For the Working Homeless Housing is out of Reach

The National Low-Income Housing Coalition has recently released their 2018 Out of Reach report, which takes an in depth look at the correlation between wage and housing issues for low-income communities. The statistics cited in this piece all pertain to Cuyahoga County. Renting is the most viable option for people living paycheck to paycheck, but the numbers show it is still not that viable of an option for many.

                        The problem becomes evident when looking at the gap between someone who makes minimum wage($8.30/hr), and the mean and median renter wage. A person making the mean($15.38/hr), and even median wage (roughly $14/hr), can comfortably afford to pay for a 0-bedroom apartment at Fair Market price($529/mo). While the mean and median wage earners can comfortably afford a 1-bedroom apartment, someone working full-time on minimum wage still falls $100 short per month for a 0-bedroom apartment, let alone a 1 or 2-bedroom apartment. The lack of affordable housing and low minimum wage work together to create huge problems. Not only does it create more homeless people, but people who are currently homeless will struggle to afford housing and escape homelessness. There will continue to be a steady rate of homelessness if the price of rent or the minimum wage does not change.

By Connor McIntyre

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