About First Coast Observer
Independent journalism covering development, real estate, and construction in Northeast Florida.
Last updated: May 14, 2026
Our Mission
First Coast Observer exists to inform residents about the forces shaping their communities — and to hold the institutions making those decisions accountable to the public record.
Our coverage focuses on the intersection of public policy, private development, and community impact in Duval, St. Johns, Clay, and Nassau counties.
What We Cover
We are building reporting beats around:
- Commercial and residential development projects
- Building permits, zoning decisions, and land use
- Infrastructure investments and public-private partnerships
- Housing affordability and displacement
- Environmental impact of development
- Real estate market trends
Our Approach
We practice document-driven journalism. Every story links to the primary sources behind it so readers can see the evidence themselves.
The site is in active development. Public records pipelines and neighborhood-level reporting are being built openly; see our GitHub.
Contact
Have a tip, a document, or a correction? See our contact page.