Reading Notes

Topics: Poverty and Wealth

 

Reading Notes about Affordable Housing

 

source: OUT OF REACH 2014 pdf

printed at: 727 15TH STREET NW, 6TH FLOOR // WASHINGTON, DC 20005

"For example, in April 2013, the DC Housing Authority decided to close its waiting list of nearly 70,000 applicants when the average wait time for a studio apartment was 39 years and 28 years for a one-bedroom unit."

"Affordability in this report is consistent with

the federal standard that no more than 30% of a

household’s gross income should be spent on rent and

utilities."

"In the United States, the 2014 two-bedroom Housing Wage is $18.92. This

national average is more than two-and-a-half times the federal minimum wage,

and 52% higher than it was in 2000. In no state can a full-time minimum wage

worker afford a one-bedroom or a two-bedroom rental unit at Fair Market Rent."

"Overall job

growth has been heavily concentrated in low-wage industries, with 58% of new jobs

in the post-recession recovery period paying no more than $13.84 per hour. 18 This

trend is likely to continue over the coming decade, with job growth between 2010

and 2020 projected to be dominated by low-wage jobs"

"78% of minimum wage

workers work at least 20 hours per week and 80% are at least 20 years old, dispelling

the myth that the majority of minimum wage workers are teenagers working parttime

after school.20 Low income workers affected by a minimum wage increase are on

average 35 years old, about 54% work full-time, about 69% come from families with

incomes less than $60,000, and more than a quarter have children."

"Residents of SeaTac,

Washington voted to increase its minimum wage to the highest in the country:

$15 an hour. Yet, these wages are still below what is needed to afford a decent

rental home in local markets."

 

Look how much more expensive Boulder is compared to the Springs.

 

 

 

Irresponsible, lying wealth: Rolling Stone article about the Koch Brothers article

The Koch brothers were in the news for publicly announcing their fund of $889 million for the presidential election. The winner of the powerball $1.5 billlion prize couldn't do that after taxes.

Kind of bothers me that this libertarian worship was in Colorado Springs!

The company and the Koch brothers leadership lie and cheat like sociopaths. They have no qualms about business morals, just profit.