Jacksonville has unveiled a new dashboard on their city website, which will promote chart affordable housing.
Affordable housing is the latest of dozens of transparency boards, all with the purpose of ensuring the city is not only held accountable, but kept efficient.
“This new dashboard is another vital step towards Mayor Deegan’s goals of increasing transparency and affordable housing” Said Chief Information Officer Wanyonyi Kendrick.
“Jacksonville's transparency dashboards show where we're doing well, and where we can do better. This is what separates good cities from world class ones” was quoted from Mayor Donna Deegan.
The new dashboard is functional on jacksonville.gov, and interactive. On the site you can filter by building status, construction type, as well as location.
As seen in the picture, an important part of the dashboard is the status filter. With the filter, a prospective homeowner will be able to not only view currently available housing, but also explore current projects and their projected completion dates. The feature will help families plan in the future, making current and future developments easily accessible for prospective homeowners. The site totes maps for viewing hotpots, as well as graphs and charts for viewing statistics.
The dashboard was made public just weeks after new homes finished construction in Durkieville, a step in the future for the city working on affordable housing.
According to Jax Today, rent is more taxing than ever in Jacksonville, with prices 30% higher than recorded in 2020.
In 2023 University of North Florida had created a report in regards to the city’s current housing crisis, defining a term ‘cost burdened’, as workers who have to dedicate 30% or more of monthly income towards rent. UNF also defined the term ‘super cost burdened’, meaning a worker spends more than 50% of their check on rent. Citing the 2023 report, 47.4% of Jacksonville renters are cost-burdened, and in need of better solutions.
Since the 2023 report was posted, the city had started the Jacksonville Affordable Housing Fund, which in 2024 acknowledged 52% of renters are cost-burdened. Despite the fund opening in 2024 with 10 million dollars out of the city budget, the initiative was promptly closed a few months later in August, as city funds were redirected.
A small win for affordable housing, the new annual budget for Jacksonville designates $900,000 towards apt funds and programs, a fraction of the $7 million Mayor Deegan proposed.
Despite setbacks, the new transparency dashboard and homes in Durkieville appear to be actions taken in the right direction, much needed for a city still facing a crisis.
City of Jacksonville. (n.d.). City of Jacksonville launches affordable housing dashboard. https://www.jacksonville.gov/welcome/news/city-of-jacksonville-launches-affordable-housing-d
Jacksonville Rental Housing Project. (2023). Jacksonville's affordable rental housing crisis: Description, diagnosis, and potential policy solutions. University of North Florida, Northeast Florida Center for Community Initiatives. https://jaxrentalhousingproject.domains.unf.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/JRHP-Report-2023-Jax-Rental-Housing-Crisis-1.pdf
The Community Foundation for Northeast Florida. (2024, August). Jacksonville affordable housing fund [Fact sheet]. https://www.jaxcf.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Jacksonville-Affordable-Housing-Fund.pdf
City of Jacksonville. (2024, April 10). Mayor Deegan commits $10 million to jumpstart Jacksonville affordable housing fund. https://www.jacksonville.gov/welcome/news/mayor-deegan-commits-$10-million-to-jumpstart-jack
Hicks, N. (2024, August 23). Affordable housing, homelessness initiatives cut from Jacksonville budget. The Florida Times-Union. https://www.jacksonville.com/story/news/politics/government/2024/08/23/affordable-housing-homelessness-initiatives-cut-from-jacksonville-budget-deegan-diamond-salem/74901816007/
Denton, T. (2025, September 26). Mayor Deegan proposed $7M for affordable housing in the city budget. Only $900K was approved. News4Jax. https://www.news4jax.com/news/local/2025/09/26/mayor-deegan-proposed-7m-for-affordable-housing-in-the-city-budget-only-900k-was-approved/
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