Poverty in Fresno carries hidden costs, By Sanford Nax, September 19, 2009, Fresno Bee: ” The apartments along Lowe Avenue in southeast Fresno sound like a good deal. For about $600 a month you can get two bedrooms, and bad credit won’t keep you out. But many costs aren’t in the lease: Some apartments are teeming with roaches and mold, creating a veritable stew pot for illness — and constant doctor bills. It’s in a dangerous neighborhood, so costly possessions — like stereos — have a way of disappearing. People live here because they are poor and can’t afford anything better. But compared to those with just a little more money, they must spend an enormous share of their household incomes on rent. The same is true across the central San Joaquin Valley and the nation: When it comes to housing, being poor is expensive…”
Poverty-related issues in the news, from the Institute for Research on Poverty