Have you ever heard the idea that people experiencing homelessness “don’t want to work” or they should “just get a job?”
The truth is that many do – in fact, a
2021 study from the University of Chicago
estimates that 53% of people living in homeless shelters and 40% of
unsheltered people were employed, either full or part-time, in the year
that people were observed homeless between 2011 – 2018.
Despite how many people experiencing homelessness work, a job doesn’t
solve everything. Life-sustaining wages are a key determinant of
housing security; however, most people experiencing homelessness are not
earning enough to afford rent.
Low Wages and Underemployment: What the Numbers Show
The National Low Income Housing Coalition’s
Out of Reach Report
calculates that a household would need to earn an average salary of
$46,967, or $23 per hour, to afford a 2-bedroom apartment at Fair Market
Rent. This is much higher than the
federal minimum wage
of $7.25 per hour – or in cities with a higher minimum wage. Even if
people are working full time, they would not be able to afford housing
earning minimum wage.
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