Thursday, June 19, 2008

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.

-kg

1 comment:

Vanessa said...

It's true. When I was a teenager, my family and I lived in those week-to-week motels, right here in the OC, and both my parents worked full-time. It doesn't take much to get knocked off the bottom rung of the ladder, and it's a long, hard climb to get back on again.