Housing is no longer just a social issue. In communities like ours, it has become economic infrastructure.
Across the country, more than 11 million renter households now spend over half their income just to keep a roof over their heads. The U.S. faces a shortage of more than seven million homes affordable to low-income families. Those numbers are alarming—but what matters most is how clearly we feel their impact right here in Northwest Florida.
Since 2020, Florida’s median home price has climbed more than 40 percent. During the same period, homeowners’ insurance premiums in many parts of the state have risen by 50 percent or more. Wages, meanwhile, have not kept pace. For working families—teachers, nurses, first responders, hospitality workers, and young professionals—the gap between income and housing costs keeps widening…