“This is the case in every community, everywhere in the world.”

Amy Riegel, executive director of the Ohio Housing and Homelessness Coalition, spoke Nov. 4 about homelessness, poverty and the shortage of affordable housing in the Buckeye State.

The number of well-paying jobs has not kept pace with the skyrocketing cost of housing here. So, “for every 100 extremely low-income people looking for housing, there are 40 housing units available,” according to Riegel.

Extremely low income is $27,485 or less for a family of four. In Ohio, 28% of renting households have extremely low incomes and there is a shortage of 267,000 affordable and accessible rental homes for these people. But the problem does not only concern people with the lowest incomes.

“In the state of Ohio, you would have to make $20.81 an hour to afford a modest two-bedroom apartment,” Reigel said.

Riegel also noted that the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that among the top 10 jobs held by Ohio workers, only two pay enough per hour for those workers to be able to afford the modest two-bedroom apartment.

And, again, this assumes that these apartments or houses are available.

The Mahoning Valley is no exception.

For many here, it is difficult to find affordable and available housing. In the past, those who could not afford to buy a house could rent an apartment at a reasonable monthly rate. In fact, Warren and Youngstown – and surrounding areas – were once considered among the most affordable places to live, whether as a homeowner or renter.

Ohio is considered the most affordable state to live in according to a study by New Clever Real Estate. Toledo, in fact, tops the list of America’s 100 most affordable cities. Akron, Cleveland, Cincinnati and Columbus also made the top 30.

So why do all of these Ohio cities – as well as Warren and Youngstown – have such a homeless problem?

A myriad of factors can lead individuals and families to live in cars or on the streets. Unemployment, alcohol/substance abuse, and mental illness can all force people to leave their homes.

You don’t have to travel far or search long to find homeless people.

Shelters in the Mahoning Valley are very busy this time of year. Homeless people often need a meal, but when the nights turn cold and snow begins to fall, many people are in dire need of a warm place to sleep. It won’t be long before daytime temperatures become dangerously low. The demand for hosting space has only increased over time and there appears to be no end in sight.

The lack of affordable housing in the Warren and Youngstown areas was an issue that came up in almost every election-related interview as Nov. 5 approached and candidates sought local, state and federal office. It will be interesting to note how many of the candidates elected last Tuesday remain committed to making serious progress against this problem.

But this is not just a homeless problem. As noted above, inflation and sky-high interest rates have made homeownership virtually impossible for many people who could have purchased it just 20 years ago. Recent home revaluations also threaten to force older homeowners out of homes they bought and paid for years ago.

If they can no longer pay property taxes, how can those on fixed incomes afford to rent apartments?

We can’t have both. We cannot set the price and exclude potential tenants, we cannot fail to encourage developers to build affordable housing, and then complain that too many people are living without homes and dare to be visible in our community.

Policymakers must change course to encourage the construction of equitable and affordable housing across the state. The alternative is to figure out how to support individuals and families who are forced to survive in any way possible.