November 6, 2017

The grim state of renters

Guardian- In the waning days of white-picket-fence America, the burgeoning tenant class is faring worse than ever before. Rents are rising faster than wages and the math is catching up to us. Tenants who spend more than a third of their income on rent doubled from 24% in 1960 to 48% in 2015.

A recent survey by Apartment List found that nearly one in five renters were unable to pay their rent in full in at least one of the past three months. Mounting costs present millions of families with a cruel choice: put food on the table, pay the medical bills and dress the kids, and in doing so risk losing the roof over your head. An estimated 3.7 million Americans – roughly the population of Los Angeles – have been evicted, according to Apartment List.

Black renters – and specifically black women – are at greatest risk. Apartment List found that a staggering 12% of black households were threatened with eviction in the past year.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

"more than a third" is to laugh. I've been spending half my social-security pension ever since I retired. And I count myself lucky that it's not worse: most flats rent for more than my pension!