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Ohio's Housing Insecurity Can Pose Health Risks To Renters

A new report by the National Low Income Housing Coalition shows three out of the ten most common jobs in Ohio failed to pay workers enough to afford to rent a two-bedroom apartment before the COVID-19 pandemic. 

And the record number of unemployment claims resulting from the pandemic could mean many Ohioans will soon face eviction. Thirty-three percent of Ohioans are renters. The report says Ohio’s Housing Wage rose slightly, to 15-dollars-99 cents an hour.  That's the amount a renter needs to earn to afford a basic two-bedroom apartment. And it’s a dollar more an hour than the average renter earns. Marcus Roth is with the Coalition on Homelessness and Housing  in Ohio:

Roth notes a U-S Census Bureau survey shows 537 thousand Ohioans are concerned they won't be able to pay next month’s rent:

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"People experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity have much higher rates of chronic disease. And now, when you look at the fact that we have a global pandemic on our hands, basically not having a safe secure place to live can essentially be a death sentence."

Roth and other advocates want Governor Mike DeWine to allocate at least 100 million dollars of the state’s federal coronavirus relief funds for emergency rental assistance.

Click here to read the "Out Of Reach 2020" report.
 

Jim has been with WCBE since 1996. Before that he worked as a reporter at another Columbus radio station, and for three newspapers in Southwest Florida.
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