Organized labor across the country is now setting its sights on housing costs as rents and mortgages continue to soar
As housing has become a top issue in strikes and protests in recent months, US unions are pushing for change and backing innovative solutions for the housing affordability crisis.
With US house prices and rents rising in recent years, and high interest rates and inflation taking their toll, housing affordability has become a major issue at the bargaining table for US labor unions. Many workers are facing 60-, 90-, even 120-minute commutes to work because they cannott afford to live near their jobs.
Housing has been a big issue in the recent rolling strikes by thousands of Los Angeles hotel workers. In Oregon, 400 Yamhill county government employees went on strike in November because, the union said, “many workers are not able to afford housing”. In the Twin Cities, worker dismay about large rent hikes is fueling plans for a multi-union strike by up to 30,000 workers in March. When San Francisco hotel workers hold contract talks later this year, housing affordability will be a top issue.
Exactly. The ACA made it so the homeless could get medical care without going broke. In my state, they’re mostly fully covered if they’ve bothered to apply for it.
However, most homeless organizations still push a “housing first” model because access to medical care doesn’t really make life on the street any better. In fact, being on the street leads to higher instances of needing emergency services. When people have a “home” to go to, you’ll less often needing to be treating them for frostbite in the middle of winter, for example.
A place to stay would drastically reduce the near-constant need for emergency services of this vulnerable population.
I think you put too much faith in the ACA. It’s still insurance — with all the copays, hoops, and “not covereds” that comes with.
People who have huge medical debts lose their homes. People with addiction problems can’t take care of themselves and keep a home. People who have chronic health problems can’t hold down a job without ongoing treatment. Being able to walk into a clinic and get the help you need means that your income can be spent on other things (like food, clothing, and shelter).
housing has always been the biggest problem in urban areas imo because something basic as getting a job is tied to having a permanent adress. applying for freeidical care is fairly easy (i did it a few years back when i held a part time job pre covid), and the health care org still sends me mail, despite myself having a different plan now at a different job. finding a roof over your head just gets progressively worse and theres no immediate signs of it getting better, making it the #1 problem.