PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (CBS12) \u2014 The rapid growth on the Treasure Coast is something that is not slowing down anytime soon.<\/p>\n
With almost 255,000 residents, Port St. Lucie is now Florida\u2019s sixth largest city, according to the U.S. Census.<\/p>\n
This is up about 50,000 from 2020.<\/p>\n
City leaders tell CBS12 News it’s not a matter of all of that growth coming too fast, but taking advantage of all the opportunities that come with it.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s getting a little crowded now, but you get used to it,\u201d said Beverly Kamensky, a Port St. Lucie resident.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it\u2019s good. We\u2019ve been here ever since the developers left and I think the politicians have taken over and done a good job,\u201d said Ed Gillen, a Port St. Lucie resident.<\/p>\n
Port St Lucie residents have mixed opinions on the rapid growth of its city.<\/p>\n
But Scott Samples, the city’s Public Information Officer, says this is something they have been planning for decades.<\/p>\n
“This was kind of a long-term plan. It was expedited a bit as the growth has come at a quick pace. What you’ve seen is the developers who have those property rights to build are really trying to meet the demands they’re seeing from a housing perspective or businesses,\u201d said Samples.<\/p>\n
Because of this demand, Port St. Lucie home prices are rising faster than average compared to the rest of the state, selling for a median price of $410,000, according to real estate website Redfin.Com<\/a>.<\/p>\n But residents say it’s still much more affordable then other big cities.<\/p>\n “Financially, it\u2019s much less expensive living here than in New York,\u201d said Charles Kamensky, a Port St. Lucie resident.<\/p>\n The affordability spiking the demand, leading to more developments, which unfortunately leads to more traffic.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s not a good thing. Especially this time of year,\u201d said Gillen.<\/p>\n \u201cWe try not to leave the house before 9am. If we have to go do something, try to be home by 3pm. Rush hour can be a little hectic,\u201d said Kamensky.<\/p>\n Samples says they’re taking a data-driven approach to combat traffic congestion around the city.<\/p>\n “So, where are the places we need to put roads, to expand roads, to build new roads,\u201d said Samples.<\/p>\n That issue also falls on the developers inside neighborhoods.<\/p>\n “If a developer wants to build a housing complex, they have to build the roads to get in there,\u201d said samples.<\/p>\n