FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Janelle Simmons, (614-221-9195)

Monday, December 27, 2004

FAMILIES AFFECTED MOST BY HOUSING AFFORDABILITY GAP

Out of Reach 2004, a report recently released by the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) found that families with extremely low incomes (those at 30% or below the area’s median income) continue to face the most severe affordability problems. There is not a single metropolitan area where an extremely low-income family can be assured of finding a modest two-bedroom home that is affordable.

The National Low Income Housing Coalition has once again reported that the cost of rental housing in the United States is out of reach for the majority of low wage earners and people who are elderly or disabled with public income benefits.

Low-income workers in Franklin County must earn $12.98 per hour and work 101 hours per week in order to rent a modest two-bedroom apartment while paying no more than 30% of their income for housing. The national housing wage for 2004 is $15.37, or $31,970 a year, almost three times the federal minimum wage.

According to the 2004 numbers, housing is out of reach in more counties across the country than ever before, even for a working family with two fulltime minimum wage workers. Renter households in over 990 counties, home to almost 79% of all renter households in the nation, must have at least 80 hours a week of work at the local minimum wage to afford a two-bedroom apartment at the local fair market rent.

Barbara Poppe, Executive Director of the Community Shelter Board, says that demand is on the rise from families seeking emergency shelter and services, “The demand for family emergency shelter in Franklin County has increased by 16% since last year. We are finding the families are even poorer this year compared to last – the median monthly income is 1/3 less than the prior year”.

The Out of Reach report shows evidence that rents are rising and wages have not kept pace with rising house costs. This trend holds true across the nation. According to Poppe, lack of affordable housing continues to be the leading cause of homelessness in Franklin County.

More data for all of Ohio’s counties and Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSA’s) are available at the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) website: www.nlihc.org. Click on Out of Reach 2004.

The Community Shelter Board, established in 1986, is a non-profit intermediary organization that coordinates community based efforts, fosters collaboration, and funds services to assist families and individuals in Central Ohio to resolve their housing crisis. The Community Shelter Board allocates $7.5 million annually to support programs at 12 agencies. Last year, these programs served more than 11,000 individuals. The Community Shelter Board is funded by the City of Columbus, the Franklin County Board of Commissioners, the United Way of Central Ohio, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the State of Ohio, and other public and private donors.

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