Affordable Housing Facts

People who need affordable housing are everyday people. They work as carpenters, security guards and bank tellers, retail sales people and engineering, medical records and veterinary technicians.
A family of four needs an income of $65,400 to be able to afford housing in Sacramento and that's just rental housing, not even a mortgage.
To survive, families should use no more than 30 percent of their income on housing and utilities.
In Sacramento, 91% of low-income renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
Affordable housing does not lower property value. Architectural standards and adequate maintenance is the key determinant of property value.
Residents of affordable housing become stable community members, with turnover of less than 10 percent annually.
When residents have a sense of ownership and control over their lives, their community involvement helps to lower crime rates.

Some 32,000 people in Sacramento County live in substandard housing or overcrowded conditions.
6,000 school children in Sacramento County are homeless at least some part of the year.
To pay fair market rent for a 2-bedroom apartment workers must earn $19.45 an hour working full time.
The number of homes foreclosed on in Sacramento between 2008 and 2009 increased by 49%.
Tthe earnings of low-wage workers, fell by 0.3 percent.
The poverty rate in Sacramento is 16.1% -- higher than the statewide average of 13%.
State spending on housing programs is less than 1 percent of total spending.
Non-profits like Mutual Housing now are the 8th largest sector of the economy. Non-profits not only help people in need, they keep the economy running.