Panama City Beach sees hike in rent prices

PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. (WJHG/WECP) - Your dollar doesn’t go quite as far as it used to in Panama City Beach, whether it’s gas, groceries, or rent.

“Rent here is already ridiculous and now that it’s going up, it’s like not even doable,” Panama City Beach resident Chenoa Milam said.

According to the rental website Zumper, the average price for a two-bedroom apartment in PCB is just over $1,800. If you compare that to this time last year, it’s about a 12% jump.

Some residents said they’re feeling the crunch.

“My rent has gone up a couple hundred dollars like for each month,” Milam said. “I’m a full-time college student, working a part-time job trying to start my own business so not really ideal for me. I can’t really afford to pay another $200 a month for my rent. So it’s pretty rough.”

It’s a rough situation that has many asking for help.

“They are desperate because they are getting eviction notices and they’re coming more than they were before,” Beach Care Services Office Manager Nancy Beaupre said.

Beach Care Services is a local non-profit dedicated to helping residents make ends meet.

“They have to come up with some to help as well but we can usually pay part of a monthly payment which has gone up,” Beaupre said.

Beaupre said with prices going up, more people are coming in.

And the beach isn’t the only place seeing rent rise.

Zumper shows two-bedroom apartments in Panama City going up about 17% in the last year.

“Like I can’t really afford to live on the beach anymore and towns almost just as expensive,” Milam said.

It’s leaving some people no choice but to look elsewhere.

For more information on the Homeless Prevention and Rental Assistance Program, you can contact Beach Care Services at (850) 235-3002 or Rebuild Bay County at (850) 215-8702.