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Affordable Housing in Lehigh Acres: LIHTC Impact Amid Population Growth
CATEGORY
Affordable Housing
DATA
LIHTC Projects
Median Income
Racial Distributions
Population
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Affordable Housing
LIHTC Projects
Median Income
Racial Distributions
Population
Lehigh Acres, located in Florida, possesses a LIHTC funded affordable housing inventory of 430 total units, with 421 designated as low-income units. Based on the 2022 population of 136,910 and utilizing the national average household size, the estimated housing inventory for Lehigh Acres is approximately 52,456 units. The LIHTC funded affordable housing comprises about 0.82% of the estimated housing units in the city.
Lehigh Acres has received $1,397,338 in project tax credits through the LIHTC program. With approximately 4 projects, this equates to an average federal funding of $349,334.50 per project. When divided by the total units, it amounts to $3,249.62 per unit in federal funding. Lehigh Acres holds 0.21% of Florida's total LIHTC funding.
The city's LIHTC funded affordable housing development occurred from 1994 to 2009. The initial project, Park Place Apts II (Lehigh Acres), was completed in 1994, while the most recent project, Heron Pond II, was finished in 2009. This indicates a 15-year period of affordable housing development in the city. The 2000s witnessed the most activity, with three out of four projects completed during this decade.
The LIHTC funded projects in Lehigh Acres offer a variety of unit types. There are 152 one-bedroom units, 214 two-bedroom units, and 64 three-bedroom units. This distribution indicates a focus on accommodating diverse household sizes, with an emphasis on small to medium-sized families.
Over the past decade, Lehigh Acres has experienced significant population growth, increasing from 118,806 in 2013 to 136,910 in 2022, representing a 15.2% increase. Concurrently, the median income has risen from $37,691 in 2013 to $65,816 in 2022, a 74.6% increase.
The racial composition of Lehigh Acres has also changed. The Hispanic population has grown from 39% in 2013 to 48% in 2022, while the White population has decreased from 37% to 30% during the same period. The Black population has remained relatively stable, decreasing slightly from 20% to 17%.
Despite these demographic shifts and the absence of new LIHTC projects since 2009, the existing affordable housing continues to play a crucial role in the community. The rising median income might suggest a reduced need for additional affordable housing, but income inequality and housing affordability challenges may still persist for certain segments of the population.
Lehigh Acres has a modest LIHTC funded affordable housing inventory, covering less than 1% of its estimated housing units. The city's LIHTC projects, developed between 1994 and 2009, provide 421 low-income units with a mix of one, two, and three-bedroom options. While no new LIHTC projects have been built in the last decade, the city has experienced significant population growth and a substantial increase in median income. The racial composition has also shifted, with a growing Hispanic population. These demographic changes may influence future affordable housing needs in Lehigh Acres.
