Survey says: Affordable housing is the top concern for businesses

A quick check-in on businesses in Sarasota County revealed the real reason they’re struggling to hire workers — affordable housing. 

The annual business tax survey released by the Sarasota County Economic Development Corporation each fall collected responses from 1,905 businesses in the area. The most notable metric fell to the top concerns, which highlighted affordable housing with the highest response rate of 412 businesses. The rising costs makes it harder for businesses to hire and retain employees. 

“We are hearing from businesses every day that they love Sarasota County and want to establish or expand their companies here,” says Lisa Krouse, CEO, in a release. “They recognize that we have an exceptional quality of life, and they want to enjoy it for themselves. However, they are also very concerned with their ability to attract and retain talent. While a hot housing market is good in certain ways, it has exacerbated the labor shortage on a local level.”