U.S. affordable housing crisis only getting worse

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

The United States is facing an expanding gap between how much workers earn and how much they have to pay for housing.

Workers have faced stagnant wages for the past 40 years. Yet the cost of rent has steadily increased during that time, with sharp increases of 14 percent to 40 percent over the past two years.

Now, more than ever, workers are feeling the stress of the affordable housing crisis.

While I was conducting research in economically hard-hit communities from Appalachia to Oakland, Calif., for my recent book, published in November 2021, nearly every person I met was experiencing the painful reality of being caught between virtually stagnant wages and rising housing costs.

https://www.heraldnet.com/opinion/viewpoints-u-s-affordable-housing-crisis-only-getting-worse/

[erronis]

1. I serve Meals On Wheels to a rural and not wealthy population. Most are renters

altho a few own their homes. Almost all are below the Federal Poverty Level and can barely afford housing and utilities.

Recently there has been a spate of rental increases and evictions. No where to go except possibly to temporary housing in a repurposed motel.

This is critical for these folks (and to some degree myself.) Any sense that the US is a land of opportunity has been shattered, except for the wealthy.

[PortTack]

2. Until something is done to throttle corporate America from buying homes, it's not going to get bette

[MichMan]

3. The issue is people profiting by tens and hundreds of thousands for doing nothing but living there

Homeowners shouldn't be able to buy a house, live in it for several years, and then sell it a huge profit for doing nothing but living in it. That kind of windfall profiteering should be taxed substantially, with the government using the proceeds to invest in more affordable housing.

[PlanetBev]

4. George Carlin said it best

“They call it the American Dream because you have to be asleep to believe it.”