HUD has published it’s latest assessment of the households that have a “Worst Case Housing Need”.
The key findings are:
- 93% (5.48 million) experienced severe rent burden;
- 73% (4.33 million) had extremely low incomes;
- 37% (2.19 million) had at least one child under 18. Nearly half of these were working the equivalent of full-time and earning at least minimum wage. 404,000 of families with children had an adult with a disability;
- 20.5% (1.21 million) were elderly, 10% (602,000) were non-elderly disabled, and 32% (1.9) million were classified as other;
- 2.92 million were non-Hispanic white, 1.35 million were non-Hispanic black, and 1.23 million were Hispanic; and
- More than 40% of the city dwellers lived in higher poverty neighborhoods, while those living in suburbs and nonmetropolitan areas were in low-poverty neighborhoods.
The report is addressed to Congress and is intended to inform how government housing funds are directed.
I am glad to see something being done about this housing problem. It brings me some kind of hope that I may actually get the housing that I need in order to finish school so that I can have the ability to take care of my son. Our housing agencies here in houston have a waiting list of 2 years and are not accepting applications. They have not been accepting applications for the last 6 months. I start school on september the 30th and I am going to have to back out if I cannot have the means to attend school. I doubt very seriously that anyone will actually read this, however; it does feel good to get some of it out.
I want to go to school! I am already enrolled. I do not want to back out damnit! If there really is assistance, I would love to see it. I have spent the last 5 months trying to get help. It just seems to be a lot of talk and no action! It is impossible to aquire anything as far as housing goes because everyone from the hurricanes have moved here. It is over populated, and the citizens that have been here since they were born cannot get help because they are put first. I understand that they lost everything, I did too! I am getting way to upset now. I am about to cry. I have the will, want and drive, and no means. I will do what it takes to take care of my son, just like every other single mother. We have to work harder for a low income to support our kids and school is out if we cannot afford housing. We have to work! Damn I wish I would have listened to my parents a long time ago! This sucks..