“What Are People Going To Do When They Can’t Afford To Exist”: This EMT Says They Can’t Find Affordable Housing Anywhere, And It’s Honestly Bleak

At this point, everyone knows that the housing crisis is really a housing emergency as the cost of living continues to skyrocket across the US. Many with stable, full-time jobs still cannot afford adequate housing in the communities that they serve, or anywhere else. According to The Guardian, "Nearly half of American workers don’t earn enough to afford a one-bedroom rental."

What's worse is that many workers who keep our communities healthy and functional, also can't afford housing and some are feeling hopeless about the future.

And that's how EMT and Reddit user u/notmyrevolution felt when they searched for housing in the area they worked and grew up in. Ultimately, they found that neither was affordable, even on a full-time salary.

Here's the story in u/notmyrevolution's own words:

"What is going to happen when nobody can afford to live anymore? It feels like we're almost there. For background, I work full time as an EMT making $26/hr, which is one of the highest paying wages for this job anywhere. I still can't afford the area I live in on that wage."

"It seems like more and more places are falling into housing crises. I can't afford here. I can't afford where I grew up."

"Not to come off as egotistical or anything, but my job is fucking important. Shouldn't I be able to live somewhat comfortably working full-time? When the housing crisis spreads even more, and wages continue to be this disproportionate to the cost of living, what are people going to do? When they can't find anywhere to exist? And when their jobs don't support sustaining a life? What is going to happen? I'm scared for the future."

After reading through the post, several users agreed with user u/notmyrevolution's outrage about not being able to afford housing while working to save lives:

In regards to the future, another user expressed concern about a continued rise in crime as the housing and wage disparity worsens.

However, other users imagined what the future may be like for those desperate to find housing:

"They'll offer 60 year mortgages, that way it'll be cheaper but you'll never actually own a house. The banks will just be landlords and we will all think that we'll eventually own the house. But we won't."

—Flippityfloppityguy

Emphasizing that point, u/ZaggRukk predicts that corporations will build "affordable" housing for their own employees in exchange for their labor: "Corporations will 'swoop in to save the day,' by building 'affordable' housing for their employees that they will charge rent for, and save you time by taking it directly out of your paychecks. Then give their employees vouchers instead of paychecks that can only be used by companies they own."

User u/CountlessStories wrote, "At this point, as Americans, we should actively start protesting. To allow companies and jobs to be the only way to have accessible land to live on is absolutely un-American on the account of us supposedly existing as a republic!"

Comments have been edited for length/clarity. 

What do you think about EMTs and other life-saving workers not being able to afford adequate housing? What does this mean for our society in the future? Let us know in the comments below.