(ABC 6 News) – Nearly half of Minnesota renters are struggling to pay rent and utilities. That’s according to new data from the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies.

“Considering I just came out of homelessness I don’t really like it,” said Autumn Pallas.

She lived in her car for three months.

“Well, I was homeless with 6-year-old. A 6-year-old autistic child,” Pallas added.

Now she has found a place to live in Rochester, but she says she’s still paying too much.

“I got really lucky. They ended up giving me a little less on rent because of what I make,” said Pallas.

Pallas makes $15 dollars an hour, and her rent takes up more than 40-percent of her pay. And she’s not alone. According to a study by the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies half of Minnesota renters spend more than 30-percent of their income on housing.

“So, when you get above that number it becomes a challenge once you start putting those other expenses on top of it. Then, in order to keep up on your rent every month because at the end of the month there’s just no money left,” said Olmsted County Housing Director Dave Dunn.

Dunn says there are simply not enough resources to help everyone.

“So, there’s only enough units or there’s only enough rental assistance for one out of every four people who qualify. So those other three are either living on the edge, doubling up, challenged every month to make sure their bills are paid, but they are really struggling to be able to find a roof over their head,” said Dunn.

— RELATED: Minn. food banks see record number of visits —

The demand for assistance to get other essentials is high too. According to the Minnesota Department of Human Services the number of adults on food assistance was 233,000 compared to 215,000 in 2019.

And now many Minnesotans are asking for just one thing.

“We need more resources,” said Pallas.

This new data actually looked at numbers from 2022, so it’s unclear if things have gotten better or worse in the last year. The Minnesota legislature did pass more than a billion dollars in funding for housing last year, but what is clear, many people are still struggling.