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Affordable Housing Impact on Demographic Shifts in Flagler Heights, Fort Lauderdale
CATEGORY
Affordable Housing
DATA
LIHTC Projects
Median Income
Racial Distributions
Population
Loading Content...
Affordable Housing
LIHTC Projects
Median Income
Racial Distributions
Population
Flagler Heights, a neighborhood in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, has a significant presence of Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) funded affordable housing. The neighborhood contains 201 units in LIHTC-funded projects, with 155 designated as low-income units. Based on the 2022 population of 4,525 and an estimated 1,734 housing units, LIHTC-funded affordable housing represents approximately 11.6% of the neighborhood's estimated housing inventory.
The LIHTC projects in Flagler Heights have received $6,941,085 in tax credits, averaging about $34,532 per unit. Affordable housing has been present in the area since at least 2009, with the completion of the Eclipse project. The most recent project with a known completion date is Wisdom Village Crossing, finished in 2017. This eight-year span indicates a sustained effort to provide affordable housing in the neighborhood.
The 2010s saw the most affordable housing development activity, with projects like Progresso Point (2011) and Wisdom Village Crossing (2017) being completed. The LIHTC-funded housing in Flagler Heights offers a variety of unit types, including 41 efficiencies, 129 one-bedroom units, and 31 two-bedroom units. This distribution suggests a focus on accommodating smaller households and individuals.
Over the past decade, Flagler Heights has experienced significant population growth, increasing from 3,062 in 2013 to 4,525 in 2022. This 47.8% population increase coincides with the development of LIHTC projects, suggesting that affordable housing may have played a role in supporting this growth.
Median income in the neighborhood has fluctuated, reaching a peak of $81,897 in 2018 before settling at $73,355 in 2022. This overall increase in median income, despite the addition of affordable housing, indicates that the neighborhood has maintained economic diversity.
The racial composition of Flagler Heights has shifted over the past decade. The percentage of white residents increased from 37% in 2013 to 60% in 2022, while the percentage of Black residents decreased from 24% to 13%. The Hispanic population also saw a decrease from 35% to 18%. These changes suggest that the neighborhood has undergone significant demographic shifts alongside its affordable housing developments.
Flagler Heights has a significant LIHTC-funded affordable housing presence, representing about 11.6% of its estimated housing inventory. The neighborhood has seen substantial investment in affordable housing, with projects spanning at least eight years. The area has experienced notable population growth and demographic changes over the past decade, coinciding with the development of these affordable housing projects. The variety of unit types in LIHTC projects suggests an effort to accommodate diverse household needs within the affordable housing framework.
