Moving into a new living arrangement is costly for any individual. There are normally costs associated with moving, starting a new lease, down payments, etc. For many individuals however, these costs are far more than an inconvenience. Several systems like public transportation or the workforce favor individuals with more money. Unfortunately, systems related to housing are not an exception.…
Read MoreIt is clear that systems in our society, though assumed to be unintentional, favor the higher income individuals over those living paycheck to paycheck. These systems perpetuate the dichotomy between rich and poor and, due to how expensive it is to be poor, constrain income mobility. The Urban Institute defines low-wage workers to be making…
Read MoreAs people – no matter where you live, what you do, or who you are – we are constantly moving from one place to another. Whether you walk, bike, drive, or ride, getting from point A to point B is important for the sake of having a job, engaging with your community, accomplishing tasks, and…
Read MorePoverty is cyclical. If your earnings fall below a certain level, the cost of living can make rising to stable financial footing next to impossible. To break this cycle there needs to be intervention or systems change, and that starts with gaining empathy and understanding into why and how it is expensive to be poor.…
Read MorePhotographs by Andrew Cenci Imagine what it feels like to sit your children down and tell them to pack up their belongings before you, your family, and everything you own are forcibly removed from your house. Eviction is traumatic and far too common. When driving through your city or your neighborhood, you might see a…
Read MoreThere is an affordable housing gap of 7.2 million units in the United States. The lack of affordable housing is an issue in almost every city. Although, unit creation is clearly needed, the flip side of the coin, the lack of affordability plays just as big of a role in this crisis as the lack…
Read MoreIn this Five Questions video we talked with Rodney Foxworth, the CEO of Common Future in Oakland, CA. Rodney’s career has focused on social entrepreneurship, philanthropy, impact investing, and economic development. Most recently, he founded Invested Impact, a consulting firm and intermediary, to help individuals and institutions better invest in promising ideas and social change leaders…
Read MoreAcross the nation, only 35 affordable and available rental homes exist for every 100 extremely low income renter households. It is impossible to look at this stat and deny the fact that we have an affordable housing crisis in our country. But a shortage of livable units is only one part of the problem. Many…
Read MoreOver the past year, we’ve learned a lot about poverty and how individuals who live within it, struggle to break the cycle because of certain systems in our society that make it very expensive to be poor. In order to gain the stability needed to fully participate and freely move within our economy, people need…
Read MoreIt seems every time you turn on the news, someone is talking about the economy. Even before the recession of 2008, the economy had been a major talking point and emphasis for politicians from both sides of the aisle. Political strategist James Carville coined “it’s the economy, stupid” as a reminder to stay on point…
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