In Florida's Collier County, even an affordable one-bedroom apartment can cost $1,500 to $1,800 a month.
That leaves women on fixed or low incomes struggling to secure a basic necessity.
Here's what to know
A study by the Collier Community Foundation and the Women's Foundation of Collier County identified affordable housing as the greatest unmet need among women and girls, WINK reported.
The organizations surveyed over 500 adult women in the Southwest Florida county, spanning a range of ages and backgrounds. Among respondents, 74% named housing affordability as their top concern.
Michael Nojunas, program director at St. Matthew's House's Campbell Lodge, described the financial challenges residents face.
"Affordable here is $1,500 to $1,800 a month for a one-bedroom apartment," he said. "That's just not feasible for somebody on a fixed income or a low-income situation."
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More background
Collier Community Foundation CEO Eileen Connolly-Keesler pointed to the gap between wages at local businesses and rent costs.
"When you're working and you're making $40,000 a year because you're working at one of the restaurants or a store or whatever you're doing, you can't afford 3, 4, 5 thousand dollars in rents," Connolly-Keesler said.
The financial pressure is personal for Maryann Portuese, who lives at St. Matthew's House.
"I live on a fixed income, and it's just not enough for me anymore," she said.
Access to healthcare, childcare, and employment support also ranked as a top priority in the study, behind housing and economic stability.
What's being done?
By pinpointing the gaps in support for residents, the two foundations hope to shape where future donations and grant money are directed. According to WINK, the research was prompted by years without current information about the county's women and girls.
Connolly-Keesler said some residents' struggles are less visible in the community.
"There are people who have needs here," she said. "Maybe you don't see it as much here. It's just a little more hidden, a little tougher, but we need people to kind of pay attention and work with us."
The study's housing findings struck an immediate emotional chord with Portuese.
"Panic, because there's very little that you can do about it," she said. "It's national now, and a lot of people they try to seek higher ground, but they just can't. I live on a fixed income, and it's just not enough for me anymore."
Where can I learn more?
High housing costs are also squeezing renters and homebuyers elsewhere in Florida.
• In Miami, $1,500 in monthly rent covers about a two-car garage.
• Florida snowbirds seeking lower costs can find rent averaging $921 monthly in Avon Park.
• In South Florida, workers earning $67,000 face $600,000 home prices, making renting a continuing option.
• In Florida, new housing funds leave older homeowners questioning affordability.
• In Tallahassee, home values rose 59% while incomes increased 35%, straining working families.
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