BOOKMARK
SEARCH
MORE NEWSLINKS
08/12/2011
08/05/2011
Wttw press release for NSP
CMEP Host Back To School Party
08/02/2011
CMEP donate property to family
(773)294-6890
CALL
US
US
COMMUNITY MALE EMPOWERMENT PROJECT
© 2011 Copyright Community Male Empowermnt Project. All Rights Reserved.
There is an urgent need for affordable housing for low-income families right here in Chicago, IL and Cook County, too, In 2009, there were more than 750,000 low-income renters (earning 31-50% of area median income) who paid more than 30% of household income for housing; more than 275,000 of these households were severely cost burdened by paying more than 50% of their income for housing. Finding affordable rental housing is particularly difficult for larger families. In 2009, only 6.5% of conventional market-rate rental units in Cook County had 3 bedrooms, and only 0.2% had 4+ bedrooms. In addition, in 2010, there were 400,600 rental units in Cook County with moderate or severe physical problems; most of these rental units were located in Chicago and occupied by low-income or very low-income families.
Housing problems have far-reaching consequences. Low-income families who are cost burdened have little money for other basic necessities such as food, clothing, and health care. Living in substandard housing can endanger the health and safety of family members, erode their sense of self-worth, and impair children’s ability to succeed in school
Low-income renters are also being hard hit by the current foreclosure crisis. According to a study published in January 2009 by the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC), more than 20% of the properties facing foreclosure nationwide are rentals, and because rental properties are often home to multiple families, renters make up roughly 40% of the families facing eviction. Low-income and minority communities are bearing the brunt of rental foreclosures, and with little savings to cover the costs of moving and limited options for affordable rental housing, many low-income renters struggle to find a new place to live.