of community-wide giving. During Giving Day 2025, everyone can be a philanthropist; every dollar will make a difference.

Giving Day 2025 is made possible through a unique partnership — hosted by the John 1:16 Foundation and sponsored by Endless Summer Realty (ESR) and The FOCUS Group (TFG).

Giving Day is a 24-hour online donation drive from May 7- May 8 – 12 p.m. -12 p.m.. Donate or learn more at https://www.sjhp.org/.

‘Affordable Housing Matters’ Podcast Debuts with First Episode Featuring UF’s Anne Ray

ST. AUGUSTINE — Creative Public Media today announced the launch of Affordable Housing Matters, a new podcast that pulls back the curtain on issues and challenges involved in solving the affordable housing crisis.

Hosted by Bill Lazar, executive director of the St. Johns Housing Partnership in St. Augustine, Fla., the series digs into the trends, strategies, and mindsets that face communities, housing leaders, the government, builders, developers and architects in creating and maintaining affordable housing.

The inaugural episode features Anne Ray, the manager of the Florida Housing Data Clearinghouse at University of Florida’s Shimberg Center for Housing Studies.

She directs the Center’s statewide Rental Market Study and has performed research on preservation of assisted rental housing, public housing, the housing needs of persons with disabilities, farmworker housing, and states’ implementation of the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit.

Previously, she worked for the Family Housing Fund in Minneapolis. Ms. Ray holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan and a master’s degree in urban planning and policy from the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Affordable Housing Matters episodes are available anytime on the SJHP web site at www.sjhp.org and on PodBean at https://www.podbean.com/eas/pb-zrcrr-1773b4b.

St. Johns Housing Partnership's Patriot Place Holds Special Ceremony

MountainStar Partners, St. Johns Housing Partnership (SJHP) and St. Johns County recognized the residents of St. Augustine’s Patriot Place with a hand-crafted statue to commemorate their military service.

A pair of military boots, a helmet and a weapon was donated by a partner who wishes to remain anonymous.

Located at 79 Masters Drive, the six-unit apartment community offers one-bedroom apartments to veterans at 30% of the market value, with the balance subsidized by the St. Johns Housing Partnership. \

In addition to safe, clean, and affordable housing, veterans can work with UF Health St. Johns social health programs and UF Health St. Johns Care Connect+ for resources such as food pantries, counseling, workplace readiness and transportation.

Chris Lazarra, MountainStar’s CEO; Bill Lazar, executive director of St. Johns Housing Partnership; Shastan Johnson, St. Johns County Continuum of Care Housing lead; Kevin Sweeny, UF Health chief of staff; St. Johns County Sheriff Rob Hardwick; and St. Augustine City Commissioner Cynthia Garris were in attendance.

Founded in 1996, the SJHP provides low- to moderate-income housing solutions by working with the public and private sectors to rebuild neglected homes and revitalize neighborhoods in disadvantaged areas.

Touting a million-dollar price tag, Patriot Place became a reality through MountainStar Partners, SJHP, and St. Johns County. MountainStar Partners committed more than $500,000 for the land acquisition and construction costs. Bryan McCloskey served as the architect with construction completed by Robert Marshall of World Island Builders.