In the midst of our national economic downturn and escalating unemployment, Dignity Housing anticipates an increased volume of inquiries and requests for housing and other assistance as low-income renters lose their jobs and homeowners face foreclosure. Residents currently enrolled in our program who have entry level, new positions are more at-risk of lay-offs and freezes. Losing their jobs would negatively impact the achievement of their goals and movement toward stable and permanent affordable housing. Dignity Social Service Staff will be monitoring the situation and will keep our readers informed of any new developments.
Dignity Housing is an active participant in two coalitions that promote equitable supports and resources for homeless families.
The Family Services Providers Network (FSPN) includes about 30 local service providers. The network is currently organizing a Forum on Education for Homeless Children and Youth to be held on Friday, November 4, 2008. The forum will highlight challenges confronting Homeless Children and Youth in Philadelphia, as well as the FSPN Children’s Committee efforts to develop best practices in addressing the needs of homeless children and youth. Confirmed Speakers are: Ms. Barbara Duffield, Policy Director for the National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth, and Mr. Sheldon Winnick, Coordinator for the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s Homeless Children’s Initiative. Representatives from the State, City and the School District of Philadelphia have also been invited.
The Advocacy Coalition for Homeless Families (ACHF) is a multi-state coalition that includes local, regional and national service providers from Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Delaware and Washington D.C. ACHF members work on deliberations, appeals, action alerts, and development of position papers to sustain and promote federal and state policies for homeless families.
A key focus of the ACHF is the HEARTH Bill (H.R. 840) - the Reathorization of McKinney Funds: The HEARTH Act is a strong legislation that would re-write the rules governing HUD’s McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Grant programs, better enabling urban, suburban, and rural communities to end homelessness. Recently, the House Financial Services Committee amended and approved H.R. 840, now known as HR 7221 based on the negotiated managers amendment between the U.S. House and Senate. The new bill does not change the definition of homeless to include more families, but it provides 10% discretionary funding for short term aid to families experiencing homelessness. Recent updates indicate that HR 7221 will either be voted on and pass before the November election or it will have to wait until after November 4th or until January 2009.
Information About Homelessness
Homelessness in Philadelphia
On any given day in Philadelphia, 6,500 people are homeless. (n3)
The majority of Philadelphia's homeless are young, single mothers with small children. (n3)
The Housing Crisis
Economic improvements have lagged behind the escalating need for affordable housing. Supply has not met demand, and the Philadelphia community is suffering. Affordable housing is a necessity in reducing the amount of people living both on the streets and in shelters. In Philadelphia, the absence of such housing is a leading cause of homelessness.
There is need for 60,000 additional units of affordable housing for low-income families in Philadelphia. (n10)
The demand for shelter is rising. In 1995 the demand for shelter increased by 11%. In 2003 the demand for shelter rose another 13%. (n14)
At the same time the stock of affordable housing has been shrinking. Statistics indicate a more than 25% decrease in housing stock over the past 25 years. Between 1997 and 1999 alone, the number of units of affordable housing for very low-income households dropped by 1.14 million and by 750,000 for extremely low-income households. (n15)
Less than one-third of Philadelphians who are eligible for housing assistance get it. (n11)
Quality Housing
The condition of existing housing is not good for low-income families. More than half of the available housing units in Philadelphia were built before 1934.
Exposure to lead paint has remained a problem in aged Philadelphia homes (many of these where lower income families reside). In 2001, 6,000 children tested positive for lead poisoning and had unhealthy levels of lead in their blood. (n17)
The increasing amount of violence in areas where low-income families can find housing also remains a problem. 102,400 households reported a desire to move due to the presence of crime. (n17)
Despite common assumptions about homeless people, 44% of the homeless population is employed. (n16)
However, Philadelphia as a community has suffered job loss. In the past few decades, tens of thousands of manufacturing jobs have been lost, only some of which have been replaced by lower paying service sector jobs. (n17)
The minimum wage is insufficient to cover the cost of housing. The real value of minimum wage is down 30 percent since 1968 and 24 percent since 1979. (n17)
As reported in 2004 by the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC), a minimum wage earner (earning $5.15 per hour) can afford monthly rent of no more than $268, while the Fair Market Rent for a one-bedroom unit is $596 and two-bedroom unit is $962. (n2)
In other words, a worker earning minimum wage must work 144 hours per week in order to afford a two-bedroom unit at the area's Fair Market Rent. (n2)
Ultimately, for a full-time worker (40-hours per week) to afford a two-bedroom unit at Fair Market Rent, they must earn an hourly wage of $18.50.
Almost 130,000 Philadelphia households have an annual income below $20,000 and pay more than they can afford on housing. (13)
For a reference sheet on these statistics, click here.
