Emerging issues are trending themes which impact the overall wellbeing of the Tampa Bay region
These topics are reviewed by the Partnership members to determine if the coalition can influence meaningful positive change via research, advocacy or other efforts.
Focus Areas: Housing Affordability
The Tampa Bay area now stands as one of the top spots in the country for migration rates. While the influx of new residents carries many benefits, it increases demand for a limited supply of housing.
Strong in-migration rates bodes well for the talent pool and economic vitality of Tampa Bay, yet with this ranking comes increased competitiveness for resources, including housing. The average wage for Tampa Bay residents continues to increase, but has not kept up with the cost of inflation. Housing affordability is a serious concern for both residents and businesses alike. In order to maintain the region’s labor force a variety of housing options that cater to the pricing needs of resident’s must be created and maintained.
The Tampa Bay Partnership has created a Housing Affordability Task Force to assess the needs of the market and searching for potential solutions and unique contributions that the Tampa Bay Partnership can offer.
Why it Matters
42.61%
Generally, housing costs should not exceed 30 percent of a household’s total income. Yet Tampa Bay residents are spending 42.61% on housing expenditures alone.
$60,843
is the average wage for Tampa Bay residents. While this number has increased by ~$3,500 from 2023 values (6%), existing home sales prices increased by 26% in 2023.
$388,521
The Median Home Sales Price in Tampa Bay as of June 2023.
(Source: Redfin Research, Monthly Housing Market Data, June 2023)
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Focus Areas: Resiliency
Impacts from climate change will cause increased flooding, stronger storms, and sea level rise. Within the next 30 years we anticipate sea levels to rise over 3 feet compared to the 2000 baseline for Tampa Bay.
Eventually, large areas of our community could see flooding so frequently that they will no longer be desirable places to live. It is essential that we work together to prioritize social equity in planning and response.
The Tampa Bay Partnership working in conjunction with a consultant team from Brizaga, AECOM, and the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council, with generous support from JPMorgan Chase & Co, assessed the economic consequences and have recommended potential mitigation measures in a report titled Making the Economic Case for Resilience in Tampa Bay.
Why it Matters
30-57%
Residents and businesses along the coast are at risk, but those who live and work in low-lying areas will also be affected. In many areas throughout the region, low-lying areas are at risk of 30-57% inundation when faced with a 10-year storm tide event.
-$82B
Without infrastructure adaptation the region can face close to $82B in losses.
$13B
Regional adaptation costs between present day and 2070 will cost approximately $13B.
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Focus Areas: Opioid Crisis
Project Opioid was founded in 2018 in response to the increasing opioid epidemic that claimed the lives of nearly 450,000 people across America in one decade.
Since then, the COVID-19 pandemic has driven the opioid crisis to unprecedented heights, creating the greatest mental health, substance abuse, and overdose crisis in U.S. history.
LIVE Tampa Bay (formerly Project Opioid) strives to reduce opioid fatalities by 50% in the next five years. They are working to scale education, prevention, and treatment options for residents in Tampa Bay, breaking the stigma surrounding opioid addiction, and providing essential services to help individuals in their recovery.
Why it Matters
-$25B
Experts estimate that the economic impact of the opioid epidemic on Tampa Bay is roughly $25 billion lost each year in gross regional product, and 35,000 workers sidelined from the labor force.
1,540
An estimated 1,540 people died of opioid overdoses in the Tampa Bay region in 2020 – more than four people each day on average – a 49.6% increase since 2019.
9.75%
Tampa Bay’s opioid overdose rate of 23.3 per 100,000 population is 9.75% higher than the State of Florida, and 50.5% higher than the nation.
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Focus Areas
