VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — Like many Floridians, Volusia County residents are struggling to find a place to live that they can afford.

City leaders are expressing concerns about the immediate need for affordable housing. Deltona Mayor Santiago Avila Jr. said he has felt the impact of this issue firsthand.

“Currently, we have no affordable housing in the city of Deltona right now," Avila said. "It’s an issue. I know I brought it up. Currently, I’m paying $1,640 a month for a three-bedroom, two-bath house with about 1,700 square feet. The house I’m living in is being sold. So, obviously my lease is up. So, I have to move, and I can’t find anything under $2,000.”

One group trying to help residents struggling to afford a place to live is The Neighborhood Center of West Volusia.

Chief Operating Officer Waylan Niece, who moved from Indiana to Florida, said he always knew he had a passion for helping others.

“I realized that this is what I wanted to do for my career and not just for a volunteer," Niece said. "And that’s when I ended up moving to Florida and got connected with The Neighborhood Center and have been here ever since.”

The community organization focuses on feeding the hungry, housing the homeless and also preventing homelessness.

“We provide transitional housing, permanent supportive housing, permanent housing, rapid rehousing, all different types of housing programs to fit the various levels of need for our community,” Niece said.

In 2023, homelessness in Volusia County increased over 17%, Niece said.

To try to address that issue, the organization recently opened the Center for Neighbors in Need, which provides financial services to individuals requiring help with utility and rental assistance.

“We’re seeing new people, new faces, new families, all different types of households," Niece said. "People that had never thought before that they would need any kind of financial assistance are now walking through our doors, so that they’re not being evicted from their homes and having to find a new place to live.”

He said The Neighborhood Center has seen an increase in the number of families using those services.

“If we can keep people in their homes, we’re not contributing more to the affordable housing crisis that we’re already in,” Niece said.

A food pantry where residents can come in and get groceries on a weekly or monthly basis also is available.

“They can then spend that money to pay their rental costs or their utility costs," Niece said. "So, all of these areas, from a holistic perspective, actually help to combat the affordable housing crisis that we’re in.” 

For some people already facing a housing crisis, The Neighborhood Center has an emergency shelter with 40 beds. Clients can stay for a time frame of 30-90 days, with room and board supplied. They also offer transitional housing. They have 16 beds and offer housing for families with children while a case manager helps them get back on their feet.

“Then (the organization) immediately begins coordinating with housing and saying, 'You know, this person’s going to be ready either in two weeks or 30 days or whenever' so that we can coordinate and have a smooth transition from the bridge shelter into one of the various housing programs,” Niece said.

In 2022, The Neighborhood Center helped 171 families find homes through their program and provided emergency shelter to over 300 people. This year, the need continues to increase for all its services — from getting utility assistance to finding permanent housing.

“We see about 100 households a day come through for those types of services. And I would say in the housing department, we probably get about 10 phone calls or 10 walk-ins a day of individuals looking for housing,” Niece said.

The Neighborhood Center of West Volusia is open to the community Monday through Friday. If you or anyone you know needs assistance obtaining information about how to access its resources, visit its website.

In terms of solutions to the affordable housing issue, Avila Jr. said they need to look at a short-term solution, a long-term solution and a way to help people now.

Short-term solutions include working with developers and asking them to make at least 20% of their inventory affordable housing or workforce housing, Avila said. The city also has programs to help residents having a hard time paying the rent or mortgage. Details on those programs can be found on the city's website.

Long-term, he said bringing more commerce into Deltona can help create higher-paying jobs so that more people can afford homes.