New report shows San Diego’s growing need for low-income homes
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — An annual report is illustrating the severe shortage of affordable homes in San Diego County.
According to the Housing Needs report released Thursday by the San Diego Housing Federation, the county is short more than 134,500 homes for low-income renters, with a 13% decrease from last year in state and federal funds for preserving and creating more homes.
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Meanwhile, there are 800 fewer beds for people experiencing homelessness compared to a year ago, with a total need of more than 9,200 beds across the county.
The report also shared that wages in San Diego have not kept up with the rising cost of rent, although average rental prices seem to be stabilizing.
In last year’s report, the housing federation said people needed to earn at least $45.98 an hour to afford the average monthly rent. This year, it found that a single renter in San Diego needed to make at least $47.67 an hour.
In a press conference Thursday, a group of affordable housing developers, nonprofit leaders and other advocates urged lawmakers to pass State Housing Bond AB 1657 — a $10 billion bill that, if passed into law, would authorize funds to use toward affordable rental housing and homeownership programs.
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