Miami residents struggle with high rent and extreme heat

Miami residents struggle as rising rents make it the most cost-burdened metro area in the U.S., with many people spending half their income on housing.

New laws and strict mortgage requirements, like Fannie Mae's growing condo blacklist, have made it harder to buy, sell, or repair homes, leaving both renters and owners with few good options.

Extreme heat only adds to the hardship, with some families unable to afford to run or fix their air conditioning even as temperatures inside their homes exceed those outdoors. Families often cut food, medicine, or car repairs just to cover rent or rising energy bills.

Take a look at what can make housing a challenge in South Florida.

Stephania Germain, 24, who is on a Section 8 housing voucher, poses inside her apartment that she lives in with her daughter on Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024, in Miami. Germain was raised in foster care and is doing the best she can for herself and her baby. She says that even with the voucher, with recent increases it makes paying rent tough. “It just keeps going up and I don’t get a break to save, and I need new baby clothes, ya know they grow out of them so fast,” said Germain. By Alie Skowronski

NO. 1: MIAMIANS ARE THE MOST RENT-BURDENED PEOPLE IN AMERICA — AND THEY’RE STRESSED ABOUT IT

New Census Bureau data shows that Miamians spend a larger chunk of their incomes on housing than residents in all other major American cities. | Published October 8, 2024 | Read Full Story by Max Klaver

Recently installed air-conditioning units at 2840-2842 NW 10th Avenue in Miami, Florida. Federal housing doesn’t require air-conditioning, but Miami-Dade County is funding new A/C units for hundreds of public housing apartments. By Jose A. Iglesias

NO. 2: ON SWELTERING MIAMI SUMMER DAYS, IT CAN BE HOTTER INSIDE HOMES THAN OUT, STUDY FINDS

“Everyone in Miami has AC. The question is does it work and can you afford to use it?” | Published March 21, 2025 | Read Full Story by Alex Harris

Condos line the Intracoastal Waterway in Sunny Isles Beach. By MATIAS J. OCNER

NO. 3: ‘PERFECT STORM.’ HUNDREDS OF SOUTH FLORIDA CONDOS NOW ON SECRET MORTGAGE BLACKLIST

The number of Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach condos on the list has more than doubled in just two years. | Published April 4, 2025 | Read Full Story by Andres Viglucci

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