One of the biggest changes to Pensacola Beach over the last 4 years has been the number of large, unruly, drunken parties that are taking over the residential neighborhoods, particularly during the weeks that U.S. colleges take their Spring Breaks.  

Part of this is due to the increasing number of "home-tels" being approved and built to accommodate 20, 30, and even 40 people in one structure, but most of it is due to the fact that we are one of the few Gulf Coast communities that has not taken active steps towards preventing the associated problems that come with huge crowds partying in residential neighborhoods.

Since 2015, Pensacola Beach has seen increased underage drinking, noise violations, nudity, physical violence, trespassing, public defecation & urination, overcrowding of rental properties, property damage, vagrancy, minor larceny, public intoxication, DUIs, etc. in recent years.  A comparison of law enforcement calls for March and July of 2018 show that the problems encountered during Spring Break are 2 to 8 times more frequent than during the height of the summer season, yet no arrests are being made. 

The Pensacola Beach Advocates are working with our friends at the Santa Rosa Island Authority and the Escambia County Sheriff's Office to come up with a plan to enhance enforcement on Pensacola Beach for the 2019 Spring Break.  This will require the cooperation of everyone: residents, businesses, leaseholders, rental agents and vacationers, but the results will be worth it!  We're losing vacationing families who don't want to expose their children to the mob mentality that was witnessed in 2018, and we need those families back!