Florida leads the nation in foreclosure filings. Families across the state are being priced out, pushed out, and left without recourse. The data tells a clear story. This page explains what is happening, why it matters, and what we can do about it together.
The following statistics are drawn from independent research organizations, academic institutions, and government agencies. Each figure is linked to its primary source.
Florida led all 50 states in foreclosure filings in 2025, with 1 in every 230 housing units receiving a foreclosure filing.
Source: ATTOM Data Solutions, January 2026Private equity firms now own more than 17% of all apartments in Florida, and firms with Wall Street ties own more than 10% of single-family rentals statewide, a rate five times higher than the national average.
Source: Private Equity Stakeholder Project / Tampa Bay Times, 2025Nearly 905,000 low-income Florida renter households are spending more than half of their income on housing costs, leaving little margin for stability.
Source: UF Shimberg Center for Housing Studies, 2025 Rental Market StudyForeclosure filings rose 14% nationally in 2025 compared to 2024. Florida accounted for a disproportionate share of that increase.
Source: ATTOM Data Solutions / Realtor.com, January 2026Florida's housing crisis is the result of several overlapping pressures that have built over years. Understanding these factors is the first step toward addressing them.
Florida home prices increased more than 50% between 2020 and 2024, while median wages did not keep pace. The result is a widening affordability gap that pushes more families toward financial distress.
Florida Realtors / Bureau of Labor StatisticsInvestment firms and real estate trusts have purchased large volumes of single-family homes across Florida, reducing inventory available to individual buyers and driving up prices in communities that were once accessible to working families.
Tampa Bay Times, 'Buying Up the Bay' InvestigationFlorida's property insurance market has experienced significant disruption, with multiple insurers leaving the state and premiums rising sharply. Homeowners who cannot afford insurance face increased risk of default and foreclosure.
Florida Office of Insurance Regulation / Florida Consumer Lawyers, 2025Florida's foreclosure process is complex and fast-moving. Homeowners who lack legal representation often face procedural barriers that limit their ability to fully participate in proceedings that determine the fate of their homes.
Florida Law Help / Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach CountyDocumented cases of robo-signing, improper paperwork, and servicing errors have affected Florida homeowners for over a decade. Florida-based Lender Processing Services paid $35 million to resolve criminal fraud violations related to these practices.
U.S. Department of Justice, February 2013The Florida Housing Finance Corporation estimates that more than 29,000 individuals and 44,000 families are currently without stable housing statewide, a number that has grown alongside rising foreclosure and eviction rates.
Florida Housing Finance Corporation, 2025 Home Matters DashboardWhile Florida leads the nation, the Tampa Bay region stands out even within the state. In October 2025, the Tampa metro area recorded the highest foreclosure filing rate among all major U.S. metro areas with populations of one million or more.
In Hillsborough County specifically, 341 foreclosure filings were recorded in September 2025 alone. That represents a 127% increase compared to the same month the prior year, and a 231% increase from January of that same year.
These are not abstract numbers. Each filing represents a family navigating one of the most stressful and consequential legal processes a person can face, often without legal representation or adequate information about their rights.
Source: ATTOM Data Solutions via WFLA / Fox 13 / Tampa Bay Business Journal, Nov 2025. Index is relative, not absolute rate.
Faith Antonio's family is currently navigating a foreclosure case in Florida. In the course of that process, they encountered barriers that limited their ability to fully participate in proceedings that directly affected their home. When they began reviewing the court records, they found patterns that raised serious questions about process and access.
Those patterns were not unique to their case. The same procedural barriers, the same documentation issues, and the same access challenges appear across multiple cases in the public record. That is not a coincidence. It is a systemic problem that deserves public attention.
"We were denied the ability to fully participate while decisions were being made. Now, as the process moves toward the sale of our home, we are being served notices in a system we were never fully allowed to access. We are not asking you to take our word for it. We are opening the process up so you can see it for yourself."
Faith Antonio
Faith is also sharing what she has learned through this process. The guide below is a plain-language resource she drafted to help other Florida homeowners understand their rights, recognize warning signs, and use public records to protect themselves.
About the Guide
"Your HOA, Your Rights" is a plain-language guide to HOA fraud, your legal rights as a homeowner, and how to use public records to fight back. It was drafted by Faith Antonio based on her direct experience navigating Florida's housing and legal systems.
One of the most powerful things Floridians can do right now is share information, learn from each other's experiences, and use the tools that are already available to protect themselves and their neighbors. The resources below are free, reliable, and available to every Florida homeowner.
If you are facing foreclosure, dealing with HOA issues, or simply want to understand your rights, these organizations and resources can help. And if you have a story to share, Faith's campaign wants to hear it.
Plain-language guides to foreclosure rights, the foreclosure process, and options available to Florida homeowners.
Official state resources for homeowners facing foreclosure, including tips for avoiding mortgage fraud and scams.
State agency providing housing assistance programs, counseling referrals, and data on housing affordability across Florida.
Independent, publicly available data on foreclosure rates by state, county, and metro area, updated monthly.
Investigative reporting on how institutional investors have reshaped the Tampa Bay housing market and what it means for residents.
Comprehensive academic research on Florida rental affordability, cost burden, and housing instability statewide.
If you or someone you know has experienced foreclosure, HOA abuse, or housing instability in Florida, Faith's campaign wants to hear from you. Your experience matters, and it can help others.
Addressing Florida's housing crisis requires more than individual assistance programs. It requires changes to the structures and policies that have allowed the crisis to develop and persist. These are the reforms Faith is committed to pursuing.
Require lenders to participate in good-faith mediation with homeowners before initiating foreclosure proceedings, giving families a real opportunity to resolve disputes and stay in their homes.
Establish caps on the number of single-family homes that investment firms and real estate trusts can purchase in Florida, preserving inventory for individual homeowners and families.
Strengthen state oversight of the property insurance market, require transparency in rate-setting, and create accountability mechanisms for insurers that exit the market without adequate notice.
Require mortgage servicers operating in Florida to meet enforceable standards for accuracy, communication, and due process, with real penalties for violations that harm homeowners.
Require public disclosure of financial interests held by officials involved in foreclosure proceedings, and establish clear recusal standards when conflicts of interest are present.
Increase state funding for legal aid organizations that serve homeowners facing foreclosure, ensuring that families have access to representation regardless of their income.
The housing crisis is not inevitable. It is the result of policy choices, inadequate oversight, and systems that have not been held accountable. Together, Floridians can change that. Learn, share, organize, and act.
