The Florida Housing Coalition has called for collaboration among government, private, and nonprofit sectors to help solve the current “housing crisis.”
“We don’t have enough affordable housing in Florida,” read the organization’s 2024 Home Matters report, released Monday at the organization’s 37th Annual Statewide Affordable Housing Conference at the Rosen Center Hotel in Orlando.
The report found that at least 2.4 million families in Florida are cost burdened, meaning more than 30% of their income is spent on just rent and utilities. Of those families, 1.3 million are considered low-income households and were reported to be severely cost burdened — meaning they spend at least half of their income just to keep a home with power and running water.
That doesn’t account for transportation, groceries, and other basic living expenses.
Florida Housing Coalition CEO Ashon Nesbitt said Florida needs more affordable housing but also ways to reduce living costs for current renters and homeowners, as they live through record-high inflation amid stagnant wages.
“We have a wider swath of the population that are now paying more just because housing costs have gone up. At the same time, incomes haven't risen as fast. Now you have a lot more people that previously might have been in a higher income status are now in that low income status,” he said. “We do see an increase in cost burden, and I think folks feel that in their communities, and the numbers are bearing that out.”
In this latest report, the FHC reported a year-to-year increase in the number of individuals, families, and children experiencing homelessness since the pandemic, citing 94,899 children, for last year. This is nearly a 21% increase from 2022, which saw 77,203 children in homelessness, according to the National Center for Homeless Education.
According to the report, housing plays a major role in people’s health. The report found a correlation between unaffordability and food insecurity, physical health hazards, and a higher risk for mental health issues, such as anxiety and depression. A lack of affordable housing also makes it near-impossible for people to pay for other priorities, such as childcare and emergencies.
“It can be hard to address education; it's hard for a person to get a job when they don't have a place to stay,” the CEO said. “Housing truly is foundational, and if we don't address housing, it's going to be difficult to address all the other things.”
FHC’s report also showed that lower income families are paying the highest electric bills. Nesbitt said low-income families have some of the least energy-efficient or storm-resistant homes, but there are several ways to make homes more affordable and efficient.
“For folks who already own homes, you have to think, what are the costs that go into maintaining that house?” Nesbitt said. “Making homes more resilient can impact their insurance costs. We can invest in solar and things that can lower their electric bill — those are the types of things we should be looking at in supporting ways to kind of make homeownership more sustainable.”
According to FHC’s report, affordable housing and living reduces taxpayer expenses and boosts the economy and this year’s state funds can be a huge help.
The report stated that the Legislature’s $3.7 billion allocation this fiscal year to the Sadowski Housing Trust Fund programs will play a big role. The Sadoswki Fund is the only trust in the state dedicated solely to the development of affordable housing. The report said these funds could create “57,000 jobs and have $7.2 billion in positive economic impact,” as well as housing that could last generations.
Lillian Hernández Caraballo is a Report for America corps member.
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