Florida's housing market faces turmoil and new opportunities

Florida's housing market is shifting amid uncertainty and new prospects.

Miami-Dade’s special assessment loan program offers condo owners 40-year, zero-interest loans, but rising demand is depleting funds. Some mobile home residents, like those in Sweetwater’s Li’l Abner Mobile Home Park, are being forced out to make way for affordable housing, leaving them with little compensation and the loss of their investment.

Affordable homebuyers face delays as nonprofits and county leaders dispute over land and contracts, causing families to wait years for promised homes.

Meanwhile, the rising living wage needed in Miami and potential changes to construction costs due to federal tariffs and immigration policies add more challenges for residents trying to buy or keep a home.

The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories below were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.

Hamilton Dos Santos stands outside his mobile home angry and betrayed after purchasing his home in cash just a few months prior to receiving an eviction notice on Thursday, November 14, 2024, in Sweetwater, Florida. He holds the eviction notice in his hand which he found taped to his front door. The owner of Li’l Abner Mobile Home Park sold the land to a developer, forcing all residents to receive eviction notices due to the sale.

NO. 1: HE EMPTIED HIS 401(K) TO BUY A MOBILE HOME. IT’S BEING RAZED TO BUILD AFFORDABLE HOUSING

The closing of Li’l Abner Mobile Home Park continues a statewide trend of shuttering trailer parks to make way for development. | Published November 19, 2024 | Read Full Story by Max Klaver

Sipiwe Anderson, a condo owner, looks at paperwork related to her special assessment on June 10, 2023 for her condo in Miami Beach.

NO. 2: FACING A SPECIAL ASSESSMENT? MIAMI-DADE COUNTY OFFERS A $50K LOAN TO HELP CONDO OWNERS

Many condo owners found relief in this county loan program. Money is tight for the future. | Published December 31, 2024 | Read Full Story by Rebecca San Juan

Home closings could be delayed for many reasons, including HOA complications, money issues, lost documents, inspections, shortfalls, employment.

NO. 3: READY TO BUY A NEW HOME? HURRY TO BEAT TRUMP POLICIES THAT COULD CHANGE HOUSING MARKET

What to know about the impact. | Published March 18, 2025 | Read Full Story by LEW SICHELMAN

Marina C., 30, lives in a one-bedroom apartment in South Miami-Dade with her husband and four children. They struggle with high rent and low wages, leaving them with limited funds for essentials like furniture, a larger apartment, baby items, clothing, food and a computer for their children. Marina reflects on seeking a better life while caring for her two-month-old son, Anthony J., on Dec. 18, 2024, in a Miami Herald Wish Book story. By Carl Juste

NO. 4: HOW MUCH DOES YOUR LIVING WAGE NEED TO BE TO MAKE IT IN MIAMI? HINT: IT’S GOING UP

Here are 2025 Living Wage figures for Miami-Dade and Florida. | Published March 24, 2025 | Read Full Story by Howard Cohen

Angela Albury, expresses her frustration of waiting for 5 years for her house to be constructed, as she attended to a press conference held by the Neighbors and Neighbors Association (NANA), alongside the Circle of Brotherhood to address what they describe as ongoing attempts by Miami-Dade County Commissioner Keon Hardemon to hinder their work in the community and putting an affordable housing projects at risk in Liberty City, Miami, Florida. on Tuesday March 25, 2025. By Pedro Portal

NO. 5: AFFORDABLE HOMES HANG IN THE BALANCE AS MIAMI-DADE COMMISSIONER, NONPROFITS SQUABBLE

Black residents in Miami can’t move into their homes. | Published March 26, 2025 | Read Full Story by Raisa Habersham Douglas Hanks

This report was produced with the help of AI tools, which summarized previous stories reported and written by McClatchy journalists. It was edited by journalists in our News division.