For The Locals

Local Sustainability Programs and Resources

Voluntourism: Join eco-conscious visitors who donate time during their vacations to activities that make the Keys a better place. Activities might include free shoreline cleanup boat trips with Conch Republic Marine Army, coral outplanting dives and more. Provide your perspective on island life, tips for things to do, and share your thanks for their contributions.

Plastic Free Key West: You have the power to protect our oceans and waterways around Key West from plastic pollution. Plastic Free Key West is a community initiative that celebrates local businesses taking real action to reduce — and ultimately eliminate — single-use plastics.

Skip the Straw: The simplest way to keep plastic out of our ocean? Use less of it. That’s why Reef Relief is collaborating with local businesses to take a stand against single-use plastic straws. By joining the Skip the Straw campaign, businesses shift consumer habits and reduce the demand for unnecessary plastic.

Responsible Sunscreen: Protecting your skin from the sun is essential — but the type of sunscreen you use affects more than just your health; it can also harm delicate marine ecosystems like coral reefs. The good news is, you don’t have to choose between your well-being and the environment — by using coral-safe mineral sunscreens like Stream2Sea and others, or sun-safe alternatives like hats, UPF clothing, and shade, you can do both.

Monroe County Native Plant Landscaping Guide: A guide to native landscaping is available from county environmental resources to guide residents in creating stunning landscapes while supporting local ecosystems. Choose plants based on qualities like butterfly attraction, showy flowers, salt tolerance and more. Find the guide as a downloadable PDF and flipbook.

Have a great opportunity that locals or local businesses should know about? Let us know at: webeditor@fla-keys.com

Jobs in the Keys

HireTheKeys.com

Keys Weekly classifieds

Keys Citizen classifieds

Community Notices

Village of Islamorada

Founders Park Pool has reopened! The pool resurfacing and facility improvement project is complete, paid for in part by a Tourist Development Council (TDC) capital grant. Those dollars were contributed by visitors staying in hotels and short-term lodging and administered by the TDC.

Click here to access the new Rectrec Recreation Management System website for Village Parks & Recreation program, to reserve facilities and more. Click here to download the new Founders Park app.

For questions or concerns, please contact the Park Office at (305) 853-1685 or ifp@islamorada.fl.us. Project updates will be available at www.islamorada.fl.us.

City of Marathon

The City of Marathon is pleased to confirm that the splash pad project at Community Park remains fully funded and on schedule. In response to recent community inquiries, the City wants to assure residents that there are no funding issues affecting this project.

Contractors are currently onsite completing work on the Skate Park and will transition to the Splash Pad upon completion. Construction continues to proceed according to the planned timeline. The City looks forward to delivering this new community amenity and thanks residents for their continued support and patience.

City of Key West

The Garrison Bight Mooring Field within City waters is located in the area between Fleming Key and Sigsbee Park. the field has increased to 149 moorings thanks to a grant from Monroe County's Department of Marine Resources. These moorings are a mix of full-time live aboard as well as transient boaters. A city pump-out boat provides services to all vessels in the Key West City Mooring Field, which is a no-discharge zone for sewage from boats.

Monroe County - Lower Keys

Monroe County officials joined Governor Ron DeSantis on President's Day for the unveiling of a new statue honoring James Monroe, the fifth President of the United States and the namesake of Monroe County. The monument was installed on the west end of the Bahia Honda Bridge on Scout Key as part of Florida’s commemoration of America’s 250th anniversary.

The statue stands along the newly designated Spottswood Heritage Trail and near the historic Flagler Railroad bridge and Coupon Bight Aquatic Preserve, near mile marker 37. The site was selected by the state to connect visitors with both the natural and historical resources that define the Florida Keys.

Monroe County - Key Largo

Monroe County has amended the rental rate for a one-bedroom/one-bathroom Southcliff Estates housing units for workers in the tourism industry, located at 95295 Overseas Highway (MM 95) in Key Largo to $1900/month. The units are only available to those employed in Monroe County’s private-sector tourism-related industries, including arts, entertainment, recreation, fishing and diving, hotels, restaurants, food services, and sightseeing. Applicants must work in a qualifying business located in the Florida Keys and fall under maximum income requirements.

To qualify, applicants must:

Head of household must be 18 years of age or older.
Maximum income:
- One person: $120,400
- Two people: $137,520
- Two people (married/domestic partners): $183,360
Rent includes water, sewer, and trash.
Tenants pay for electricity. Tenants pay for cable and internet, if desired.
A maximum of two people only in a unit.
Show proof of income and employment in an eligible tourism-related business.
Meet additional eligibility requirements outlined in the application.

Additional requirements include background checks, landlord verification, and submission of all required documents through the online application portal. No paper applications will be accepted. The units will be rented on a first-come, first-qualified basis.

These units were purchased as part of a $35 million TDC surplus, for which the Florida Legislature passed a bill explicitly authorizing Monroe County to use the surplus funds for affordable housing for employees of private-sector tourism-related businesses. Southcliff Estates is the first project funded through this initiative. Additional projects are being set for each TDC district in the Florida Keys.

For more information or to apply, visit www.monroecounty-fl.gov/southcliff or contact SouthcliffApartments@MonroeCounty-FL.gov. The Monroe County Housing Authority also has available units for individuals of different and lower income levels throughout the Florida Keys. For information on the housing authority, visit https://www.kwha.org/mcha/.