🏡 Housing in Tampa: Wishes, Worries and Solutions (AARP Article)

[Winter2025VA]

FROM THE ARTICLE.

By Joanne Binette, AARP Research. Published October 01, 2025.

Tampa residents (85%), like most older Americans, want to stay in their homes and communities as they age, a recent AARP Research survey of adults age 45 and older living in Tampa found. They have concerns, however, over the affordability, accessibility and resiliency in natural disasters of the homes in Tampa.

The survey reveals not only a desire for more affordable housing, but also housing that meets the unique needs of older adults and residents living in a community that is prone to natural disasters such as hurricanes, tropical storms, storm surges, and flooding.

Reasons to move.

In the survey, overall housing costs and finding a home that can withstand a natural disaster are the top reasons to move, with both cited by 67% of residents.

Insurance coverage is also a major factor, with the majority of residents struggling to both find and afford housing insurance. A striking 83% are extremely or very concerned about the cost of insurance.

USE LINK BELOW TO READ THE ARTICLE.

https://www.aarp.org/pri/topics/livable-communities/housing/tampa-florida-affordable-housing/

[Winter2025VA]

[10/3/25] Anyone living in Florida or would like to?

Any "thoughts" on living there?

See my post below for my thoughts.

Take care,

Nicole. (Friends & Family Forum)

[Winter2025VA]

[10/3/25] When living in Florida up until 2015 (now in Virginia), I lived INLAND (Orlando) for years. Back then I didnot realize the "wisdom" of doing this.

Had moved to Melbourne (Florida) when I got pregnant with my only child 30+ years ago. Back then I NEVER had any "issues" with hurricanes.

Now in 2025, I am DRAGGING my old feet (age 67) back to Melbourne where my daughter lives. We had BOTH left in 2015. She HATED Virginia. I stayed. Luv my mountains & 4 seasons. Lol, with hot flashes - GRATEFUL summer is ONLY 3 months. Now SOME winters can be a "challenge" - but they too last 3 months or less.

[GailL1 · Accepted solution]

@Winter2025VA 

Did you not see the devastation that Hurricane Helena cause to the Asheville,  NC community and for Georgia too.  The areas affected was 300 miles from the coast.    When that far inland, people don’t have to have what is deemed to be “hurricane insurance”.  

Devastation of one type or another can happen anywhere - we can never prepare for everything that might occur.  

I remember Hurricane Andrew in 1992 that hit South Florida - Everything was destroyed - A Cat 5 storm.  Whole communities were flattened.  

But yet, people rebuilt and now it is even more packed today.  Same with New Orleans from Hurricane Katrina and that place is even built below sea level.  Sure some people left and said never again but for the majority, they stayed.  

Many people live thru a disaster without insurance and even when they do what they can to rebuild, they remain uninsured - because they cannot afford to provide it - I guess they live on faith and hope or maybe it is just that we’ll face whatever comes when it comes mentality.  In a way, I envy them with this attitude.  

c’est la vie

In French, c’est la vie means “that’s life,” borrowed into English as idiom to express acceptance or resignation, much like Oh well.

Related words:

• c’est la guerre
• sh*t happens
• so it goes
• such is life

[Winter2025VA]

[10/3/25] Yes Gail @GailL1 , I am aware as I live in Virginia (near to the devastation). We also had our issues.

My comment about "wisdom" on MY PART for having lived INLAND (Orlando, Florida) while living in Florida was MY EXPERIENCE. Zero about ANYONE ELSE.

Yes, SOME people tend to REBUILD and I guess that is THEIR BIZ.

Here in my part of Virginia, as I had shared with you - several businesses at the BOTTOM of my hill get FLOODED out EVERY time we have days of rain (everyone's rain & rain from mountains go THEIR way). But they dry out & reopen.

Lol, during these floods, I need a boat to shop at Walmart IF I can get there.

And yes, in spite of being TOLD to "stay home" - Rescue Teams in boats are out there pulling someone out of their trapped car. And yes, innocent babies, pets, kids have drowned due to being in these vehicles.  😤

*** Insurance??? Time for people to "wake up" and use commonsense = move. I would rather go live in my car at age 67 than deal with the stress & worry of losing my roof over my old head. But I let people live THEIR LIVES THEIR WAY = not my biz.

Take care,

Nicole. (Friends & Family Forum)

➡️[*** GAIL 

---

@GailL1 wrote:

@Winter2025VA 

Did you not see the devastation that Hurricane Helena cause to the Asheville,  NC community and for Georgia too.  The areas affected was 300 miles from the coast.    When that far inland, people don’t have to have what is deemed to be “hurricane insurance”.  

Devastation of one type or another can happen anywhere - we can never prepare for everything that might occur.  

I remember Hurricane Andrew in 1992 that hit South Florida - Everything was destroyed - A Cat 5 storm.  Whole communities were flattened.  

But yet, people rebuilt and now it is even more packed today.  Same with New Orleans from Hurricane Katrina and that place is even built below sea level.  Sure some people left and said never again but for the majority, they stayed.  

Many people live thru a disaster without insurance and even when they do what they can to rebuild, they remain uninsured - because they cannot afford to provide it - I guess they live on faith and hope or maybe it is just that we’ll face whatever comes when it comes mentality.  In a way, I envy them with this attitude.  

c’est la vie

In French, c’est la vie means “that’s life,” borrowed into English as idiom to express acceptance or resignation, much like Oh well.

Related words:

• c’est la guerre
• sh*t happens
• so it goes
• such is life

---