MIAMI (WSVN) - It seems that more and more people are getting priced out of living in South Florida. Now, more proof of just how unaffordable it is to live in the Sunshine State.
“I live in Little Havana and work at a law firm in Brickell,” said Daniela Calvijo. “Currently, as a full-time student, and with a full-time job, I am unable to afford rent prices in this crazy market.”
“It’s high here compared to other places I have lived,” said a man in a purple button down shirt.
“I’m not making enough to afford to go up another $1,000 in rent,” said Logan Masta.
As rent continues to skyrocket in Florida, a new report has shed new light on just how unaffordable the Sunshine State has become, especially in South Florida.
“I was paying $2,400 for a two [bedroom], two [bath]; 1,100 square foot, and then it went up to $3,800 in less than a year,” said Masta.
The National Low Income Housing Coalition released its “Out of Reach” report. It breaks down how many hours someone would need to work in order to afford a place to live in their area.
“We’re talking about two-parent households, two incomes, and they are being priced out of where they live,” State Rep. Kevin Chambliss, Fla., District 117.
At Florida’s current minimum wage, the average person would need to work 106 hours per week to afford a two-bedroom home.
It’s 86 hours per week to afford a one-bedroom home.
Some just can’t keep up.
“Only this year, I had to move four times because they kept increasing my rent,” said Calvijo.
The issue is even on the mind of the Biden Administration.
Back in June, Housing and Urban Development secretary Marcia Fudge spent two days in South Florida speaking to residents dealing with skyrocketing increases in rent.
“We have neglected to keep up with supply, and that is why we are at the point we are today,” said Fudge.
South Florida has filled up the top five spots of the most expensive areas in the state, without paying more than a third of your income. Here’s how much you’d need to make per hour.
- Monroe County is at number one at $33.83.
- Miami-Dade at number two at $32.12.
- The greater Fort Lauderdale area at number five at $29.92.
This rise in cost is pushing essential workers out of communities.
“People don’t realize that one of the reasons why the state of Florida has over 9,000 vacancies in teacher positions is because teachers cannot afford to live in the communities they serve,” said United Teachers of Dade president Karla Hernandez-Mats.
This has caused some struggling families to pack up and move out altogether.
“I know that there are families, that there are students that are leaving, and they are moving to other counties to other states because these are working families that cannot continue to live in Miami-Dade,” said Hernandez-Mats.
The report also shows that for many people to keep up with these prices, they would have to work more than one full-time job.
Copyright 2024 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.