Housing Advocacy:
What are some of the key statistics to understand regarding the lack of affordable housing in many communities of the U.S.?
Today, the national Housing Wage for a two bedroom unit is $15.37. The median hourly wage in the United States is only about $14.00 and more than a quarter of the population earns less than $10.00 an hour.
There is ample evidence that rents are rising and wages have not kept pace with rising housing costs. Bureau of Labor Statistics data suggest that rents continued to rise faster than incomes in 2004. From October 2003 to October 2004, the Consumer Price Index shows an increase of 2.9% for the rental of primary residences. Hourly wages, however, were up only 2.6% over this period. Data compiled by the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University show that both contract rents and gross rents, which include the cost of utilities, have risen steadily from the mid-1990s, despite a decline in renter incomes after 2001. Since 1997, the federal minimum wage has remained at $5.15.
This year, the Housing Wage for a two bedroom home ranges from a high of $29.60 in the San Francisco, CA area to $6.21 in Starr County Texas, and $5.90 in portions of Puerto Rico. Low Housing Wages do not mean affordable housing, however. In Puerto Rico, $5.90 is greater than the median hourly wage.
Source: Out of Reach 2004, The National Low Income Housing Coalition
Other questions & answers related to this topic:
Who needs affordable housing?
Does the minimum wage provide adequate income for families and individuals seeking to rent or own a home of their own?
What are some of the implications for funders interested in issues of homelessness and affordable housing?
What other good resources exist for supporting the development of affordable housing in our communities?
What are housing trust funds, and how are they being used to provide access to affordable housing?
What is the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program?