Minimum-wage workers would need to work nearly three full-time jobs to afford a two-bedroom.
By Josh Salman/Suncoast Searchlight
Original Air Date: August 13, 2025
Host: Rents are still outpacing incomes across Sarasota and Manatee counties. For most working people, affording rent means working extreme hours to earn the wages to live comfortably. Josh Salman with Suncoast Searchlight has the details.
Josh Salman: Renters across Sarasota and Manatee counties are facing soaring costs. A new report from the National Low Income Housing Coalition reveals that the fair market rent for a modest two‑bedroom apartment here now stands at more than $1,800 per month.
That translates to a wage of over $35 an hour needed to afford such housing comfortably. But the typical renter earns just $21.81 an hour. That’s roughly 40 percent short.
Tyler Gervasi, who works at Sky Smoke and Vape Shop, said he can’t afford rent or other basic expenses on his own—not with prices in Sarasota as high as they are. Photo by Derek Gilliam via Suncoast Searchlight
Many residents, especially those in service-sector jobs, are struggling to keep up. Take 24‑year‑old Tyler Gervasi, for instance. He split rent with roommates, but when costs rose, he was forced to move back in with his mother. He’s now paying her $650 a month just to stay afloat.
For those earning minimum wage, which now stands at $13 per hour, the situation is even more dire: They would have to work nearly 115 hours per week, or the equivalent of almost three full-time jobs, just to afford a two‑bedroom apartment.
This housing crunch isn’t happening evenly across the region. In certain ZIP codes, like Lakewood Ranch or Siesta Key, renters must earn the equivalent of $110,000 per year just to secure a basic two‑bedroom rental.
A 250-unit apartment project called Bahia Vista Apartments under construction on the site formerly occupied by Doctor’s Hospital. It will include 35 units designated as affordable. Photo by Derek Gilliam via Suncoast Searchlight
Florida ranks among the 10 least affordable states for renters, and the Suncoast is one of the hardest-hit regions. Only areas like South Florida, Tampa, West Palm Beach, the Keys and Naples have higher rents that are considered even further out of reach.
The strain affects all corners of the community, from teachers, health aides, and construction workers to secretaries and restaurant staff. Many are earning too much to qualify for assistance yet too little to afford rent.
The trend has pushed more residents—these same teachers, health aides, childcare workers—into a paycheck-to-paycheck reality where they’re earning too much to qualify for government assistance but not enough to make ends meet. More are now forced to turn to charities for help.
Aster & Links is one of the newest apartment buildings in downtown Sarasota. The two 10-story buildings have a total of 417 units with rents ranging from $2,793 to at least $8,407 as of July 31, 2025. Photo by Derek Gilliam via Suncoast Searchlight
Even employers feel the pinch. As noted by Marlon Brown, a former Sarasota city manager, some employees have had to back out of job offers simply because they cannot find housing within their budget. That’s despite competitive salaries.
There are signs of improvement—lower vacancy rates, new high-end apartments being built and modest rent dips—but experts warn that the overall landscape remains dire. As Jon Thaxton of the Gulf Coast Community Foundation put it, even if the water level is slightly lower, those who were already drowning remain in deep trouble.
So what can be done? Local leaders and advocates argue that fixing the crisis will require a coordinated strategy. That could include allowing for higher housing density, reforming some zoning laws, encouraging developers to include affordable units in new projects and leveraging public and philanthropic resources to support housing for those who fall through the cracks.
This has been Josh Salman for Suncoast Searchlight. To read the full story, go to suncoastsearchlight.org/sarasota-manatee-renters-35-hour-afford-apartment.
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