What is affordable housing?
For our places of residence to be affordable, we need housing that costs us one-third of our household incomes.
In Marin County, market rate rental and ownership housing is not and has not been serving those with below-median incomes.
The "housing wage" in Marin County, according to a study released in September, 2000, is $28.06 an hour to afford a fair market rental two-bedroom apartment.
- An entry-level teacher averages $2700 a month: affordable housing=$900
- A retail or restaurant worker, $1213 a month: $404
- A day care teacher, $1500 a month: $500
- A median income senior, $1833 a month: $611
- A town employee, $3115 a month: $1038
Affordable housing is housing affordable to those who are part of our communities who cannot afford market rate rents.