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Rents in Southern California are expected to increase by more than $100/month by 2019, exacerbating a growing affordable housing problem in the region. Rent growth is outpacing income growth at a rate that is not sustainable in Southern California, according to the 2017 University of Southern California Casden Economics Forecast.

Average monthly rents in 2019 could rise by $136 in Los Angeles, $149 in Orange County, $121 in San Diego County, $124 in the Inland Empire and $98 in Ventura County.

Los Angeles rent growth is expected to hit triple digits over the next two years, with an estimate that Los Angeles County residents will pay an average of $136 more in the next two years, according to new research from USC Lusk Center for Real Estate. Other Southern California markets will experience similar growth. Rents are expected to increase $149 per month for Orange County residents, $124 in the Inland Empire, $121 in San Diego County and $98 in Ventura County. Rent growth is currently outpacing income growth, and it is not sustainable.

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 16, 2017 /PRNewswire-iReach/ -- The 2017 University of Southern California Casden Economics Forecast finds that rising employment combined with an ongoing lull in homeownership will again drive rent increases over the next two years throughout the region.

The average rent on an apartment in much of Southern California will rise by at least $100 over the next two years, University of Southern California researchers predict.

The projection, part of the USC Casden Multifamily Forecast, is based off an analysis of rents, housing supply and population growth in Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, Riverside and San Diego counties, reports NBC4 media partner KPCC.

Here are some interesting facts about the Southern California rental market:

$72,520

You need an annual income of roughly $72,520 to afford the typical fair market rent ($1,813 a month) for an Orange County two-bedroom apartment. A Los Angeles County household needs to earn $61,800 a year to afford the typical two-bedroom unit, while in the Inland Empire, the annual income needed is $47,800 a year.

1.8 jobs

October 11, 2017 – The 2017 University of Southern California Casden Economics Forecast finds that rising employment combined with an ongoing lull in homeownership will again drive rent increases over the next two years throughout the region.

The forecast, which is produced annually by the USC Lusk Center for Real Estate in partnership with Beacon Economics, finds that by 2019, average monthly rents are expected to increase over their 2017 levels by $136 in Los Angeles County, $149 in Orange County, $124 in the Inland Empire, $121 in San Diego County, and $98 in Ventura County.

LOS ANGELES – Sept. 12, 2017 – Emile Haddad, newly-appointed chairman of the USC Lusk Center for Real Estate, believes that the real estate industry is too focused on the top-level impacts of the Millennial generation including its mindset when it comes to homeownership. As a result, the industry is ignoring not only the impact of technology on the overall industry, but also the deeper impact of Millennials’ desire to blend career and home life into a singular lifestyle choice.

Trevor McNeil and Sarah Montoya, both 35, would love to buy a home in San Francisco, but like many young couples, they make too much money to qualify for a below-market-rate unit and too little to afford a market-rate one.

High demand and low home production rates are pushing up Southern California home prices well past affordable levels.

The Los Angeles Times reports that prices jumped 7.5 percent in August from the year before, reaching a median price of $500,000 across the six-country region. Home prices in Los Angeles County rose 9.4 percent on an annual basis last month to a record median price of $580,000.

The Southern California real estate market continued to sizzle in August as home prices jumped 7.5% from a year earlier, reinforcing new poll results showing widespread concern about the state’s housing affordability.

Across the six-county region, the median price increased to $500,000 from $465,000 a year earlier, though down slightly from $502,000 in July, according to a report Tuesday from data firm CoreLogic.

In Los Angeles County, the median price surged 9.4% to a record $580,000. The previous record of $575,000 was set in July.