WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Florida's affordability crisis isn't just showing up in panhandlers on the street, but in some cases, the people who live next door.
Now, some groups that work to help those experiencing homelessness, worry if Florida voters pass the Property Tax ballot measure next month, their funding, often tied to government budgets, could be cut.
WATCH: The changing face of South Florida's homeless
"We understand that things have ballooned to really hurting people's wallets. But it is unclear how broad the impacts of this are going to be," says Alexandria Ayala, the CEO of the Palm Beach County Homeless Coalition.
Ayala says without question, the face of homelessness in Palm Beach County is changing.
"It has completely shifted. You can interact with someone who on paper is homeless, not knowing from how they appear and (not) knowing what they're maintaining and what they're fighting every day and every night to try and survive," says Ayala.
According to Palm Beach County’s 2025 Point-in-Time (PIT) Homeless Count, cases of homelessness dropped from 2024. However, outreach workers worry those gains will be erased as the cost of living spikes.
"The worst night was to find a two-month-old baby with the mom and dad living in a makeshift tent which was a blanket being held up by sticks," says James Mackey, a former PBSO deputy who recently retired after spending eight years on the Homeless Intervention team.
Like many, outreach groups, the Homeless Coalition of Palm Beach County is waiting to see if funding cuts could be looming if voters pass Florida's Amendment Three in November. Until then, their work continues to help those facing hardships stay off the streets.
