Florida State University’s DeVoe L. Moore Center is collaborating with the Florida Policy Project and Reason Foundation to address Florida’s ongoing housing shortage and affordability challenges. Together, they have launched the Florida Housing Data Project (FHDP), an online tool that allows both residents and policymakers to track local housing trends, monitor shortages in single-family and rental units, and assess whether markets are balanced, in surplus, or experiencing deficits.
Sam Staley, director of the DeVoe L. Moore Center, explained the project’s goals: “By applying rigorous analysis, we provide local officials with estimates of how deep our housing deficits are at the local level. Second, we tailor our policy recommendations to local needs.”
The FHDP data indicates that Florida currently faces a cumulative shortage exceeding 120,000 housing units—contrasting with conditions before the 2008 housing market collapse. This shortfall includes nearly 66,000 owner-occupied homes and about 55,000 rental units. Contributing factors include restrictive zoning regulations, delays in permitting processes, and other local government obstacles.
Metropolitan areas such as Miami-Dade, Fort Lauderdale, and Tampa have been particularly affected by these shortages and now rank among the nation’s least affordable housing markets. Rapid population growth in Florida has outpaced new residential construction. As a result of increased demand relative to supply, about one-third of households in the state spend more than 30% of their gross income on housing costs.
To help restore balance to Florida’s housing market, the report recommends several measures for local governments: identifying barriers to production and removing them; promoting accessory dwelling units (ADUs) and duplexes; encouraging upzoning and flexible land use policies; and streamlining permitting processes.
The FHDP website currently provides data for 30 counties across Florida. By June 2026, coverage will expand to all 67 counties in the state. For more information or to view county-specific profiles already available, visit florida-housing-data-project.reason.org.
The DeVoe L. Moore Center operates within FSU’s College of Social Sciences and Public Policy.
