We Must Provide Housing for the Urban Poor

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Introduction The focus of this essay is to inform you about a pressing issue that has severe implications for the urban poor and to encourage you to take up action against this problem. The most serious of the issues the urban poor continuously deal with is housing and it has a multitude of far reaching affects on their daily lives. As a result, immediate action must be taken and I am calling on you to form a new policy that includes incentives for low-income housing construction and a green agenda to combat this issue. The Problem For many reasons low-income housing is problematic and solutions need to be implemented to upgrade it. Not only is housing for the poor unavailable at an affordable rate, but also it is often of terrible quality, overcrowded, and segregated. In addition, the conditions of low-income housing can lead to other problems including, instability and frequent moves or homelessness, dismal health situations, crime, and inequality. Unaffordable Housing In 2003, a report by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development stated that 5.1 million American households “pay more than 50 percent of their income for rent and utilities” (“Habitat for Humanity”). Known as severe rent burden, this is a major issue faced by the urban poor. With extremely small incomes, the burden of paying a majority of their earnings out for housing leaves little money left to pay for other expenses, such as food. Consequently, many families must choose between eating and having a roof over their heads, which often leads “to housing instability resulting in frequent moves and, for some families, periods of homelessness” (Crowley). Deficiencies Some affordable housing is available for the urban poor, however, frequently ... ... middle of paper ... ...01/ai_n9186151/>. Ebeling , Ashlea. "Low-Income-Housing Builders See Green." Forbes.com 08/12/2004 Web.7 May 2009. beltway.html>. Glades, Jason. "Housing Segregation." EBrownie.net-Education Articles. 07 July 2007. Education Brownie Articles. 7 May 2009 housing-segregation/>. "Health Impacts." Healthy Communities by Design. 2007. Healthy Communities by Design. 7 May 2009 10010/HealthImpacts.html>. "Mercy Housing Lakefront: Water." Mercy Housing Lakefront. 2007. Mercy Housing. 7 May 2009 . "Solar Energy Technologies Program." U.S. Department of Energy: Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. 20/07/2006. 7 May 2009 .

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