Nonprofits: ‘overwhelming need’ for state to help San Diegans burdened by high cost of living

Two San Diego City Council members Sean Elo-Rivera top row second from left and Kent Lee bottom row far right joined local nonprofit leaders to call on legislators to increase funding and tools directed at fighting high rent child care costs and more on Thursday April in San Diego Photo by Jason Ritchie San Diego Housing Federation Local nonprofit leaders on Thursday called on legislators to increase funding directed at fighting San Diego s high cost of living Their targets high rent and child care costs and the food insecurity and even homelessness that can end from both San Diego City Council President Pro Tem Kent Lee and Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera gathered with representatives from five local nonprofits to highlight how increasing costs are contributing to the financial burden for tens of thousands of residents A statement by the California Housing Partnership in coordination with the San Diego Housing Federation identified that the average monthly rent has increased by nearly from last year to That means a San Diegan would need to make about per hour to afford rent three times the minimum wage Stephen Russell CEO of the housing federation declared although there was a increase in state and federal funding for affordable housing in the last year he is worried the state will be focused on plugging budget holes created by federal actions It s critical the county and city s affordable housing funding continues to rise to meet the overwhelming need he reported Elected executives at local and state levels are grappling with budget deficits amid slow tax revenues and rising costs along with uncertainties about the commercial sector and federal funding The Legislative Analyst s Office unveiled the state s budget is roughly balanced this year with a billion deficit San Diego County authorities communicated late last year that it faced a projected million deficit in the coming year while the city is facing a deficit of million Russell called on state legislators to vote for proper funding for affordable housing to be included in the state s budget via the partisan Affordable Housing Bond Acts of On top of increasing rent nearly two-thirds of families in San Diego don t have access to enough child care information according to a analysis commissioned by the county The Children First Collective identified that child care providers operate on very slim margins with underpaid workers The average child care worker in San Diego earns around per hour according to the research The analysis suggested child care providers should start setting rates based on what it takes to provide quality care rather than on what families can pay A family of four in San Diego necessities to earn more than annually to afford child care the statement mentioned The median household income falls about short according to U S Census evidence Families struggling with housing and child care are also often impacted by food insecurity the analysis revealed Jewish Family Facility has seen a growing demand for its nutrition programs over the past year with the number of people accessing its pantry programs rising Kaley Levitt JFS vice president of regime affairs reported increasing families access to housing healthcare job promotion and cash assistance allows them to put food on the table themselves Levitt encouraged elected functionaries to address the root causes of food insecurity