2006 SNWI Home
2006 Wealth Defined
SNWI Uses and Users
Indicators
Social Capital
Health Insurance
Hospital Capacity
Asthma
School Enrollment
Educational Attainment
Youth Organizations
Child Poverty Rate
Violent Crime Rate
Historic Preservation
Performing Arts Attendance
Civic Capacity: Voting Record
Population Growth for SNWI
Population Migration
Demographics of New Residents
Housing Indicators
Natural Capital
Financial Capital
Summary
|
Income Needed to Rent HousingMinimum Wage Earners Struggle to Afford Housing in Subregions Why is it important? Renter affordability has become a greater concern for the Sierra Nevada region. According to the National Low Income Housing Coalition, the number of available affordable rentals is decreasing, particularly for people earning minimum wage. These working families are often forced to live in substandard conditions with overcrowded and often uncomfortable living arrangements. Historically, community housing programs have utilized a system where new housing units filtered down to lower income households as they age. While this pattern was somewhat effective in the past, it has not been an adequate solution. Communities need to directly address the rental shortage by providing more housing choices based on an area’s economic need. In addition, this unmet need could directly impact public health costs due to overworking and an inability to spend money allotted for housing on necessities such as food and clothing.3 How are we doing? In order for minimum wage earners to afford a two-bedroom rental in the Sierra Nevada region, it is necessary to work a minimum of sixty hours per week. In the North Central region, 107 hours are required in order to afford the same, which is the highest in the Sierra. The remaining regions have seen reductions in hours needed since 1999. However, even with this slight decrease, work weeks of this length are not a realistic solution to rental affordability. In order for one worker to afford a two-bedroom home working a typical 40-hour work week, they would have had to earn nearly $18.00 per hour in 2003 to afford living in the North Central Sierra, an increase of almost $6.00 per hour over the last four years. Other subregions fared better, although workers still must earn a good wage—$13 to $14 in the South Central and East Sierra and $10 in the North Sierra to afford a two-bedroom unit working full-time. 3 http://www.dph.sf.ca.us/eh/phes/publications/reports/UnaffordableHousingJune04.pdf
|
 |
 |