When it comes to affordable housing, Florida has seen both triumphs and ongoing challenges in 2017. Compared to other states in the nation, Florida enjoys access to an incredible source of funding for housing, the Sadowski Local Housing Trust Fund. At the time of publication of this report, the Florida Legislature was working to appropriate Housing Trust Funds for housing in Florida. At the same time, community leaders and residents across the state have called out for help in the face of soaring housing costs and a shrinking supply of affordable housing. The housing landscape was only worsened in 2017 by the hurricane season.

Everyone needs a safe, stable place to call home, but housing is a market commodity as well as a basic human need. Unfortunately, the private market by itself is unable to provide homes and apartments for many workers, elders, and people with disabilities. The price of housing reflects what people are willing to pay to live in a community, and many people are bidding high prices to live in Florida’s vibrant cities and towns. In many communities, even modest homes and apartments are priced out of reach of essential workers (including teachers and police officers), or are torn down and replaced with high-end houses, apartments, and condos. Even in communities with more moderate housing costs, many residents struggle to find high-quality affordable housing if they work in low-wage jobs or live on fixed incomes.