Stagnant wages, ballooning rental costs and the shrinking supply of affordable housing are heaping an ever-growing burden on low-income families. " Out of Reach ," a new study by the National Low Income Housing Coalition, found minimum-wage workers can no longer afford an average one-bedroom apartment in any state in America. Since 2009, the federal baseline wage has remained stagnant, but...
A new survey is shining a harsh spotlight on the urgent need for non-predatory financial services in the South. A recent Gallup poll found minority-owned businesses face tougher challenges obtaining loans. The study, commissioned by Wells Fargo, found that 77 percent of black business owners use their own personal cash to finance their businesses, and 47 percent of black-owned businesses are...
In 2012, the Alabama legislature took a significant step forward to address our ongoing housing crisis by passing HB110, the Alabama Affordable Housing Act, which established a state housing trust fund. The Low Income Housing Coalition of Alabama (LIHCA) has advocated for increased housing opportunities for low income Alabamians since its inception and we view the passage of HB110 as a...
Questions addressed in the paper include:
When is housing an asset? What is the relationship between affordable housing and other tools for reducing poverty, including jobs, education and community development? How do regional and cultural differences shape housing strategies?Research for this paper on the relationship between housing and moving out of poverty was completed...
