When the Winds Blow
Published: January 31, 2021, 5:00am
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I grew up in Taiwan where jet streams led to beautiful weather, delicious seafood, abundant fruit and vegetables, but also triggered typhoons that disrupted everything in their path. I remember one incident where 100 mph winds hurled broken billboard pieces through our home’s windows. In many ways, 2020 has felt like a series of typhoons between the wildfires, political divisiveness, continued experiences of injustice that sparked protests and increased feelings of division, and COVID-19 leaving no aspect of life untouched.
Nonprofits continue to face the impact of these
winds. The need for their services has skyrocketed:
Californians need a hourly full-time wage of $32.68 to afford a two-bedroom rental home, according to the report published June 13. This figure makes California the second most expensive state, right behind Hawaii at $36.13 an hour.
On average, renters in California make an hourly wage of $21.50 an hour, which is 41.2 percent lower than the necessary hourly wage to afford the cost of living.
Statistics show that 119 work hours per week at minimum wage are needed to afford the same two-bedroom rental which is equal to three full-time minimum wage jobs.
Whether working a minimum wage job or not, the NLIHC calculated the necessary annual income of $67,976 annually to afford this level of rent and utilities without paying more than 30 percent of income on housing, according to the report.
Ohio Rep. Marcia Fudge, President Biden s nominee to head the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, told a Senate panel that she has proved she can work well with Republicans.