Income Inequality
In a state with school vouchers for all, low-income families aren’t choosing to use them
Working-class parents often express interest in vouchers. But in Arizona, the nation’s school choice capital, these families aren’t using them due to the inaccessibility of private schools and the costs of transportation, meals and uniforms.
State, local guaranteed income programs set the stage for federal action
A growing body of research shows that local-level cash assistance initiatives can improve financial, housing and other outcomes for recipients. Federal lawmakers are taking notice.
Why income discrimination laws hurt poor renters
COMMENTARY| Laws that ban discrimination against voucher holders can push smaller landlords out of the low-income housing market, decreasing the amount of affordable housing.
Real-world experiments in messaging show that getting low-income people the help they need is more effective when stigma is reduced
COMMENTARY | The stigma around poverty and government benefits can make those initiatives less effective.
Proposed wage theft legislation would strip violators of their ability to do business in New York
If passed, the three bills would suspend businesses' ability to operate, collect sales tax or use their liquor licenses unless employers resolve wage theft claims within 15 days.
Why it’s more expensive for Black towns to borrow money
"This is how your sewage gets funded, this is how your water gets funded, this is how public schools and public services are funded," one expert says.
How State and Local Leaders Can Address America’s Wealth Gap
COMMENTARY | The traditional method of offering incentives to corporations to help generate economic development in distressed areas has failed. It’s time to embrace a more people-centric approach called community wealth building.
Maternal Health Risks Increase Where Rent is High
COMMENTARY | New research links high rent relative to income with life-threatening risks to maternal health during labor and delivery.
$1K Monthly Payments Begin Under 3-Year Guaranteed Income Program
Los Angeles County says its 1,000-participant initiative will be among the nation’s longest-running.
The Connection Between Wage Theft and Climate Disasters
COMMENTARY | For too many low-wage workers, workers of color and immigrants, wage theft is a painful part of life. Elected officials need to act to stop this practice, which is especially rampant after hurricanes, wildfires and other weather events.
3 Reasons Why Expanding Access to Homeownership Alone Won’t Close the Racial Wealth Gap
COMMENTARY | This strategy has not lead to real progress in the last few decades. More structural changes are needed in many policy areas to increase wealth for Black and Brown Americans.
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Young Women Earn the Same or More Than Male Peers in These US Cities
Nevertheless, only about 16% of all working women age 30 or younger live in the areas where they are at or above wage parity with men, the report shows.
The States With the Highest and Lowest Wage Gaps
While the gender-based wage gap in the U.S. has decreased in recent years, discrepancies remain, according to a report by the U.S. Census Bureau.
How to Reduce Inflation-induced Costs for Low-income Families
Policymakers at all levels can implement solutions that help families in the short term while battling the long-term problems, according to the Urban Institute.
Want Landlords to Lease to Families With Housing Vouchers? Try Asking in New Ways
COMMENTARY | The pandemic has brought new attention to the challenge of finding landlords who will accept Housing Choice Vouchers. A recent experiment offers lessons about what might help landlords say yes.
Study: More Than Half of Women in Tech Say Their Gender is Limiting Their Careers
The study suggests one of the biggest barriers for women in tech is a lack of promotion opportunities.
Availability of Affordable Housing a ‘Major Problem’
But opinions about what is affordable vary based on demographic factors, including income, race, ethnicity and age, research shows.
The States That Raised Their Minimum Wages
Twenty-one states increased their minimum wages this year and nine more planning to boost them later in 2022.
How Brad Pitt’s Green Housing Dream for Hurricane Katrina Survivors Turned Into a Nightmare
So much went wrong with the homes built by the Make It Right Foundation that its low-income homebuyers were deprived of the financial security they were promised.
Cash Support for Low-income Families Directly Affects Baby Brains
COMMENTARY | A year of providing money to low-income mothers to reduce poverty had a direct effect on children’s brain development, researchers say.
Where the Standard of Living Is Highest and Lowest
A new working paper finds that geographical differences in the standard of living are economically large.
