Definition: The (5-year rolling) percentage of senior renters ages 65 and older in Sarasota County that spend 30% or more of their income over the past 12 months on gross rent costs.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey

2025 Target: 48.24%

Below is a comparison of the value for this indicator among seven coastal counties: Charlotte, Sarasota, Collier, Lee, Manatee, Hillsborough, and Pinellas. These counties have been recommended as comparable counties by Sarasota County Government.

Housing Cost Burden: Renters Age 65+ (2015)

In 2015, 56.6% of renters ages 65 and over in Sarasota County spent more than 30% of their income on gross rent. This figure has decreased 11% since 2009, and is 2.7% lower in Sarasota County than for the rest of the state (59.3%), but is 1.9% higher in Sarasota County than for the United States (54.7%)

The data reported above does not take into account low-income households, which are the most vulnerable to being burdened by housing costs. According to the Shimberg Center for Housing , 88% of extremely low income renters (income is 30% or less of area median income) ages 65 and over in Sarasota County were housing cost burdened in 2015. There is a deficit of affordable rental for low income households. A study of rental units in Sarasota and Manatee counties reports that Sarasota County has an affordable housing stock of 17 units per 100 extremely low income (ELI) households, and Manatee County has a stock of 11 units per 100 ELI households. That leaves a total gap of 13,348 affordable rental units for extremely low income households across the Sarasota-Manatee-Bradenton region (Urban Institute, 2014). From 2010 to 2013 there has been a 68% decrease in affordable housing permitting in Sarasota County.

Seniors that are spending a large amount of their income on housing costs may be forced to relocate to an assisted living facility, where there is a larger prevalence of depressive disorders. Seniors may also be unable to pay for adequate health care, medicine, food and transportation costs. The results of this may be inadequate healthcare, food insecurity, isolation, and an exacerbation of physical and mental illness. Inability to afford housing costs may also result in homelessness. According to the Suncoast Partnership to End Homelessness 2016 Point-in-Time Community Report 7.71% of homeless people counted in Sarasota County were age 60 or older