Welcome To The OC Where We Manufacture Homelessness

Orange County is second only to Los Angeles for the largest number of homeless people in the State of California. The difference is that homelessness in LA County is caused by drug addiction, mental illness or substance abuse related factors.

In Orange County, out of our 35,000 homeless, 80% of them were forced into this lifestyle because of the lack of affordable housing and rent controls.

Think about that. 80% of the people in Orange County who are currently homeless could be living in an apartment anywhere else in the Nation. It's only because of the cost of housing here that they remain homeless.

We make our own homeless.

This means we can also un-make them.

Here are a few more statistics courtesy of the County of Orange Community Indicators Report:

* There are 5,389 homeless children in Orange County under the age of six.

* There are less than 900 emergency shelter beds in all of Orange County.

* There are 30,000 homeless who need a place to sleep each night.

* 60% of the homeless in Orange County go regularly without meals.

* 81% of the homeless in Orange County feel severe hunger each night.

* Hundreds of families in Orange County face a dilemma. Living on an extremely limited income forces them to choose between food on the table and a table on which to eat food. They can eat or they can pay rent, but not both.

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WHY CAN'T THEY JUST GET A JOB?

You've no doubt heard someone say this whenever the subject of homelessness and poverty comes up in conversation. Maybe you've even said this out loud yourself.

The amazing thing about the poor in Orange County is that 80% of those who are classified as "Homeless" have a job.

Yes. That's right. They already have a job.

Even though 80% of those who live in motels week to week, or in their cars, have a job in Orange County, they don't make enough to afford first and last month's rent, a security deposit and money for a credit check each time they put in their application.

The fastest growing job market in the OC is in the service industry, which means jobs flipping burgers, taking orders at Fast Food joints or bagging your groceries. None of these jobs pay enough to afford a one bedroom apartment in Orange County (as the entries below illustrate).

Find out more by downloading the free PDF file at the left and read more about the conditions of living for the 35,000 homeless in California's second largest economy - Orange County.

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How is Orange County Doing?

Orange County has the second highest number of Homeless in the State (LA County is #1), but the difference is that Orange County creates their own homeless thanks to a lack of affordable housing, zero rent controls and scarcity of jobs paying enough to afford even a one bedroom apartment.

For example:

Fair Market Rent (Monthly)

One Bedroom $1,161 (2006) - $1,238 (2007)

Two Bedroom $1,392 (2006) - $1,485 (2007)

Three Bedroom $1,992 (2006) - $2,125 (2007)

Estimated Orange County Median Family
Income (Annual)

$78,300 (2006) - $78,700 (2007)

Amount a Household Earning Minimum
Wage Can Afford to Pay in Rent (Monthly)

$351 (2006) - $351 (2007)

Amount a Household Earning 30% of Median Family Income Can Afford to Pay in Rent (Monthly)

$587 (2006) - $590 (2007)

Number of Hours per Week a Minimum Wage Earner Must Work to Afford a One-Bedroom
Apartment

141 hours (2006) - 154 hours (2007)

Source: Orange County Business Council Analysis of HUD statistics using the methodology of the National Low Income Housing Coalition (www.nlihc.org)

2008 ORANGE COUNTY COMMUNITY INDICATORS REPORT

The County of Orange funds an annual community indicators report which examines the conditions of living in the County and, of course, identifies trends regarding the economy, affordable housing, job rates, salary comparisions, etc.

Here is the 2008 OC Community Indicators Report
PDF FILE HERE

Be sure to read over the following sections:
*COUNTY PROFILE - "HOUSING"; "EMPLOYMENT"

*SPECIAL FEATURES - "HOUSING TRENDS"

*ECONOMIC & BUSINESS CLIMATE - "COST OF LIVING"; "PER CAPITA INCOME"; "HOUSING DEMAND"; "HOUSING AFFORDABILITY"; "RENTAL AFFORDABILITY"

*COMMUNITY HEALTH & PROSPERITY - "FAMILY INCOME SECURITY"; "FAMILY HOUSING SECURITY"

Most revealing is the fact that the county is fully aware that they create their own homelessness due to a lack of rental controls and a scarcity of jobs that pay enough to afford a basic one bedroom apartment.

Here's one of the most telling set of statistics (under "Rental Affordability"):

*The hourly wage needed for a one-bedroom apartment rose from $23.81 in 2006 to $25.57 in 2007 – equivalent to an annual income of $53,185.

* Among state and national peer metropolitan areas, Orange County has the highest Housing Wage (less affordable rental housing).

* According to employment projections, most of the occupations likely to have large gains in the county’s high-growth industries (services, manufacturing, and retail trade) have hourly wages far below the Housing Wage.

POVERTY IN THE OC - INTERACTIVE PRESENTATION

If you'd like to schedule a "Poverty In The O.C." interactive presentation for your church or home group please feel free to contact me directly at "Elysiansky" (at) "Hotmail" (dot) com.

-Blessings,
Keith Giles