ST. CLOUD -- A new report by the Minnesota Housing Partnership indicates 84 of Minnesota's 87 counties lack affordable housing.

Stearns County ranks last in the state of Minnesota for the number of affordable housing units.  Stearns has only 26 rental units per 100 low-income residents. In Stearns County, real renter incomes have fallen by 16% while rents have risen by 14% since since 2000.

Benton County ranks 14th with 37 units per 100.

Housing Partnership Executive Director Chip Halbeck says unless something changes, it will only get worse.  He says as more residents become senior citizens, the need for affordable housing will only grow.

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