Poverty rates near record levels in S.F. Bay Area despite hot economy

[Newsjock]

Source: San Jose Mercury News

Despite being a nationwide leader in job growth, the Bay Area suffers from a poverty rate that still hovers near historic highs, with more than 800,000 people in the region living below the poverty line, a report released on Wednesday shows.

About 11.3 percent of Bay Area residents are living at or below the poverty level, according to the report, "Poverty in the Bay Area," that was released by the Joint Venture Silicon Valley Institute for Regional Studies. The data reflects levels reached in 2013, the most recent year for which these statistics are available.

"Despite being one of the world's wealthiest regions, there were 829,547 people living in poverty in the Bay Area in 2013," the report stated. The study used federal poverty thresholds that ranged from annual income of $11,490 for a one-person household to $23,550 for a family of four.

... San Francisco had the highest poverty level in the Bay Area in 2013 at 13.8 percent, the study found.

Read more: http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_27830698/poverty-rates-near-record-levels-bay-area-despite

[yeoman6987]

1. If the most liberal city in America can't get it right,

My hope of all of America is not too hopeful.

[pnwmom]

12. My impression is it's more libertarian than liberal these days, thanks to the tech surge. n/t

[appalachiablue]

2. Bill Moyers covered this & I've read about it for several years. It's concerning given how

advanced and wealthy the area is-

[ND-Dem]

4. "advanced" my foot. techies are not "advanced". they're mostly Ayn Rand devotees and

enjoy thinking about the robotic, transhuman future when pesky things like emotions will be done away with.

[closeupready]

5. Agree.

[appalachiablue]

6. Agree that many are cold, calculating libertarians immersed in their techno world and $ but relative

to much of the US the income level is high there, in happy valley. (And I thought I was the only one who disliked deep anti-human aspects of cyberworld- ).

[ND-Dem]

7. Of course the income level is high when you have a good job.

You said: "Bill Moyers covered this & I've read about it for several years. It's concerning given how advanced and wealthy the area is-"

I assumed you were talking about the dominant tecchie crowd, not the unemployed.

[appalachiablue]

13. "POVERTY rates near record levels in S.F. Bay Area despite HOT ECONOMY'

is the exact title of the piece. Moyers focused on the large no. of homeless people and poverty in the Bay area including many people living under a freeway in a tent community. Some of these locals formerly worked in the nearby profitable tech industry as one programmer stated; another man had been successfully employed in one of Google's 12 restaurants until he was let go after a criminal offense in his background was found. That local businesses and services laid off many employees following the 2008 crash was also brought up.

Moyers did not focus on the evils of the tech industry itself or their mission. Like the article and Moyers, I was addressing the contradiction of the rate of poverty in a very wealthy area. Whether a high income local economy is based on scientists researching a cure for cancer, or it's focused on chemical weapons manufacturers developing WMD's, and there's also a large degree of poverty there, then it's valid to examine what's going on including the conditions of the poor. If you want to get into the NATURE of industries in places like this go for it but it's not the main thread topic that I commented about.

[ND-Dem]

18. There are lots of very well paid and well-off people in SF. At the same time, the poverty rate

is very high.

I don't understand what you don't understand.

[appalachiablue]

21. I don't understand what you don't understand, but I'll play. Where did I write that

there aren't well paid people and poor people in San Fran?

[ND-Dem]

22. I really don't understand what your point is, to be honest.

[LeftyMom]

3. And a lot more have been priced out and moved away.

That's been going on for decades.

[appalachiablue]

14. That's hppening with many major cities- NY, DC, Chicago, Seattle, London, etc. unfortunately

as real estate and housing costs soar and are only affordable for the wealthy. Forget about middle class people, transport and utility workers, teachers, bus drivers, firemen and other service sector employees, not to mention artists who usually sought cities for the cultural features, that's in the past. The escalating gentrification by the uberwealthy who politicians and businesses cater to, is part of the great divide from extreme income inequality between elites and the large growing underclass mass. It's unhealthy and disturbing to say the least.

[Liberal_in_LA]

16. yes. it is so expensive to live there

[dreamnightwind]

8. And it's much worse than this

if I read the article correctly, the criteria was the federal poverty level for income. The cost of living in the Bay Area is much higher than most places. They should use criteria that are indexed to the region's cost of living.

[yuiyoshida]

9. When rents are this HIGH in the city

starting around 1000 dollars a month for a one bedroom, (Mine just went up, and will each year, despite the so called rent control) and people having to pay for it at the pump, and the grocery store, or any shop selling items, the prices are just high in CALIFORNIA what can anyone expect?

[KamaAina]

20. You can find a one-bedroom in The City for $1000?!

Where? Where? Tell me! Tell me!

[yuiyoshida]

23. It was that out in the avenues..

I am sure the prices are higher now.. The last time I looked the landlords required renters to be able to prove they can pay 3 times the amount, before they will rent to someone. When I moved into my apartment near Japan town, it started at 1000 a month. Its up to 1188 now.. since its an old house, and is under rent control. Mine is considered a Granny one bedroom.. its part of a house with my neighbors on the floor above.

[yorgatron]

10. rents are going up for everyone, but not necessarily the wages.

if we end up moving it'll mean more driving.

[LiberalAndProud]

11. What, not trickling down?

Shocking.

[Arugula Latte]

15. Oh, come on. You can get a semi-decent four-bedroom house there for only a million dollars.

[JI7]

17. california is just really expensive

[LeftyMom]

24. No, you can get a house in the valley for maybe 20% of what one costs in the bay area.

A literal Edwardian mansion in Sacramento just sold for a million and a half, which is what you'd pay for a nice but unremarkable single family home on the peninsula.

[KamaAina]

19. Despite?

As the rich get richer, the poor get poorer.

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

25. The only people I know who still live in SF live in homes they inherited

and Prop. 13/58 protects them from being forced out of.

Everyone else hit the road years ago.

[Arugula Latte]

26. 25 years ago I paid $350 for my share of a two-bedroom SF apartment

in a cute neighborhood with a sweeping view of the city, the bridges, and the Oakland/Berkeley hills...