Poverty Myths

Consider these poverty myths:

Anyone can find a job in this economy.
Many jobs are available today, but the Twin Cities metro area is expected to produce only one job for every two untrained workers--exactly the population served by TCCVM. In Greater Minnesota, that ratio widens to one job for every three job seekers.

A job will lead a family from poverty.
At best, this important first job is just the beginning of the struggle to climb out of poverty. Roadblocks include lack of education, childcare and transportation. Low wages and inadequate employee benefits like health insurance also limit families. Many heads of poor families are untrained and have never worked. With little or no recent work experience, some are not ready to work when they start the job hunt. When they do find jobs, the jobs often include low pay, no benefits, no on-the-job training and no future prospects of a living wage.

People are homeless by choice.
With a vacancy rate for low-income rental units holding at significantly less than 1% in the Twin Cities area and rents rising in response to demand, affordable housing is next to impossible to find. 185,000 low-income families already pay more than 30 percent of their incomes for housing. And rents continue to rise, making the Twin Cities' housing crisis one of the worst in the nation. Low-income folks seeking housing must compete for the one affordable rental unit available for every two families with incomes below $10,000. More than one-third of homeless adults work, half of them full-time, but they simply can't find housing. Children don't choose homelessness, yet they make up 50% of the state's homeless population.

Poverty is an inner city problem.
No, poverty is a family problem. When parents are poor, displaced and hungry, so are their children. According to the Minneapolis United Way, 11 of the city's 14 first-ring suburbs have child poverty rates above 14%.