Fresh strawberry shortcake topped with whipped cream, a signature treat at the annual Marion County Strawberry Festival
Community
2026-01-165 min readAs Housing Costs Squeeze Marion County Families, Strawberry Festival Aims to Build Solutions
By Staff Reporter
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When the 12th Annual Habitat Ocala Strawberry Festival opens its gates on March 7, 2026, organizers expect more than 15,000 people to stream through the McPherson Complex for a day of food, music, and community celebration. But behind the fresh strawberries and live entertainment lies a more serious mission: addressing Marion County's growing affordable housing gap.
Proceeds from the one-day festival support Habitat for Humanity of Marion County, which builds homes for families who might otherwise be locked out of homeownership in a region where housing costs have outpaced wages for years.
The median home price in Marion County reached approximately $275,000 in late 2025, according to Redfin data. While that figure is lower than Florida's statewide median listing price of $425,000 reported by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, it remains a stretch for many local families.
Marion County's median household income sits at $58,535, according to Data USA. For a family earning that amount to afford a median-priced home under standard lending guidelines—where housing costs should not exceed 30% of income—monthly payments including mortgage, taxes, and insurance would consume a significant portion of take-home pay, particularly with mortgage rates hovering between 6% and 7%.
The math gets harder for lower-income residents. A 2025 University of Florida study from the Shimberg Center for Housing Studies found that across Florida, approximately 883,863 renter households earning below 60% of area median income spend more than 40% of their income on housing—a threshold that economists consider severely cost-burdened.
In Marion County specifically, 14.3% of the population lives with what federal guidelines define as severe housing problems, according to Data USA.
For families seeking assistance, options are limited. The Ocala Housing Authority manages approximately 1,614 low-income housing units, including Section 8 vouchers and public housing, according to HUD Housing Network data. But demand far exceeds supply.
Households that received Section 8 vouchers at the start of 2024 had waited an average of 21 months on the waiting list, according to Affordable Housing Online. Only 97 new vouchers were issued in the prior year—representing just 9% of the total voucher-holding households.
Meanwhile, only 28 affordable housing units were listed as currently available in Marion County as of late 2025.
The shortage contributes to housing instability across the region. Marion County's most recent Point-in-Time count, conducted in January 2025, documented 391 homeless individuals—231 in shelters and 160 living unsheltered, according to the Ocala Gazette.
Florida's housing challenges stem partly from extraordinary population growth. The state's Demographic Estimating Conference projects Florida will add an average of 305,953 net new residents annually from 2026 through 2030—roughly 838 people per day, according to Florida Realtors.
That influx keeps demand elevated statewide. In 2023, Ocala was ranked the number one city in Florida likely to experience a housing crisis, according to a GOBankingRates analysis cited by WCJB News.
Elisha Lopez, owner of Ocala Realty World, told the station at the time that the shortage hits certain buyers hardest. There's significant demand for housing, she noted, but not enough affordable options, particularly for first-time buyers and lower-income families.
Habitat for Humanity operates differently from traditional housing assistance programs. Rather than providing free homes or rental subsidies, the organization partners with qualifying families to build homes, then offers affordable mortgages typically capped at 30% of household income.
Homeowners contribute "sweat equity"—helping construct their own homes or those of other Habitat families—and complete financial education courses before closing.
According to Habitat for Humanity International, the model creates a sustainable cycle: mortgage payments from current homeowners help fund construction for future families.
The Strawberry Festival represents one of the largest annual fundraisers for the Marion County affiliate. More than 700 volunteers support the event, which has grown into one of the county's signature community gatherings.
The festival runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the McPherson Complex. Admission is free; parking costs $5, with proceeds split between Habitat and the Marion Therapeutic Riding Association.
More than 235 vendors will sell crafts, goods, and food—including fresh strawberries sourced from Plant City farmers. A kid's zone with a petting zoo, a strawberry pie-eating contest, and BMX stunt shows from the X-Games affiliated BMX Trickstars round out family activities.
Live music runs throughout the day, featuring Ocala-based country artist Emma Forgette, the bluegrass group Alaskan Sunnyside Sisters, the genre-spanning duo Peaches & Karim, and worship band Crossroads. Electric violinist Jaron Clark will welcome attendees at the entrance.
An auto show presented by Campus USA Credit Union welcomes cars, trucks, motorcycles, and specialty vehicles. Pre-registration costs $20 for one vehicle or $35 for two before February 27; day-of entry is $25.
Housing affordability remains a top concern among Florida employers, according to the Florida Chamber Foundation's 2025 economic forecast, which listed it alongside workforce development and insurance costs as a primary business challenge.
For Marion County, events like the Strawberry Festival represent one piece of a larger puzzle. The Marion County Housing Finance Authority has partnered with the Florida Housing Coalition on a Workforce Housing Action Plan aimed at expanding affordable options through policy changes and increased construction.
But for families currently priced out of homeownership, incremental progress can feel slow. Habitat for Humanity of Marion County builds homes one at a time, funded in part by community events where neighbors spend a Saturday eating strawberry shortcake.
The organization's office is located at 1321 SE 25th Loop, Suite 103, in Ocala. Two ReStore locations—thrift stores that sell donated furniture and building materials to fund Habitat's mission—operate at 10800 SW 91st Ave and 926 NW 27th Ave.
For vendor registration, sponsorship opportunities, or event information, visit habitatocala.org/strawberry.
Proceeds from the one-day festival support Habitat for Humanity of Marion County, which builds homes for families who might otherwise be locked out of homeownership in a region where housing costs have outpaced wages for years.
A Market Out of Reach for Many
The median home price in Marion County reached approximately $275,000 in late 2025, according to Redfin data. While that figure is lower than Florida's statewide median listing price of $425,000 reported by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, it remains a stretch for many local families.
Marion County's median household income sits at $58,535, according to Data USA. For a family earning that amount to afford a median-priced home under standard lending guidelines—where housing costs should not exceed 30% of income—monthly payments including mortgage, taxes, and insurance would consume a significant portion of take-home pay, particularly with mortgage rates hovering between 6% and 7%.
The math gets harder for lower-income residents. A 2025 University of Florida study from the Shimberg Center for Housing Studies found that across Florida, approximately 883,863 renter households earning below 60% of area median income spend more than 40% of their income on housing—a threshold that economists consider severely cost-burdened.
In Marion County specifically, 14.3% of the population lives with what federal guidelines define as severe housing problems, according to Data USA.
Waiting Lists and Limited Options
For families seeking assistance, options are limited. The Ocala Housing Authority manages approximately 1,614 low-income housing units, including Section 8 vouchers and public housing, according to HUD Housing Network data. But demand far exceeds supply.
Households that received Section 8 vouchers at the start of 2024 had waited an average of 21 months on the waiting list, according to Affordable Housing Online. Only 97 new vouchers were issued in the prior year—representing just 9% of the total voucher-holding households.
Meanwhile, only 28 affordable housing units were listed as currently available in Marion County as of late 2025.
The shortage contributes to housing instability across the region. Marion County's most recent Point-in-Time count, conducted in January 2025, documented 391 homeless individuals—231 in shelters and 160 living unsheltered, according to the Ocala Gazette.
Population Growth Intensifies Pressure
Florida's housing challenges stem partly from extraordinary population growth. The state's Demographic Estimating Conference projects Florida will add an average of 305,953 net new residents annually from 2026 through 2030—roughly 838 people per day, according to Florida Realtors.
That influx keeps demand elevated statewide. In 2023, Ocala was ranked the number one city in Florida likely to experience a housing crisis, according to a GOBankingRates analysis cited by WCJB News.
Elisha Lopez, owner of Ocala Realty World, told the station at the time that the shortage hits certain buyers hardest. There's significant demand for housing, she noted, but not enough affordable options, particularly for first-time buyers and lower-income families.
Where Festival Funds Go
Habitat for Humanity operates differently from traditional housing assistance programs. Rather than providing free homes or rental subsidies, the organization partners with qualifying families to build homes, then offers affordable mortgages typically capped at 30% of household income.
Homeowners contribute "sweat equity"—helping construct their own homes or those of other Habitat families—and complete financial education courses before closing.
According to Habitat for Humanity International, the model creates a sustainable cycle: mortgage payments from current homeowners help fund construction for future families.
The Strawberry Festival represents one of the largest annual fundraisers for the Marion County affiliate. More than 700 volunteers support the event, which has grown into one of the county's signature community gatherings.
What to Expect at the Festival
The festival runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the McPherson Complex. Admission is free; parking costs $5, with proceeds split between Habitat and the Marion Therapeutic Riding Association.
More than 235 vendors will sell crafts, goods, and food—including fresh strawberries sourced from Plant City farmers. A kid's zone with a petting zoo, a strawberry pie-eating contest, and BMX stunt shows from the X-Games affiliated BMX Trickstars round out family activities.
Live music runs throughout the day, featuring Ocala-based country artist Emma Forgette, the bluegrass group Alaskan Sunnyside Sisters, the genre-spanning duo Peaches & Karim, and worship band Crossroads. Electric violinist Jaron Clark will welcome attendees at the entrance.
An auto show presented by Campus USA Credit Union welcomes cars, trucks, motorcycles, and specialty vehicles. Pre-registration costs $20 for one vehicle or $35 for two before February 27; day-of entry is $25.
A Regional Response to a Statewide Problem
Housing affordability remains a top concern among Florida employers, according to the Florida Chamber Foundation's 2025 economic forecast, which listed it alongside workforce development and insurance costs as a primary business challenge.
For Marion County, events like the Strawberry Festival represent one piece of a larger puzzle. The Marion County Housing Finance Authority has partnered with the Florida Housing Coalition on a Workforce Housing Action Plan aimed at expanding affordable options through policy changes and increased construction.
But for families currently priced out of homeownership, incremental progress can feel slow. Habitat for Humanity of Marion County builds homes one at a time, funded in part by community events where neighbors spend a Saturday eating strawberry shortcake.
The organization's office is located at 1321 SE 25th Loop, Suite 103, in Ocala. Two ReStore locations—thrift stores that sell donated furniture and building materials to fund Habitat's mission—operate at 10800 SW 91st Ave and 926 NW 27th Ave.
For vendor registration, sponsorship opportunities, or event information, visit habitatocala.org/strawberry.
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