NLIHC will host “Tenant Talk Live” – a webinar with and for renter and resident leaders – next Monday, July 11, at 6 pm ET. Tenants from Ohio and Hawaii will join the webinar to share their personal experiences advocating against rising rents and to discuss how promoting a living wage can advance the fight for affordable housing. Register for next week’s Tenant Talk Live webinar here.
Debates about the living wage are central to housing policy. NLIHC documents the relationship between wages and housing in Out of Reach, a report that has been published annually since 1989. The 2021 edition of Out of Reach focused on the COVID-19 pandemic and the ways the economic downturn resulting from the public health emergency impacted low-income renters, who are disproportionately Black people and people of color. Low-wage workers in industries such as retail, food and beverage, and hospitality were deeply impacted, experiencing reduced hours and job losses. As a result, households across the country accumulated debt while trying to remain housed. The 2022 edition of Out of Reach – set to be released later this month – presents new data addressing the connections between the pandemic, rising housing costs, and wages.
In the upcoming webinar, we will be joined by Emma Foley, an NLIHC research analyst and co-author of the 2022 edition of Out of Reach. Emma will discuss her research and the importance of addressing the long-term housing affordability crisis. We will also be joined by Damon Blanchard, a tenant in Columbus, Ohio, who advocated against rent increases in his building, and Jhoe Rosales, a low-income tenant and minimum wage worker. All our panelists will discuss the role of promoting a living wage in the fight for affordable housing.
Remember: Tenant Talk Live would not be possible without tenants like you! We strive to connect and engage with tenants and tenant leaders through our webinars. If you are a low-income tenant and have a topic you would like to propose for an upcoming Tenant Talk Live, or if you would like to participate as a speaker on an upcoming call or webinar, please email: [email protected]
Register for next week’s Tenant Talk Live webinar at: bit.ly/361rmy2