Progress Illinois

As we briefly mentioned in the Early Bird, there is some pretty unsettling data in a new report by the National Low Income Housing Coalition this morning.

Titled "Out of Reach 2007-2008," the report shows that nationally, the gap between low-income Americans and their housing costs continues to widen significantly. While the affordability standard set by the federal government is 30 percent of one's income, one in seven families pays over 50 percent for a roof over their heads.

And at the state level, Illinois ranks fairly low(pdf), reporting the nation's 15th most expensive two-bedroom "housing wage" (including Washington DC and Puerto Rico). Here's the underlying data for Illinois:

In Illinois, the Fair Market Rent (FMR) for a two-bedroom apartment is $844. In order to afford this level of rent and utilities, without paying more than 30% of income on housing, a household must earn $2,813 monthly or $33,758 annually. Assuming a 40-hour work week, 52 weeks per year, this level of income translates into a Housing Wage of $16.23.

In Illinois, a minimum wage worker earns an hourly wage of $7.50. In order to afford the FMR for a two-bedroom apartment, a minimum wage earner must work 87 hours per week, 52 weeks per year. Or, a household must include 2.2 minimum wage earner(s) working 40 hours per week year-round in order to make the two bedroom FMR affordable.

Thankfully, there are advocates pushing hard to ease this burden. While the imitable Leadership Council for Metropolitan Open Communities -- the organization founded after Martin Luther King Jr.'s open housing campaign in 1966 -- folded in 2006, Housing Action Illinois has picked up the slack. You can check them out here.

Image used under a Creative Commons license by Flickr user stevevance.