UF’s Shimberg Center for Housing Studies reports that Florida continues to have a shortage of affordable housing for the workforce and seniors on fixed incomes, although single family home production has increased steadily over the past decade.

The shortage of affordable rental housing is acute for renters with incomes below 80% of area median income. Statewide, an estimated 883,863 renter households with incomes below 60% AMI pay more than 40% of their income in rent. “When families pay a large share of their income for housing, it’s harder to cover other critical costs such as food, transportation, and health care,” notes researcher Anne Ray.

• Anne Ray