Older adults and retirees across South Florida are finding it harder to pay for the lives they built in the region. Food, gas, rent, medical bills and condominium assessments are all pressing on household budgets, according to local agencies.
One Palm Beach County resident said she can no longer afford the community where she lives. She asked not to be identified and described the strain of trying to stay in a place she loves.
Dwight Chenette of the Area Agency on Aging said housing is a major concern. He pointed to rising insurance, property taxes and homeowners association fees. Special assessments can add another bill that residents have little power to control.
A 2022 state law tightened condominium safety inspection requirements, which has contributed to assessment costs for some condo owners.
Food insecurity is also growing. The Palm Beach County Food Project reports that roughly 61% of food-insecure older households must choose between buying food and paying for medicine or medical care.
At a soup kitchen in Boynton Beach, staff are seeing record lines of people seeking help. The kitchen serves anyone who walks in, with no questions asked.
With the November election approaching, voters are weighing property tax amendments and a renewal of a tax that supports local schools. Community organizations said their services will remain important regardless of the outcome.
