01-17-14 Issues Facing the Low Income
When I was little, my parents were poor. By the time I got old enough to realize my economic standing, we were middle class. And I’ll be the first to admit that I cannot relate to the issues facing the low income.
When we started low income landlording and local mission work, I really wanted to understand. Now that I understand a bit more, I’m looking for ways to help.
Low income tendencies that impact housing:
Get information orally. The emphasis is on what they hear from asking around, not from reading a rental agreement. As landlords we can explain things orally, repeat ourselves often and break things into step by step processes to help get desired results.
Lack of saving for future bills. The attitude is that money should be spent before it gets away. Living paycheck to paycheck and spending any windfall money as soon as it arrives limits housing options, by not being able to pay timely, reliably, use bank accounts, or afford to move.
Lack of safety net. Not only do they not have their own savings to fall back on, but everyone else is in the same situation, so temporary help, timely assistance, and quality co-signers are in short supply.
Going overboard on giving. I thought I was generous. That was before I moved to an impoverished county. I’ve noticed that the lower the income, the more goodies and gifts people bestow on people and events. On a small scale, bringing unneeded homemade pastries to every event is costly of time and money. On a larger scale, lavish gifts at Christmas can mean difficulty making January rent.
Similarly, is going overboard on sharing. Low income are much more inclined to share everything they have with extended friends and family. This ultimately prevents anyone from getting ahead, and can lead to allowing unauthorized occupants to move in for an extended period of couch surfing, jeopardizing their own housing situation.
Here’s a pretty entertaining article that reminds me a bit of the Section 8 Bible: http://www.cracked.com/blog/the-5-stupidest-habits-you-develop-growing-up-poor/
Seriously, though, I think the emphasis should be on innovative education, coordinated social services, access to healthy food and prevention activities for wellness, and mentoring to reduce barriers for those with less opportunity and leverage on their skills of flexibility, resiliency, and resourcefulness.
Comments (2)
Appreciate your comment, @Roy N.
Michele Fischer, over 10 years ago
@Michele Fischer When I was {pre}teenager, my parents (mother & step-father) were starting over; merging two families together - which involved buying and expanding a house; and purchasing new capital equipment (250K) for a family business. Interest rates were 17-19% and money was tight. I would not have considered ourselves middle-class, but I would not have described us as poor either ... perhaps "working class" is the best pigeon-hole? With the privilege of being able to look back 35-years later, the main thing that separated us from the families of many friends and classmates was attitude and outlook. My parents, and those of us kids who were old enough, worked continuously to pay down the debt as quickly as possible and start putting funds aside for the future. By the time the baby was a teenager - some 15 years later - my parents staunchly in the middle class. Now they are retired comfortably (not rich) which as a far sight better than many of the contemporaries who never got beyond the hand-to-mouth treadmill - many due to circumstance outside their control, but as many who didn't see, or eschewed, the opportunity to climb out. I grew-up with poor, but never really understood it - as a young man, I presumed anyone could claw their way out with enough determination. I've since come to understand it is far more complicated than simply pulling on one's bootstraps. While my gut tells me education is the solution - starting with age appropriate, basic money management and budgeting skills in grammar, middle, and high school - I will be the first to admit, I have no idea how to make it stick.
Roy N., over 10 years ago