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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @Bell_curve 20h \ on: How market design can feed the poor food_and_drinks
https://www.zerohedge.com/personal-finance/struggling-central-valley-residents-line-groceries-amid-californias-cost-living
The article from ZeroHedge details the struggle of Central Valley residents in California coping with the state's high cost of living, which has led to high rates of food insecurity.
Key points from the article:
- Long Lines for Groceries: Residents, including homeowners and those with jobs, are lining up for hours (sometimes overnight) at places like the Fresno Mission's First Fruits Market to receive about $250 worth of free, high-quality groceries, including fresh meat and produce.
- High Poverty and Cost of Living: California has the nation's highest poverty rates despite having the world's fourth-largest economy. Residents face skyrocketing costs for gas, groceries, housing, and utilities.
- Demand is High: The Central California Food Bank is serving 320,000 individuals monthly, a demand level similar to the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. One in three children and one in four adults in the Central Valley struggle with food insecurity.
- Housing Crisis: While the Central Valley has historically been a refuge for those seeking a middle-class life due to lower home prices, rising costs and complex regulations are now creating a divide. Median home prices have risen significantly more than incomes, and rising rents are hollowing out the middle class by eliminating market-rate "transition housing."
- "Devil's Choice" for Low-Income Workers: The structure of subsidized housing programs often creates a disincentive to work. If individuals on "extremely low" income housing (30% of Area Median Income) get a minimum-wage job, they may lose their housing because their new income exceeds the strict limit, preventing a stable path to self-sufficiency.