Florida's Affordable Housing Needs Assessment Methodology

Abstract

To facilitate the preparation of updates to the housing elements of comprehensive plans, and to focus more on affordable housing, the Florida legislature revised Chapter 163 of the Florida Statutes in 1993, establishing a uniform methodology and data source for housing elements. This paper describes the methodology that has been developed in response to that mandate, the data sources used to create a statewide housing data resource, and also the obstacles to achieving a methodology for use in all jurisdictions. The data sources and methods used to make estimates and projections for all communities in Florida can be applied in other states.