January 28, 2004
Stop the Madness
First of all, do we really need yet another commentary about how hard it is to afford to live in the Bay Area? Every so often, we get a news article or a "human interest" segment on the nightly news about the cost of living around these parts. All articles mention the median-priced home, the income levels of certain professions...but, either I'm bored off my ass today, or this chart really put it more into perspective for me. $40,050 is very low income?
So a salaried $38,000-per-year employee is considered poor in the Bay Area? Are they eligible for food stamps or public assistance? Probably not. And I guess it goes without saying that they will never be able to afford a house or even a one-bedroom apartment in the Bay Area. I don't know how anyone can expect one to have to earn four times what one makes now just to begin to afford a house here. And how is one supposed to do that when all of the major money-making professions are illegal in the United States?
This really is insanity.
