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Palm Beach County Hosts 'Affordable Housing Crisis' Summit

Homes in Jupiter
Wikimedia Commons
Homes in Jupiter

Palm Beach County is taking steps to combat South Florida's affordable housing problem. 

 

On Wednesday, county officials will host a six-hour summit at the Palm Beach County Convention Center to address what some are calling "a crisis," as low- and mid-range wage workers struggle to find an affordable place to live, according to the Palm Beach Post

 Even though the county's annual household income increased to an average of about $67,900, the cost of places to live  is increasing at faster rates, according to Realtors Association of the Palm Beaches. Data shows the median price  of single-family homes had increased by 9 percent to about $325,000 while the median price of  condos and townhouses had increased 4.5 percent to about $162,000 since March 2016.  

Some commissioners say its time for a change in an 11-year "workforce housing" program that allows developers to skip building a certain amount of affordable homes in new developments for an opt-out fee of $80,000.

Some cities charge far more, like Delray Beach, which charges $160,000 and Jupiter, which charges $200,000. Throughout the program's existence, only 754 multi-family units were built, according to the Palm Beach Post.

Attendees planning to go the summit must pay $25 to participate. Henry Cisneros, who was secretary of housing and urban development in the Clinton administration, will be the keynote speaker.

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Amanda Rabines is a senior at Florida International University pursuing a degree in Journalism and a minor in Digital Media. She is expecting to graduate in Fall 2016 but her curious nature makes her an eternal student at heart. In 2013, she spent a year volunteering every Wednesday at Radio Lollipop, a radio station at Miami Children’s Hospital, where she helped broadcast shows, create events and design crafts for children while simultaneously interacting with patients and families. The experience taught her how to talk to family members who were going through tough medical circumstances. That was the year Amanda had to learn how to be a great listener and emotionally stronger, two traits she now carries as an aspiring journalist. Amanda was born and raised in Miami, Florida, and is a strong activist for feminism. Some women who inspire her include leaders like Maya Angelou and her mother, a dental hygienist for Sunset Dentistry, who came to Miami from Cuba when she was 11 years old. Her mother endured leaving her home country, and has worked since she was 15. It’s because of her that Amanda believes in hard work and the power of Cuban coffee. Amanda has written content, shot photos and has produced videos that have been published in the Miami Herald and Sun Sentinel.