June 24, 2017 By: Chris Hensley & Eric Burmeister
Iowa may not be the most expensive place in America to live, but that doesn’t mean everyone who lives here, or wants to live here, can afford a home. For many people who provide essential services and do important work in our community, such as nurses, teachers, welders, retail workers and EMTs, housing prices are simply out of reach. More than 74,800 households across our state pay 50 percent or more of their monthly income just to keep a roof over their heads. Our leaders in Washington, D.C., must take action to change this.
Being unable to afford a home doesn’t just affect the lives of low-income Iowans and their families; it has a ripple effect that harms whole communities and ultimately the entire state. Without a stable home, it’s nearly impossible to maintain a job, do well in school or stay healthy. When such a large portion of income goes towards rent, families are forced to make difficult trade offs — whether it’s buying healthy food for the kids or putting gas in the car to get to work, or paying for childcare or visiting the doctor, the list goes on....................Read More
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