Nationwide, the rental market is quickly becoming unaffordable. For example, Florida’s rental market is facing a severe crisis, marked by rising costs, a dwindling supply of affordable housing, and intensifying climate-related pressures that threaten housing accessibility statewide. In her article, SCS Engineers’ Safiyah Junaid proposes options to help in CNR Magazine. Please feel free to share the article using your email or social media icons at the bottom of the page.
Summary of the article, Florida’s Rental Crisis Deepens: Study Shows Rising Costs, Shrinking Supply, and Climate Pressures Threaten Affordability, published in
Rental affordability crisis: Nearly 60% of Florida households earn less than the regional median income, with many spending more than 40% of their income on rent, underscoring worsening affordability statewide.
Miami’s housing shortfall: Miami-Dade County, the second-least affordable rental market nationally, faces a deficit of more than 90,000 affordable units, projected to grow to 116,000 by 2030, exacerbated by rising construction costs and labor shortages.
Challenges in land development: Scarcity of vacant land is prompting developers to consider alternative sites, such as former agricultural lands, brownfields, and commercial lots, which often require environmental remediation due to contamination from prior uses.
Impact of climate change and policy responses: Rising sea levels and updated FEMA flood maps are increasing development costs and flood risk. At the same time, legislative measures such as the Live Local Act and the Brownfields Redevelopment Act aim to incentivize affordable housing and redevelopment through regulatory relief and tax credits.
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