From the homeless to the working poor, many in Peoria struggle to find affordable housing. Find out what it takes to live above the poverty line. If you are struggling to make ends meet, learn how to access housing resources in the area.
It’s Not So Easy to Break Out of Poverty
It may be more difficult than you think to afford housing in Peoria, especially for families.
The fair market rate for housing suggests a household should pay no more that 30% of its income toward rent.
According to the National Low Income Housing Coalition, the fair market rate for a two-bedroom apartment in Peoria stands at $714 per month. The annual income needed to afford that rent is $28,560. That comes to $13.73 an hour as a full-time employee.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median hourly wage in Peoria was $17.13 in 2014, which comes to around $35,000 a year. With half of the population making this much or less, it is not hard to imagine that many families struggle to afford rent.
HUD, the federal department in charge of affordable housing development, says that as of 2015, a four-person family in Peoria County qualifies for public housing assistance at or below $33,700 annual household income. HUD set this number as the 2015 VLI, or very low income limit.
That number is above the poverty line, which for a family of four stands at $24,000 a year in household income. The Census Bureau estimates that as of 2014, 17% of individuals in Peoria County live in poverty. That means over 31,000 Peoria County residents currently live in poverty, or about 1 in 6 people.
Peoria, like many places in the country today, has a growing population of people living in poverty, according the latest community assessment by Heart of Illinois United Way. The widening gap between upper and lower classes brings to light the growing need for, and greater access to, affordable housing.
Those hoping for housing assistance may look to Peoria Housing Authority, but their waiting list remains closed to new section 8 applicants and their aging units at Taft and Harrison Homes require constant repairs.
PHA continues to search for solutions to local affordable housing needs, but a lack of public support along with financial woes has stalled plans to increase the affordable housing stock in Peoria.
Outside of PHA, many organizations aim to provide services for struggling residents. The South Side Office of Concern offers the only supportive housing services in the area. They provide housing and support services for mentally and physically disabled and homeless residents.
SSOC recently saved the affordable housing units at Glendale Commons, once owned by Peoria YWCA prior to their bankruptcy in 2013. After two years of searching for funding and a development team, SSOC moved forward last summer with a $4.5 million plan to build a new 14 unit apartment complex and an additional duplex.
Even with the new units, which will add to the 120 units already in operation, there is a huge lack of affordable housing that provides a safe and decent place fit for human habitation, said Kristen Bechtold, director of development at SSOC. She said the state of the economy, plus the recent closures of low income units, has increased that need, and all of their programs currently require waiting lists.
Bechtold said affordable housing, especially housing that provides supportive services, actually benefits the greater community.
“If there aren’t organizations doing housing development for people in need, what happens is people end up in the legal system and hospitals,” she said, which leads to a much higher cost to the community than preventative housing interventions.
Greater Peoria LISC works on the development end of affordable housing in the area. By partnering with PHA and other area organizations, LISC hopes to preserve and build around 250 units of affordable housing in Peoria in the next few years. Projects in the East Bluff are already underway, with more to come in the South Side and Downtown.
“Affordable housing is important in every community in every city from New York City to Peoria,” said LISC program officer Brittany Brown. “Having a healthy environment always starts at home.”
Peoria is not currently meeting even the lowest HUD standards for quality housing for low income families, said Brown.
The shrinking middle class, stagnant wages and rising cost of living means Peorians will need to work together to create a supportive community for those needing housing and financial assistance. A bumpy road lies ahead as residents, city officials, and service providers figure out how to meet the growing need for affordable housing.
Serenity: Profile of a Public Housing Resident
Wonder what it’s like to live in public housing in Peoria? Check out the story of Serenity, a resident at Taft Homes, a public housing complex owned and operated by PHA. Find out how Serenity is working to break free from poverty as she seeks higher education.
Find Assistance in Peoria
Numerous organizations in Peoria provide assistance for residents in need, from the homeless, to renters and homeowners. Click the map below to find housing and financial assistance in the area.
