JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — How will Jacksonville handle what’s being called a "crisis" impacting the wallets of families across the country?
On Wednesday, city leaders who are focused on affordable housing answered questions from people who said they see the impacts of higher prices every day.
Some people at the panel discussion at the Jessie Ball duPont Center said the event left them feeling hopeful. They said it's important affordable housing is a top issue on the city's radar.
"There’s a critical need for families,” said Beth Mixson, interim executive director of Family Promise of Jacksonville.
Mixson attended the panel discussion because helping families with affordable housing is something she works on every day.
“Three to seven emails a day, seven days a week, of people looking for assistance and that’s on top of phone calls,” she said.
A study by JAX Rental Housing Project at the University of North Florida, which called Duval County the “eviction filing capital of the state,” found most renters spend more than 30 percent of their income on rent. The study found renters would need to make $25 an hour to avoid being cost-burdened, but the median hourly pay in Duval County was only $20 in 2022.
Chris Crothers, director of impact investing with the Jessie Ball duPont Fund, was a panelist and said he is leading a collaboration to try to create the Jacksonville Affordable Housing Fund to help with the issue. Crothers said data can be used better to decide where to build affordable housing and what type to build.
Jacksonville's planning and development director, Brett James, said affordable housing can be built faster.
“I think it’s very important that we make development easier in the city,” James said. “I’m convinced we can do it better, we can do it faster and we’re just gonna need some help through city council and some ideas and community input. So I look forward to working on that.”
James said he hopes from the event that developers are encouraged to get involved in affordable housing projects and that those who need help reach out to the city and to local organizations.