Orlando Renters Struggle To Receive Vouchers For Housing

Orlando Renters Struggle Just To Receive Vouchers For Housing


Only 1 in 12 cost laden renters can get their hands on a housing voucher. This is the lowest number in the country. It’s fairly easy to get yourself on the list but it seems to be pretty difficult to get your hands on a voucher. This is causing an Orlando renters struggle.

According to recent studies, Orlando, Florida has the widest breach between renters who need housing vouchers and the amount of aid available by the federal government. For every Section 8 housing voucher given out to metro Orlando areas, there are 12 cost laden renters according to research that Zillow released earlier this month.

Housing vouchers are dispersed by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for low-income households to use for rent and utilities. Eligible families are now required to pay 30% of their total rent.

Orlando Renters Struggle


Housing vouchers are managed locally through the Orlando Housing Authority. The Orlando Housing Authority says it has “approximately 2,400 vouchers for the region” on its website. They have not responded to requests for comments on recent stories.

Throughout the country, Zillow has found that there are 19 million eligible renters and only 2 million vouchers. Zillow’s survey shows the next closest inequality is Austin, Texas, which has 9.46 cost laden renters for every available voucher. Lakeland and Cape Coral had the fourth and fifth largest inequalities, at just under 9 cost laden renters to each voucher. Orlando was also number one on the list in 2021, which is the first time Zillow conducted this study.

“Florida has an extreme affordability problem when it comes to low-income renters” – Zillow.

The Disparity Continues All Over The Country


Orlando, Florida’s disparity is even wider when looking at moderately cost laden renters, citizens who spend between 30% and 50% of their income on housing costs. Metro Orlando has about 25 of moderately cost laden renters for every voucher, compared to about 19 in Austin, Texas.

Orlando Renter’s struggle, but their clearly not the only ones. New Orleans has the lowest gap, but still sees almost 2 cost laden renters for every voucher.

Cities like that grew rapidly after the 1970s, like Orlando often receive less subsidies for housing than older cities do because public spending was cut by congress.  Most go to cities with more established housing programs.

Maintaining Your Spot On The List Isn’t Easy


Applicants have to update any changes such as new jobs and addresses. Sometimes they get a notification to update even when nothing has changed. Some have continuously kept updating their information even while homeless.

Recently, a study was conducted in 2020 from the Government Accountability Office which states that every $100 monthly increase in average rent correlates to a 9% increase in homelessness. Unless something is done soon, we’ll see man more people, most likely families, living on the streets. For those who have managed to maintain their spot on the list are not safe from losing the roof over their heads as homelessness consistently looms overhead.

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