Affordable housing is getting tougher to find and the trend has moved north. St. Lucie County officials say the majority of low-income renters spend more than 30-percent of their income on housing. And county leaders are working hard on solutions.
Lamar Johnson moved from Knoxville, Tenn. to Fort Pierce for the warm weather and appreciates the cost of living.
”I just think there’s more of a selection of lower cost housing alternatives,” said Johnson.
But there’s a growing population that disagrees. A study from the Florida Housing Data Clearinghouse shows 28,000 St. Lucie County residents are “cost-burdened” paying more than 30 percent of their household income for housing. County officials worry it’s getting worse.
”We do see housing prices going up which means rentals go up and it makes it tougher to find a place to live,” said Eric Gill, communications director for St. Lucie County.
A few months ago the county awarded a contract to developer Blue Sky Communities to build a 188-unit multi-family affordable housing project on nine-acres of empty land in suburban Fort Pierce.
The location offers easy access to I-95 and commercial shopping for a monthly rent of about $1,000, according to Gill.
There’s also a 20-year agreement between the county and the developer that the units remain affordable.
”This will be a hub for affordable housing,” Gill added.
But residents like Johnson worry it’s just one solution to a looming problem.
”Why are people getting a wage that doesn’t allow them to pay for housing - that’s probably the bigger issue,” said Johnson.
More money is needed from the state to make the project a reality. Officials hope to start construction next summer. The 188-unit site is expected to take 14 months to complete.
