Basic Needs Are Increasing In Our Region

A Data Snapshot: January 2010

Food Insecurity

•A survey of food pantry and soup kitchen clients in Connecticut  by The CT Food Bank revealed that:

• 42% had to choose between paying for food or utilities
• 34% had to choose between food or paying rent
• 30% had to choose between food or medical care  

• The Guilford Food Bank saw a 20% increase in individuals receiving food in December 2008 compared to December 2009.  The frequency of visits by each individual or family to the food pantry has also increased.

• Connecticut soup kitchens and food pantries reported serving an average of 30% more individuals thus far this year, with a total of 390,000 Connecticut residents struggling with hunger in 2009 (CT Food Bank).

• Connecticut has the highest increase in the rate of food insecurity, with over 295,600 Connecticut residents receiving federally-funded SNAP/Food Stamp benefits in November 2009, up 32% in one year and 58% in five years (DSS).

Housing

• Statewide shelter-related inquiries increased by 22% during the first two quarters of 2009 as compared to the same time period in 2008 (Info-line/211).

• According to the 2009 Annual Point in Time Count 677 individuals (521 households) in Greater New Haven are homeless; 44% (300 individuals) in our region were found to be chronically homeless.

• The number of foreclosures in New Haven increased from 55 to 406 (736%) between 2006 and 2008 .  

• For the first three quarters of 2009, New Haven experienced 225 residential, 1 to 4-family, and condo property foreclosures (ROOF Project).

• In New Haven, 48% of renter-occupied (31,219 families) housing units (31,219) pay more than 35% of their income on housing cost.

• In our region the cost of a 1-bedroom rental is 113.7% of the monthly SSI benefit. 

•  On average CT families have a 4-year wait to receive a Section 8, T-Rap or Project Choice housing subsidy voucher. There are approximately 6,000 households on waitlists for these programs

• From the first half of 2008 to the first half of 2009, CT lis pen dens (claimant filing of intent to foreclose) increased by 29% (from (8,801 to 12,412).

Families Living in Poverty

• 34% of New Haven children live below the poverty line (for a family of four in 2009, the poverty level is $22,050) compared to 12.5% statewide. 

• 27.3% of New Haven residents live in poverty; the 2nd highest city rate statewide (US Census: ACS Three Year Estimate).

• More than 75% of New Haven students qualify for free and reduced price meals, which means their families earns less than 185% of the poverty level (an annual income of $39,220 for a family of four).

• In Greater New Haven, a family needs to earn at least 2.5 times the federal poverty level to be considered financially stable (equivalent to an hourly wage of $21.96 or $46,000 annually).   This translates into the equivalent of almost three full-time minimum wage jobs.

• In our region, a family needs to earn at least 2.5 times the federal poverty level to afford a 2-bedroom apartment and maintain affordability standards (e.g., spending no more than 30% of income). 

• In Greater New Haven, the percentage of all people living in poverty rose to 11.2 % in 2008 from 9.7% in 2007, according to the Census Data.

 
Employment

•  The unemployment rate in the New Haven area has gone up 33% compared to the same time last year. As of November 2009, the unemployment rate for New Haven was 11.2%.

• Unemployment in Connecticut is higher than at any time since 1977, and the number of jobs has fallen to the lowest point since 1998.

• More than a fifth (21.2%) of all Connecticut’s unemployed have been out of work for more than 26 weeks,

• In 2009, more than one in five households (22%) in Connecticut was asset-poor, meaning they do not have sufficient resources to survive at the poverty level for three months without any income.

• Only 32% of lower-income working families (below 250% of the federal poverty level) in CT have more than $300 in savings, the amount that is needed to weather a single typical emergency.  

• In September 2008, the unemployment rate in Connecticut was 6%, jumping to 8.2% in September 2009.  This represents an increase of 6,803 people who report being unemployed. The unemployment rate in the New Haven area has gone up 33% compared to the same time last year. As of November 2009, the unemployment rate for New Haven was 11.2%.