The first Monday of October is designated by the United Nations as World Habitat Day. Each year, on World Habitat Day, Habitat for Humanity organizations around the world renew their dedication to eliminating barriers to adequate shelter.

Today, 60% of people in the United States say housing affordability is a serious problem where they live. Before COVID-19, more than 18 million households were spending half or more of their income on housing. As a result of the crisis, the number of Americans who are struggling financially continues to increase.

Here in our community, the need for affordable housing is clear. One in five households in the Jacksonville Beaches spends more than half of their income on housing. That means that these households are making tough choices every day, being forced to choose between spending money on a safe place to live and spending money on groceries, health care, education, or reliable transportation. As a community, we can’t afford to let that happen.

Habitat for Humanity strives to improve home affordability. Here, in our Beaches communities, we work every day towards building a world where everyone has a decent place to live, on terms they can afford to pay. Our mission is strengthened through YOUR support, as you build alongside us and share our stories.

This #WorldHabitatDay, join Beaches Habitat and hundreds of local Habitat organizations, as we raise awareness about the challenges of housing around the globe.

YOU can take action to help find solutions and create policies that will improve home affordability.

• Pledge to vote in November;
• Download and share graphics on social media;
• Explore other actions on Habitat for Humanity International’s website.

To learn more about the connection between COVID-19 and housing, listen to the conversation in Habitat’s +You series: Is housing the secret to economic recovery from COVID-19? on World Habitat Day – Monday, Oct. 5 at 9 am.