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A minimum wage worker in D.C. must work 137 hours a week to afford a two-bedroom, fair market rental in D.C., according to a new report from the National Low Income Housing Coalition. That’s 3.4 full-time jobs needed in order to spend less than 30 percent of that income on housing.
Fair market rent is defined as “the 40th percentile of gross rents for typical, non- substandard rental units.” It’s “determined by [the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development] on an annual basis, and reflects the cost of shelter and utilities,” and is “used to determine payment standards for the Housing Choice Voucher program and Section 8 contracts.” In D.C., the FMR is $1,469, putting the required hourly wage at $28.25 and a yearly salary at $58,760.
And as many people in D.C. can attest to, it’s nearly impossible to find a two-bedroom apartment for less than $1,500 a month or to spend less than 30 percent of income on a place to live.
The minimum wage in D.C. is currently $8.25 and will rise to $9.50 in July 2014, $10.50 the following year, and $11.50 by 2016. President Barack Obama has called for the federal minimum wage to be raised from $7.25 to $10.10 an hour.
Via NLIHC. Open in new tab to make larger.