Miami metro has the most dire need for affordable housing in the country, per report

A new report by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to Congress indicates the Miami metro area (Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach) has the highest share of low-income renters with the “worst case needs” in the country.

The issue stems from a massive shortage of affordable housing for those with incomes of no more than 50 percent of the Area Median Income. “Worst case needs” are triggered from a severe rent burden where a household is paying more than one-half of its income on gross rent or those being inadequately housed, which entails residing in a physically unsafe living situation.

The report states this category of rents has surged by 8 percent nationally between 2013 and 2015. Also, of the 15 largest U.S. metro areas, South Florida’s 60.9 percent of low income renters with “worst case needs” equates to around 227,000 households, which tops the list by a wide margin. The next closest area is Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario in California at 57.2 percent.

CityLab’s map below shows the most populous 15 U.S. metros by their share of low-income renters with “worst case needs.” Check out the full report, which covers the period from 2013 to 2015, here.