JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Nearly 40% of families in Jacksonville qualify for most affordable housing programs, according to city data — a reality local housing leaders say highlights just how widespread the affordability crisis has become.
Reggie Fullwood, the new CEO of Ability Housing, says the numbers show affordable housing is not limited to the lowest-income residents. Instead, he says many working families are struggling to keep up with rising housing costs.
“Most families, even two-income families, are struggling to afford housing right now,” Fullwood said.
MORE: Addressing Affordability
Fullwood spoke with News4JAX at the recently opened Village at Cedar Hills, an affordable housing development on Jacksonville’s Westside. The nonprofit developer builds and manages affordable housing communities across Northeast Florida.
According to the city of Jacksonville, about 40% of local families earn less than 80% of the area’s median income, a key threshold used to determine eligibility for many affordable housing programs.
Income limits are calculated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
For a family of four in the Jacksonville area:
- $82,000 represents 80% of the area median income (AMI)
- $51,250 represents 50% of AMI
- $32,150 represents 30% of AMI
Families earning below those thresholds often qualify for rent-restricted housing developments built using public financing programs.
Fullwood said the fact that such a large share of the population falls into those income categories should change how people think about affordable housing.
“I think if we can pretty much go away with the stigma of what affordable housing is,” Fullwood said. “Affordable housing affects all of us. Every single person, I don’t care what your income range, you have family members, you have folks you work with, you have associates that all are struggling right now because housing prices are so high.”
When told that roughly 40% of Jacksonville residents fall below the 80% AMI threshold, Fullwood called the number concerning.
“It’s unfortunate,” he said. “We’ve got to figure out how to get wages up for our residents. And quite frankly, we just have to build more housing that’s affordable for a lot of those folks. We’re talking about a major segment of our local population.”
Ability Housing recently opened the Village at Cedar Hills and is working on additional projects, including the Villages of New Augustine in St. Augustine and the Village at Lake Forest on Jacksonville’s Northside.
Fullwood said developments like these rely on complex financing tools to keep rents below market rates.
Most projects use low-income housing tax credits and bonds from state and federal programs. Those funding sources help cover construction costs and allow developers to cap rents based on a percentage of the area median income, often at 60%, 70% or 80% of AMI.
That structure helps ensure the apartments remain affordable for residents who might otherwise be priced out of the market.
And the people who qualify, Fullwood said, are often the same workers who keep the community running.
“They’re young professionals,” he said. “They may be young firemen, a young schoolteacher. Because housing rates are just so high right now, there are young professionals that simply can’t afford some of the market-rate rent.”
Ability Housing communities are in high demand and often have waiting lists or no availability.
For more information on their communities and how to apply, follow this link.
It’s recommended interested renters call for more information.