Friday, June 16, 2006

NYC:Less Housing for Average Incomers

Well, if this isn't YET another amazing display of BushCo's economic assault on average middle class families, I don't know what is (via NYTimes): "A new report by researchers at NYU found that the number of apartments affordable to households earning about $32,000 a yr (or 80% of the median household income in NYC) has plunged by 17% between 2002 and 2005. The study also found that the combination of stagnant incomes and rising rents had landed especially hard on households with incomes of $24,000 to $32,000." So who is suffering from this disparity between income and rent?: "The current minimum salary for a city firefighter is $32,700. Police officers start at the equivalent of roughly a $25,000 salary while in the police academy and jump to about $32,000 in their 1st yr. Experienced home health aides, nursing aides, child care workers, bartenders, coffee shop hostesses, tour guides (who work in industries the city hopes will continue to grow) make similar amounts. Some housing experts say escalating rents pose a threat to the city's well-being. They say workers needed for crucial service jobs will move away, if they are not already doing so. Those who choose to stay will double and triple up in apartments, settle for illegal housing or scrimp on education and health care — investments that might help them get ahead." Aaaah yes... putting a steel toed boot on the throat of American middle class families is so pro-life, so moral, so pro-family values... and just so damn Republican, no?
Posted by Tina :: 12:35 AM :: 4 Comments:

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