Employment:

Declining wages have put housing out of reach for many workers: in every state, more than the minimum wage is required to afford a 1- or 2-bedroom apartment (National Low Income Housing Coalition, 2001).

Unemployment:


Labor Force in Bloomington Number Rank in State % of State Indiana
Total Resident Labor Force 66,115 11 2.1% 3,170,404
Employed 63,385 11 2.1% 3,005,247
Unemployed 2,730 16 1.7% 165,157
Unemployment Rate 4.1 83 78.8% 5.2
June 2005 Unemployment Rate 4.8 58 94.1% 5.1

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics; Indiana Department of Workforce Development (2004)

Poverty:

In 2000, 11.3% of the US population (31.1 million people) lived in poverty (U.S. Bureau of the Census, 2001). Persons below poverty, 1999: Bloomington: 29.6% Indiana: 9.5% (US Bureau of the Census).

Housing;

The demand for assisted housing clearly exceeds the supply: Only about 1/3 of poor renter households receive a housing subsidy from the government (Daskal, 1998).

Excessive waiting lists for public housing mean that people must remain in shelters or inadequate housing arrangements longer. Thus, there is less shelter space vacant for other homeless people, who must find shelter elsewhere or live on the streets.

It would take annual production of more than 250,000 units for more than 20 years to close the housing affordability gap (Millennial Housing Commission).

In 1997, 3 million low to moderate income working families spent more than 1/2 of their income on housing. By 2001 this number had jumped to 4.8 million - a 67% increase. More recently, rents have soared, putting housing out of reach for the poorest Americans.

Income and Poverty in Bloomington Number Rank in State % of State Indiana
Per Capita Personal Income (annual) in 2003 $25,162 51 87.3% $28,838
Median Household Income in 2002 $34,782 86 82.9% $41,973
Poverty Rate in 2002 12.3% 9 128.1% 9.6%
Poverty Rate among Children under 18 11.1% 42 93.3% 11.9%
Welfare (TANF) Monthly Average Families in 2003 485 19 0.9% 55,652
Food Stamp Recipients in 2003 5,708 17 1.3% 452,654
Free and Reduced Fee Lunch Recipients in 2004 3,688 21 1.0% 356,702

Source:U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis; US Census Bureau; Indiana Family Social Services Administration; Indiana Department of Education

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