That's what renters in Illinois must earn to afford rent and utilities on a modest two-bedroom apartment.
This is just one finding in Out of Reach, a new report jointly released by Housing Action Illinois and National Low Income Housing Coalition.
The report shows that the cost of rental housing varies across the state, but there is no place in Illinois where a minimum wage worker can afford a two-bedroom apartment. Rental housing is the most expensive in the Chicago metropolitan area, where the Housing Wage is $22.62. In rural areas of Illinois, the average two-bedroom Housing Wage is $12.55.
The report shows that rents in Illinois have only risen while our state legislators have been locked in a budget stalemate that is holding up nearly $225 million in funding for affordable housing. This funding was just included in a larger emergency funding bill for human service programs that the General Assembly recently passed with bipartisan support. The bill, which includes funding for homeless shelters, supportive housing, rental subsidies, foreclosure prevention and housing construction, would have been available 11 months ago if not for the state budget impasse.
This is unacceptable. The data in Out of Reach confirms that we need to pass a state budget and release funds for affordable housing more than ever. Housing should be affordable enough that a family can pay rent and still put food on the table.
Call the office of Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner right now and ask him to sign Senate Bill 2038—the emergency funding bill for human service programs—into law: 217-782-6830
11 E. Adams #1601
Chicago, IL 60603
Chicago, IL 60603
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