Locked Out: Young Adults Impacted by South Florida’s Affordable Housing Crisis
South Florida’s rising housing costs are reshaping the lives of young adults across the region. In this collaborative reporting project, students from Florida International University’s Lee Caplin School of Journalism & Media investigate how the affordability crisis is affecting recent graduates, young professionals, and first-time homebuyers. Through in-depth reporting and partnerships with local news organizations, this series highlights the personal stories, economic pressures, and difficult choices facing a generation struggling to build a future in one of the nation’s most expensive housing markets.
This project is part of the Collaborative Journalism Resource Hub, which is located in the Center for Cooperative Media at Montclair State University, supported by the Knight Foundation. The mission of the Collaborative Journalism Resource Hub is to advance the field of collaboration in journalism across the United States.
Why We Are Tackling The Affordable Housing Crisis
Focused on addressing the lack of affordable housing for young adults, students from Florida International University’s Caplin School of Journalism & Media are partnering with local newsrooms to report on the problem. More than 750,000 South Florida residents, ages 20-29, are struggling to find affordable housing. Our collaboration brings student reporters together with journalists at Telemundo 51/NBC 6, WLRN, The Miami Herald and el Nuevo Herald to publish stories that shine a spotlight one of the most pressing challenges in our community.
Our Reporting on the Housing Crisis in South Florida
May 16, 2026
Telemundo 51 aired “No puedo vivir aquí,” a special series on affordable housing featuring three stories produced by Caplin students in Spanish. Aired on Telemundo 51.
May 16, 2026
Telemundo 51 anchor Alejandra Molina interviews Caplin students about reporting on affordable housing. In Spanish. Aired on Telemundo 51.
May 14, 2026
With rent and everyday costs skyrocketing, South Florida students need to rethink what independence looks like. Living has become so difficult that many are juggling extra shifts, cutting back on meals, social plans or staying with family longer than expected. Published in Caplin News.
March 16, 2026
As graduation approaches this spring at Florida International University, 21-year-old Helen Gomez is preparing to leave more than just campus life behind. In a few months, she will move from her family’s home in Miami to Washington, D.C., where she has accepted a six-figure cybersecurity position with Capital One. Published in The Miami Herald.
February 28, 2026
El costo de la vida en la Florida alcanzó máximos históricos en 2024, y los jóvenes son quienes más lo resienten. El alquiler sigue subiendo, los salarios no se ajustan a la inflación y encontrar opciones asequibles es difícil. Para muchos, vivir en casa de sus padres no es por falta de ambición, sino la única opción financieramente viable. Published in El Nuevo Herald.
February 19, 2026
En el sur de Florida, donde el alquiler de un apartamento puede superar los $2,000 mensuales, algunos estudiantes se enfrentan al peso de retrasar su graduación mientras luchan por equilibrar sus responsabilidades académicas, laborales y familiares. Published in Caplin News.
February 17, 2026
Social media post about affordable housing. Published in Caplin News.
February 17, 2026
For Zulmarie Fuentes and Emmanuel “Manny” Pratt-Wade, a working couple in their early 20s, rent consumes more than 40% of their combined income — a reality that has reshaped nearly every aspect of their adult lives. Published in The Miami Herald.
February 10, 2026
En una mañana ideal, Giovanna Ruiz se despertaría lentamente mientras el sol se derramaba sobre la pared de su habitación. Envuelta en un sofá, con una taza de café caliente en la mano y su gata Chi Chi acurrucada a su lado, podría escribir un diario, pintar o leer, simplemente porque puede. Published in El Nuevo Herald.
February 9, 2026
Ayanna Ruiz lives confined in the four walls of her 700-square-foot efficiency in West End. She was forced to downsize to a smaller space after one of her roommates moved out from their apartment in Doral. Published in The Miami Herald.
February 9, 2026
Michael Henry, nacido y criado en el Condado Miami-Dade, ha recibido un salario y beneficios competitivos por su trabajo como bombero en South Broward durante los últimos dos años. Sin embargo, debe vivir a más de 100 millas del lugar al que se desplaza a diario para salvar vidas. Published in El Nuevo Herald.
February 6, 2026
Shared homeownership isn’t new, but who’s doing it is. As prices surge, more first-time buyers are turning to friends to afford a home. Published in The Miami Herald.
January 30, 2026
Shared homeownership isn’t new, but who’s doing it, is. As prices surge, more first-time buyers are turning to friends to afford a home. According to the National Association of Realtors, home prices have risen 56% since early 2020. At the same time, first-time buyers now make up just 21% of the market, with the median age of a first-time buyer climbing to 40-years-old. Published in WLRN.
January 29, 2026
Michael Henry, born and raised in Miami-Dade County, has received a competitive salary and benefits for his work as a South Broward firefighter for the past two years. However, he lives more than 100 miles away from the place that he commutes to every day to save lives. Published in The Miami Herald.
January 29, 2026
Peter Gutierrez, 21, has lived in Cutler Bay for much of his life, but when he reached adulthood, he began to question whether Miami was where he wanted to settle down. “There wasn’t really a specific moment I realized I wanted to move away,” Gutierrez said.”It was more of an encroaching feeling.” Published in WLRN.
January 28, 2026
On an ideal morning, Giovanna Ruiz would wake up slowly as the sun spilled across her bedroom wall. Wrapped in a lounge set with a warm cup of coffee in hand and her cat Chi Chi curled beside her, she might journal, paint or read, just because she can. But most mornings aren’t like that. Not when rent is due. Published in WLRN.
January 27, 2026
Florida’s cost of living hit record highs in 2024, and young adults are feeling it the most. Rent keeps going up, wages aren’t keeping pace, and affordable options are hard to find. For many, living at home isn’t about a lack of ambition, it’s simply the only thing that makes financial sense. Published in WLRN.
November 25, 2025
Over the years, more college students and graduates in South Florida have chosen to stay in their family homes rather than move out. According to a report from the real estate firm Redfin, Miami is the second-most unaffordable city in the US. The average cost of houses in South Florida is over $ 600,000, 50% above the national average. Published in Caplin News.
About the Collaborative Journalism Resource Hub
The Collaborative Journalism Resource Hub seeks to strengthen local journalism through collaboration, innovation, and shared learning. The Hub brings together journalists, educators, students, community organizations, and philanthropic partners to advance collaborative reporting that serves the public interest and helps build more informed and engaged communities.
The Hub provides practical tools, research, case studies, training materials, and best practices for cross-newsroom partnerships. Resources address collaborative reporting models, audience engagement, trust-building, artificial intelligence, data sharing, sustainable business strategies, and ethical innovation.
By lowering barriers to collaboration and expanding access to proven approaches, the Collaborative Journalism Resource Hub helps local news organizations increase their capacity, deepen community relationships, combat misinformation, and produce high-impact journalism that no single newsroom could accomplish alone.