California’s Poverty And Uninsured Rates Both Decline, But Numbers Still Paint Grim Picture For Poor Residents
Experts say it's crucial to bring down housing costs and continue to support safety net programs such as Medicaid.
Sacramento Bee:
California’s Poverty Rate Is Still The Highest In The US
Newly released federal estimates show California’s poverty rate remained the highest in the nation, despite a modest fall, and the state’s falling uninsured rate slowed for the first time since before Medicaid expansion. According to the Census Bureau, the share of Californians in poverty fell to 19 percent — a 1.4 percent decrease from last year. However, policy experts warned that in spite of the good news more than 7 million people still struggle to get by in the state. (Finch, 9/12)
Capital Public Radio:
California Has One Of The Nation's Highest Poverty Rates, Again
The supplemental poverty measure takes into account factors such as the cost of housing and health care. Under the Census’ standard poverty measure, which is based strictly on income, California’s poverty rate is 13.4 percent, closer to the national average of 12.9 percent. Sara Kimberlin, senior policy analyst at the nonprofit California Budget and Policy Center, said the supplemental rate is a more accurate measure because the cost of living is so different from state to state. And in California, she said rents are rising more quickly than earnings. (Caiola, 9/12)
California Healthline:
California’s Uninsured Rate Declined Last Year Despite Federal Efforts To Roll Back ACA
The state’s uninsured rate edged down even as Republicans in Washington, D.C. sought to roll back the Affordable Care Act. The rate of uninsurance dropped in just two other two states: New York and Louisiana. In the Golden State, the rate of uninsured residents stood at 7.2 percent last year, compared with 7.3 percent in 2016. Since 2013, the year before the coverage-expanding provisions of the federal health law took effect, California’s uninsurance rate has dropped 10 percentage points — the largest decrease of any state, according to the Census Bureau. (Galewitz, 9/12)
The Mercury News:
More Than Half Of Tech Workers Delay Kids, Blame Cost Of Living
Even Bay Area tech workers blame a lot of their problems on housing. The region’s sky-high rents and home prices are exacerbating their commutes, forcing their paychecks to stretch thinner, and, according to a new survey — keeping them childless longer. Though some residents blame the area’s highly paid tech workers for driving up the cost of housing, data increasingly shows that these days, even tech workers feel squeezed by the Bay Area’s scorching prices. Fifty-eight percent of tech workers surveyed recently said they have delayed starting a family due to the rising cost of living, according to a poll that included employees from Apple, Uber, Google, LinkedIn, Facebook, Lyft and other Bay Area companies. (Kendall, 9/13)