Good Morning, Sunland
It's Monday! Teachers are headed back today, and soon buses and children will be back! I love this time of year because it's the sprint towards Christmas and things start to come a million miles an hour! Looking forward to what the rest of the year has!
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In today's newsletter:
🏠 Port St. Lucie is one of the most expensive rental markets in Florida
🏖️ South Beach Park in Vero Beach ranked No. 22 best beach in the world
🎭 Sunrise Theatre names new Executive Director with Broadway plans
🦈 Martin County considers changes to shark fishing rules
🎉 Back to school events, Friday Fest, and a full week of civic meetings ahead
Alright, let's jump right in!
⛈️ Weather Update: Humid with sun and clouds, storms this afternoon.
☀️ Day: High of 91°F | Humid with times of clouds and sun, a couple of thunderstorms
🌙 Night: Low of 74°F | A stray evening thunderstorm, otherwise partly cloudy.
🌅 Sunrise: 6:46 AM | 🌇 Sunset: 8:09 PM
🌙 Moonrise: 11:06 PM | 🌚 Moonset: 12:19 PM
🎶 Sounds like: "The One" — Gabriel Jacoby
Ja'Min Devon
Founder, Sunland News
🟠 Main Squeeze: Port St. Lucie is one of the most expensive rental markets in Florida
Port St. Lucie is expensive. That is not an opinion. It is what the data says 🏠.
According to Zumper, the median rent in Port St. Lucie as of July 2026 is $2,600 a month, about 35% above the national average of $1,930. And according to the National Low Income Housing Coalition's annual report, Florida ranks 10th in the country for the hourly wage renters need just to afford a two bedroom apartment at $37.93 an hour.
Here is where the Treasure Coast stands right now 📋:
🏡 Port St. Lucie: $2,600 a month, up 2.7% from a year ago
🏡 Stuart: $2,500 a month, essentially flat
🏡 Vero Beach: $2,500 a month, down 2% from a year ago
🏡 Fort Pierce: $2,200 a month, down 5.8% from a year ago
🏡 Sebastian: $2,000 a month, down 13% from a year ago
Every single one of those numbers is still above the national average.
Worth knowing about what you are actually renting here 👀: In Port St. Lucie, 82.3% of rental properties are houses, not apartments. The median rent for a house is $2,700 a month compared to $2,368 for an apartment. Fort Pierce tells a similar story, with houses averaging $2,250 and apartments averaging $1,600. So when people talk about rent on the Treasure Coast, they are largely talking about renting someone's home, not a traditional apartment complex.
Last Thing: To afford rent in Port St. Lucie without spending more than 30% of your income on housing, you need to be earning close to $79,000 a year. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the median household income in St. Lucie County was $71,457 as of 2024 👀.
Fort Pierce is actually trending in a different direction, down nearly 6% year over year, while Port St. Lucie is trending the other way.
I am looking to do a rent confessional series about people's experience with living and affording St. Lucie County. If you want to share your story, fill out the form right here.
📰 Press Round: Beaches, Broadway & Beach Safety
🏖️ South Beach Park Ranked No. 22 Best Beach in the World
South Beach Park in Vero Beach earned the No. 22 ranking globally from Beach.com, which analyzed Google Map reviews. The park ranked high for facility conditions, clear water and ADA compliance. Located at 1702 Ocean Drive, it serves millions of tourists annually who support local businesses.
👉 Read more (Vero News)
🎭 Sunrise Theatre Names New Executive Director
The Sunrise Theatre appointed Numa Christopher Saisselin as Executive Director on July 20. Saisselin previously led the Florida Theatre in Jacksonville, growing it from $3.1 million to $14 million annually. Plans for the Sunrise include national touring acts, Broadway entertainment, comedy and children's theatre. The city retains ownership under VenuWorks' management through September 2031.
👉 Read more (Sunland News)
🦈 Martin County Considers Changes to Shark Fishing Rules
Martin County is weighing changes to its shark fishing ordinance after the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission directed the county to align rules with state law. State law allows shark fishing within 1,000 feet of guarded beaches with proper licenses. County commissioners tabled discussion to review community concerns and draft new ordinance language.
👉 Read more (WPTV)
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Call For A Quote🎉 Weekdayer: M - T - W - TH - F… 772 EVENTS!
Monday, August 3
🏺 Treasure Coast Pottery Art Exhibit, MIDFLORIDA Event Center. 8AM to 5PM. Details
Wednesday, August 5
🍝 Power In The Fort: Women's Luncheon, Casa Pasta. 11:30AM. Details
Thursday, August 6
Friday, August 7
🎒 Dunn's Kids Foundation 6th Annual Backpack Giveaway, PAL Center, 2203 Orange Ave, Fort Pierce. 9AM. Details
🎉 Friday Fest: August, Marina Square, Fort Pierce. 5:30PM to 8:30PM. Details
🛍️ Olive Branch Outdoor Market, 3750 NE Indian River Dr, Jensen Beach. 4PM. Details
🎵 Okeechobee Main Street Summer Concert Series, Okeechobee Park Street, Okeechobee. 6PM. Details
🎹 Dueling Pianos at The Harbor Cocktail Lounge, 116 Avenue A, Fort Pierce. 7PM. Details
Send Me More Events Here
💧 Civic Week Ahead
📋 Fort Pierce City Commission Monday, August 3 at 5:05 p.m. – King's Landing update and discussion of special meeting. Graceway Village family shelter community quasi-judicial hearing (7.84 acres, 1780 Hartman Road). Three-story home construction east of coastal control line. Tank farm industrial project. Agenda
🏛️ St. Lucie County BOCC Tuesday, August 4 at 6 p.m. – Indrio Town Center rezoning hearing continued indefinitely. Alco Groves mining permit conditional use and major site plan quasi-judicial hearings. FAA and FDOT airport infrastructure grants ($2.7M total). Agenda
🗺️ PSL Planning and Zoning Board Tuesday, August 4 at 6 p.m. – Verano South PUD Amendment No. 4 quasi-judicial hearing (adds permitted and accessory uses). Commerce Centre Drive rezoning 2.74 acres from Recreation to Conservation Open Space. Agenda
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