Life below the poverty line - examining the deep and concentrated need of those in the Bronx community

Transcription

1 Life below the poverty line - examining the deep and concentrated need of those in the Bronx community POTS Breakfast Forum June 15, 2016

2 Deep and Concentrated Poverty in our Community Concentrated Poverty A community with more than 30% of residents living below the poverty line. Deep Poverty A household living on cash income below 50% of the poverty line. % Living in Poverty % Living Below 50% Poverty 50% 45% 40% 35% 30% 25% 20% 15% 10% 5% 0% NY State NYC Bronx POTS Zips 16% 14% 12% 10% 8% 6% 4% 2% 0% NY State NYC Bronx POTS Zips % in poverty % of children in poverty % below 0.50 of poverty Source: US Census Bureau 2014 American Community Survey

3 Deep and Concentrated Poverty in our Community Map of 50% of poverty line from Social explorer Source: US Census 2014 American Community Survey. Map generated using SocialExplorer.org

4 What does 50% poverty look like? Cash Income Single Adults: 50% of POTS households served are single adults. For a single adult: 50% poverty is: $5,940 a year $16 daily Families: 50% of POTS households are families that average 4 people. For a family of 4 50% poverty is: $12,150 a year $8 per person daily Source: POTS Data and Department of Health and Human Services

5 What does 50% of the poverty line look like at POTS? Annual cash income reported by POTS clients: Average earned income $4,870 Median earned income $0 Average cash income $8,500 Median cash income $8,200 Non-cash income reported by POTS clients: SNAP 48% Avg. $240 month Medicaid/care 75% of POTS clients are enrolled Subsidized housing 16% live in subsidized housing Source: Reported by clients on 2015 intake assessments.

6 How far is 50% poverty from self-sufficiency? $4,000 Available to spend vs. Self sufficiency $3,784 needed for family to meet self-sufficiency standard $3,500 $3,000 $2,500 Self Sufficiency, $2,104 $2,000 $1,500 $1, % Poverty, $840 $500 $- 50% Poverty, $840 Monthly Expenses Source: W CECA Self-Sufficiency Project taxes withheld Source: US Department of Health and Human Services

7 How far is 50% poverty from self sufficiency? $4,000 Available to spend vs. self sufficiency with noncash benefits $3,784 needed for family to meet self-sufficiency standard $3,500 $3,000 $2,500 Self Sufficiency, $ % Poverty, $623 $2,000 $1,500 $1,000 50% Poverty, $2,445 $500 $- Monthly Expense Source: W CECA Self-Sufficiency Project taxes withheld Source: US Department of Health and Human Services

8 How do households get by? Client Interviews Current employment and earnings Safety net access Employment history Barriers to employment Where and with whom do clients live? Basic monthly expenses Priority for extra cash Sources of funds for large cash needs Use of social service nonprofits

9 Employment and Earnings % currently employed % currently unemployed % employed for the full 5 years % unemployed at times during last 5 years % employed at any time in the last 5 years % never employed in the last 5 years Source: Interviews with 14 clients

10 Employment and Earnings Employed Unemployed Employed Unemployed Employed Unemployed Employed Unemployed Source: Interviews with 14 clients

11 Barriers to work Employment and Earnings Child care is expensive. Mother can only work when children are in school. Disabled child needs regular care. Son stays for the night shift when mother is working in fast food. Maternity leave ending and a mother doesn t have a caretaker for the child that she trusts. She believes the mother is best person to raise a child. 24-years-old and made a serious mistake at work. Fired a year ago for cause and no prospects based on history. Unable to communicate in English. Undocumented, only under-the-table work available. Worked in a mailroom until 2012 and older than 55. Skills not marketable. Source: Interviews with 14 clients

12 Number of Households Use of Public Benefits Supports # of households with members receiving benefit by type Medicaid SNAP SSI/SSD Section 8/NYCHA Cash Assistance WIC Benefit Type Source: Interviews with 14 clients

13 Expenses: Housing $0 spent on rent Subsidized housing - $55 spent per month per renter Market rental- $240 spent per month per renter Street Homeless (2) Section 8 (2) 8 people: 3 working adults, 3 bedrooms (1) Shelter Homeless (2) Lives with cousin in NYCHA housing (1) Live in sister s market rate apartment (1) Section 8 and Safety Net Assistance (1) NYCHA apartment and holds lease (1) 6 people: 2 working adults, 2 nonworking adults, 2 children, 2 bedrooms (1) 2 adults: 1 on SSI, one unemployed, 1 bedroom. Unable to pay rent (1) 2 adults: 1 working one on SS retirement, own home, income above poverty line (1) Source: Interviews with 14 clients

14 Expenses: Housing The map represents the NYCHA housing in the Bronx. The red circle represents the primary POTS service area. The small amount of NYCHA housing in this community is notable. Poverty levels in this community are comparable to the areas of the Bronx with more NYCHA housing. Source: NYC City Data,

15 Medicaid ensures that clients pay close to nothing for health care. Undocumented immigrants made use of public hospital emergency rooms. Expenses: Health Source: Interviews with 14 clients

16 Expenses: Health Chronic illness did provide a barrier to some respondents Depression made it hard for one to meet the daily tasks of living. Anxiety and physical challenges kept another off of public transit. A physically disabled child meant one could only work parttime Mental health challenges led one to give up on seeking work and to instead seek support through SSI. One has to care for an ailing husband, meaning she could not work many hours. A trusted cousin who provided child care for another s daughter has late stage diabetes and the 8-year-old daughter is caring for him as much as he cares for her. One is sending all of her earnings to ailing parents in Miami meaning that despite obtaining work recently, she is unable to meet basic needs. The rest did not mention a physical or mental health challenge. Source: Interviews with 14 clients

17 Resources: Social service nonprofits Most clients use social service nonprofits when they are in the most need of help. These nonprofits fill holes in the safety net by providing access to income supports, food, accurate information and legal services. A few people have knit together a network of nonprofits to meet their needs.

18 Expenses: Overall Expense type Amount per household % of total expense Total $1, % Food $465 28% Rent $450 27% Utilities $280 17% Transport $180 11% Other $300 18% Saving $0 0%

19 Expenses: Emergency We asked how a client would cover a $200 emergency expense. Generally, family is the safety net. Those with no one to ask were the most unstable in the interviewed population. Source: Interviews with 14 clients

20 Multiple, Diverse challenges Limited English, shelter, mental health, high school diploma No diploma, care taker for sick mother, great experience Lost job, no savings, pending eviction, Domestic violence, immigrant, two children Disability, no support from family members Child having trouble in school, trying to maintain job and support child

21 A multidimentional approach Developing a database that is designed to find the specific needs of individuals so that staff can be directed about addressing and rectifying challenges with clients.

22 Stability measure A multidimentional approach Definition at POTS Related needs to address Financial Household income is above the poverty line. Access to benefits, employment assistance, food distribution. Housing Day to Day Health No more than 2 people per bedroom. No pending eviction. Access to communications, hygiene, child care, legal status. Access to primary care usually through health insurance and more than 15 healthy days a month. Legal support for eviction prevention, housing applications, advocacy. Shower, mail, haircut, Assurance phone, assistance with immigration. Medicaid access, primary care physician, connection to mental health and substance abuse treatment. Education High school diploma. Referral to GED, HSE, ABE or ESL programs.

23 Panelists Jim Buckley, University Neighborhood Housing Program, Executive Director Sarah Persily, Gerstner Family Foundation, Senior Program Officer Amanda Stern, Robin Hood Foundation, Program Officer in Income Security and Survival Emilio Tavarez, Part of the Solution, Employment Specialist