METHODOLOGY FOR CALCULATING AMI AND RENT LEVELS

Housing Committee · 2026-06-09 · resolution

Miami-Dade County Board of County Commissioners is directing the County Mayor or designee to provide a written report assessing the methodology used by HUD to calculate Area Median Income (AMI) for Miami-Dade County and exploring potential alternative methods. The report is due within 90 days of the resolution's effective date. The current AMI for all families in Miami-Dade County is $89,800, and for a family of four is $136,200. This AMI is critical for eligibility in various housing programs, including Section 8, public housing, low-income housing tax credits, and local initiatives like the Infill Housing Initiative and Workforce Housing Administration. The resolution stems from concerns that the HUD methodology, which relies on Census Bureau ACS data and an inflation adjustment, may be inaccurate and create barriers to affordable housing. The report will compare HUD's AMI with other estimates and assess alternative methodologies such as using wage indexes or median weekly earnings. The Housing Committee forwarded this item to the BCC with a favorable recommendation.