Statistics recently made available by the National Low Income Housing Coalition illuminate a distressing situation in the Commonwealth: they rank Massachusetts as having the 6th highest housing wage–requiring that those working a 40 hour week earn just over $27 per hour to afford a two-bedroom rental, or 100 hours a week working at the federal minimum wage. And the picture across the country is not much more encouraging: in only 12 counties across the 50 states can a full-time worker earning the prevailing federal or state minimum wage afford a one-bedroom rental.
Joining host Peter Bermudes to discuss this housing landscape is Pamela Hallett, a housing advocate with 30 years of affordable housing and community development experience, including the past five as executive director of the Housing Corporation of Arlington.
This video was created in coordination with Arlington Community Media, Inc. in Arlington, MA. ACMi is dedicated to providing an electronic forum for the free exchange of information and ideas which reflect the talents, skills, interests, concerns, and diversity of the Arlington, Massachusetts community.
