According to a report released by the National Low Income Housing Coalition on Friday, December 17, 2006, in order for a Yolo County Family to afford a two-bedroom apartment, they must earn $17.50 per hour.
A family in Yolo County who makes minimum wage needs to work 104 hours per week. It requires a minimum of 2.6 jobs to be able to afford to rent a two-bedroom apartment in Yolo County.
More alarmingly is that in order to afford a one-bedroom apartment in Yolo County, one must work 85 hours per week.
These data are available at: click here for data
This is for Yolo County as a whole, it does not break it down by city. However since the average home price is over 25% higher in the City of Davis than the county overall, it seems likely that in Davis, those average apartment rents would be even higher.
Once again, this give us a startling example that the jobs that are being brought with the counstruction of a Davis Target are not going to be sufficent for the workers to afford a one-bedroom apartment in Davis.
The Davis Enterprise on Sunday quoted the executive director Robert Wiener:
“Every year it is becoming more difficult for low-income families to find decent homes they can afford in California… This report clearly illustrates the pressing need for affordable housing in our communities.”
As the city council begins to look at the general plan, they need to seriously address the issue of affordable housing in Davis. Living wage laws would help in this regard, but we cannot increase these wages to $17.50 per hour or even higher. The bulk of that difference needs to come in the form of providing the average working person a place where they can afford housing. Otherwise, all Davis is doing by bringing in businesses like Target, is create a bunch of new commuter jobs for Dixon or West Sacramento residents.
Now I understand why I feel so poor when I have what could be called a decent job with benefits. I also now understand that I am not alone in this struggle.
Now I understand why I feel so poor when I have what could be called a decent job with benefits. I also now understand that I am not alone in this struggle.
Now I understand why I feel so poor when I have what could be called a decent job with benefits. I also now understand that I am not alone in this struggle.
Now I understand why I feel so poor when I have what could be called a decent job with benefits. I also now understand that I am not alone in this struggle.
Perhaps some people feel a little distant from “low income family” needs. Well think about this – where are the kids growing up in Davis going to live? There are many communities like Davis that are too selfish to provide adequate housing. Essentially they are pushing the housing problem off to other communities/states.
I admit it seems nice to live in a house that has a current value more than five times what I paid for it. However one of the key reasons for the increase has been the lack of supply. We do not have a free market in housing, it is distorted. Housing is a basic need and society is letting a lot of people down.SAH
Perhaps some people feel a little distant from “low income family” needs. Well think about this – where are the kids growing up in Davis going to live? There are many communities like Davis that are too selfish to provide adequate housing. Essentially they are pushing the housing problem off to other communities/states.
I admit it seems nice to live in a house that has a current value more than five times what I paid for it. However one of the key reasons for the increase has been the lack of supply. We do not have a free market in housing, it is distorted. Housing is a basic need and society is letting a lot of people down.SAH
Perhaps some people feel a little distant from “low income family” needs. Well think about this – where are the kids growing up in Davis going to live? There are many communities like Davis that are too selfish to provide adequate housing. Essentially they are pushing the housing problem off to other communities/states.
I admit it seems nice to live in a house that has a current value more than five times what I paid for it. However one of the key reasons for the increase has been the lack of supply. We do not have a free market in housing, it is distorted. Housing is a basic need and society is letting a lot of people down.SAH
Perhaps some people feel a little distant from “low income family” needs. Well think about this – where are the kids growing up in Davis going to live? There are many communities like Davis that are too selfish to provide adequate housing. Essentially they are pushing the housing problem off to other communities/states.
I admit it seems nice to live in a house that has a current value more than five times what I paid for it. However one of the key reasons for the increase has been the lack of supply. We do not have a free market in housing, it is distorted. Housing is a basic need and society is letting a lot of people down.SAH
speaking as a former davis kid, now living in town as a student, they either rent, or if they’re lucky land very high paying jobs (or spouses with same), or else they can’t live in town, and have no hope of doing so in the future.
i think this is a statewide problem in origin, more than a countywide one, and if we don’t get affordable housing soon, the state will start to see a lot of people give up on california, and pack up and leave.
regular people just can’t get by in this state anymore, not if you weren’t lucky enough to be born early enough to buy pre-prop. 13, pre-real estate bubble houses. the market has failed us, it’s time for the public sector to step up to the plate.
but a living wage certainly wouldn’t hurt. getting it adjusted to, say, 1960s levels adjusted for inflation would be a start.
speaking as a former davis kid, now living in town as a student, they either rent, or if they’re lucky land very high paying jobs (or spouses with same), or else they can’t live in town, and have no hope of doing so in the future.
i think this is a statewide problem in origin, more than a countywide one, and if we don’t get affordable housing soon, the state will start to see a lot of people give up on california, and pack up and leave.
regular people just can’t get by in this state anymore, not if you weren’t lucky enough to be born early enough to buy pre-prop. 13, pre-real estate bubble houses. the market has failed us, it’s time for the public sector to step up to the plate.
but a living wage certainly wouldn’t hurt. getting it adjusted to, say, 1960s levels adjusted for inflation would be a start.
speaking as a former davis kid, now living in town as a student, they either rent, or if they’re lucky land very high paying jobs (or spouses with same), or else they can’t live in town, and have no hope of doing so in the future.
i think this is a statewide problem in origin, more than a countywide one, and if we don’t get affordable housing soon, the state will start to see a lot of people give up on california, and pack up and leave.
regular people just can’t get by in this state anymore, not if you weren’t lucky enough to be born early enough to buy pre-prop. 13, pre-real estate bubble houses. the market has failed us, it’s time for the public sector to step up to the plate.
but a living wage certainly wouldn’t hurt. getting it adjusted to, say, 1960s levels adjusted for inflation would be a start.
speaking as a former davis kid, now living in town as a student, they either rent, or if they’re lucky land very high paying jobs (or spouses with same), or else they can’t live in town, and have no hope of doing so in the future.
i think this is a statewide problem in origin, more than a countywide one, and if we don’t get affordable housing soon, the state will start to see a lot of people give up on california, and pack up and leave.
regular people just can’t get by in this state anymore, not if you weren’t lucky enough to be born early enough to buy pre-prop. 13, pre-real estate bubble houses. the market has failed us, it’s time for the public sector to step up to the plate.
but a living wage certainly wouldn’t hurt. getting it adjusted to, say, 1960s levels adjusted for inflation would be a start.