ATLANTA, GA — Families in Atlanta and across the country are making difficult choices to keep up with housing costs, according to new research from Habitat for Humanity International. The organization’s latest survey found many people are trimming household spending, dipping into emergency funds and taking on extra work just to stay housed.
The report, called Home at What Cost?, points to a growing strain that reaches far beyond monthly rent or mortgage payments. It shows that housing pressure is affecting what families eat, whether they can save for emergencies and how secure they feel about the future.
Habitat leaders say the findings reflect a broader affordability challenge that is shaping daily life for households in Georgia as well as in other places surveyed around the world.
Groceries, savings and side jobs are being used to cover housing
One of the clearest signs of strain in the survey was the way families are juggling basic expenses. Habitat found that 33% of respondents said they spent less on food or groceries in order to pay for housing.
Another 32% said they used savings or emergency money, while 31% took on additional work. Those numbers show how housing costs can ripple through an entire household budget, leaving less room for the ordinary expenses that help families stay stable.
The survey also found that 13% delayed or avoided medical care because of housing costs. That kind of trade-off can have lasting consequences, especially for older adults, working parents and anyone already managing tight finances.
An unexpected expense can push families closer to the edge
Habitat for Humanity International said 48% of respondents believed that one unexpected problem could put their housing at risk. That could mean a car repair, a medical bill or some other sudden expense that leaves a family short on cash.
Jonathan Reckford, Habitat’s chief executive, said rising housing costs leave families with less money available to save. Without that cushion, he said, even a relatively small surprise can be hard to absorb.
He added that housing should be a source of stability, but for many families it has become a source of anxiety instead. The survey suggests that concern is especially strong when monthly housing payments leave little room for anything else.
Atlanta affordability worries are shaping local conversations
Although the survey covered households in 22 countries, Reckford said the pressure is also visible in Atlanta. He said he has seen middle-class families struggling with whether their children can afford housing, a sign that affordability concerns now reach beyond the lowest-income households.
That challenge is part of why housing has climbed higher on the community agenda in metro Atlanta. Families who rent are trying to keep up with monthly bills while also thinking about whether homeownership is still possible down the road.
For many, the answer depends on whether they can pay rent and still save enough for a down payment. Reckford said households that spend a large share of income on housing have very little left to set aside for that goal.
Many renters do not see a path to homeownership
The survey also points to long-term discouragement among people who do not already own homes. Among U.S. respondents who were not homeowners, 42% said they did not expect to become homeowners at any point in their lives.
That feeling matters because homeownership has traditionally been one way for low- and moderate-income families to build savings and assets over time. Reckford said that path has helped many parents create something they can pass along to their children.
Globally, the survey found that 58% of parents and guardians said housing costs were limiting opportunities for their children. Habitat says that makes housing affordability not just a current budget issue, but a generational one as well.
What Habitat says could help make housing more affordable
Reckford said the response to housing pressure in Atlanta and Georgia will likely need to come from several directions at once. He pointed to government action, private construction and community involvement as part of the solution.
Among the steps he mentioned were faster local building approvals, making land available for housing and expanding financing through state and federal efforts. He also said businesses can help increase the supply of homes.
Nonprofit groups, he said, can make sure residents have a voice in decisions that affect their neighborhoods. Habitat’s broader message is that affordability will improve only if more homes are built and more groups help shape how communities grow.
The survey reached more than 30,000 people around the world
Habitat for Humanity International said the survey gathered responses from 30,758 people between April 10 and June 30. The organization described the findings as part of its effort to better understand how housing costs affect daily life.
The results combine responses from households across 22 countries, so the percentages should not be read as local statistics for Atlanta or Georgia. Even so, Habitat says the patterns are consistent with the affordability concerns many families are voicing in the metro area.
Habitat says the full report, along with information about getting involved, is available on its website. The group is using the findings to underline how housing costs can shape health, savings and long-term financial security.
The survey reached more than 30,000 people around the world
Habitat for Humanity International said the survey gathered responses from 30,758 people between April 10 and June 30. The organization described the findings as part of its effort to better understand how housing costs affect daily life.
The results combine responses from households across 22 countries, so the percentages should not be read as local statistics for Atlanta or Georgia. Even so, Habitat says the patterns are consistent with the affordability concerns many families are voicing in the metro area.
Habitat says the full report, along with information about getting involved, is available on its website. The group is using the findings to underline how housing costs can shape health, savings and long-term financial security.