Table 11. Projected number of housing units for 1990 and 2000 



Projections were derived by taking the number of persons per housing unit (U.S. 

 Department of Commerce) and extrapolating on the basis of population projec- 

 tions in County Economic Data (Florida Department of Commerce 1979). 



not become available for months, or even years. The problems are the failure 

 to be able to adequately identify the trends that occurred in 1970-1980, and 

 that accurate projections (except for those of total population and total 

 housing units) cannot be made. 



A difficulty regarding residential development analysis is differentiat- 

 ing between housing units for permanent residents and for recreation. Many 

 vacationers rent single-family homes and units in multi-family dwellings by 

 the week, month, or season. Many surveys combine these as housing units 

 without making a distinction. 



INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT 



Northwest Florida is not heavily industrialized. Most industry is 

 located in or near the coastal cities of Pensacola, Panama City, and Fort 

 Walton Beach. The amount of land suitable for development near urbanized 

 areas is limited because of extensive wetlands, large public land holdings 

 (e.g., Eglin Air Force Base), and because of the hazards of hurricane surge or 

 riverine flooding. Major wetlands and public land holdings are shown in 

 Figure 5. Pensacola has land to the north and west in which to expand, Panama 

 City can grow only eastward because it is surrounded on three sides by bay 

 waters, and Fort Walton Beach can grow little because of Choctawhatchee Bay 

 and Eglin Air Force Base. 



Most of the current industrial developments in Panama City and Pensacola 

 are located adjacent to open water or along a river, and are subject to hurri- 

 cane surge, tidal flooding, and riverine floods. Wastes from industrial, 

 residential, municipal, and recreational developments already have contributed 



69 



