The Florida Keys are successfully sold as a land of flip-flops, sunsets and rum drinks, but the reality is different for those who live and work on the islands. The Keys are caught in a spiral, created by their beauty and their economic dependence on selling that beauty.
More people visit the Keys and some buy homes for vacation or retirement.
Other homes are converted to tourist lodging. New businesses open, creating jobs for more people. Growth controls and environmental restrictions, intended to protect the islands from the ever-increasing use, limit new building. Rents go up. Home prices soar.