State Senator Herron Gaston shares this commentary about his appointment to a “working group that will create a framework for reducing concentrated poverty in Connecticut.”
Reducing poverty in Connecticut is a priority that requires a multifaceted approach to create change by providing opportunities for all residents. Poverty affects every aspect of life, education, health, housing, employment, and even one’s mental strain. It has a far-reaching effect on individuals, impacting all areas of one’s life, and limiting access to essential resources. Lack of resources can result in a cycle of hardship that makes it difficult to escape poverty.
Unfortunately, high poverty levels lead to an increased rate of homelessness, and a reduced overall quality of life.
According to a report by Connecticut Voices for Children, poverty rose more than 40 percent in Connecticut in recent years. According to the study, poverty jumped from 8.4 percent overall and 6.8 percent among children in 2021 to 12.1 percent overall and 11.6 percent among children in 2022. An additional 13 percent of residents, including 16.8 percent of children, lived “near poverty” in 2022. Preliminary data suggests the rates remained at similar levels in 2023.
In a 2020 study, researchers at the U.S. Government Accountability Office estimated that a $100 increase in median rent was associated with a 9 percent increase in homelessness. There is a clear need to start building more public housing, and there’s competition to keep rents fair.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services updated its poverty guidelines, and in Connecticut, a family of four making $31,200 or less is considered to be living in poverty. Currently an individual making $18,810 or less is considered to be living in poverty.
Connecticut has taken several approaches to reduce poverty, including focusing on increasing affordable housing, enhancing education, supporting workforce development, and expanding social services. I want to take it one step further.
In November, I was appointed to a working group that will create a framework for reducing concentrated poverty in Connecticut. This working group was established during the 2024 legislative session and will aim to eradicate concentrated poverty by requiring a development of a 10-year plan to reduce poverty to 20 percent or less.
I’m deeply honored to be entrusted with this new position; it’s both a privilege and a responsibility. I look forward to serving with dedication and purpose.
We’ve made some strides in Connecticut implementing affordable housing options. The Connecticut Housing Finance Authority provides financing for affordable housing development, and emergency assistance is available for families. We’ve also invested in initiatives to enhance education programs that focus on early childhood education and college readiness, and we’ve raised the minimum wage. But more needs to be done.
On this task force, we’ll look at Census figures to track where the most concentrated poverty lies in Connecticut. We’ll analyze how people, families, and children are impacted. We’ll work to find a solution to effectively reduce poverty across Connecticut, and we’ll work to expand access to quality education, empower individuals with the skills needed for higher-paying jobs, helping break the cycle of poverty, improve affordable housing options, and increase the availability of health care services.
Unfortunately, Bridgeport has a poverty rate of 22 percent. In 2021, the Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness reported that 239 people in Bridgeport were homeless, either in temporary housing or emergency shelters. Bridgeport is one of the places hardest hit with poverty in Connecticut, and it’s one of the major areas that deserve opportunity. We’ll work to make Bridgeport a community of opportunity. But it’s not just people in Bridgeport struggling. We, as members of the working group, will make sure to address other areas of Connecticut that display extreme levels of poverty. We’ll figure out ways to address concerns throughout our state and alleviate poverty so everyone in Connecticut is on the same playing field.
Connecticut will create a more inclusive, sustainable economy and all residents will have the same equal chance to succeed.
The Federal poverty index for 2024 defines poverty as a family of four having an income below $31,200. This is a completely bogus number for the reality of what it costs to raise a family anywhere in Connecticut. A much truer minimum income level is provided to us by the United Way. Their calculation for the minimum household budget shows a family of four needing income of $126,000 to marginally get by. This is more than four times the Federal poverty index. Using $126,000 as the threshold means that more than 66% of the families in Bridgeport are impoverished. Unsustainable by any measure that you wish to use.
from the United Way’s webpage: Understand the Consequences of Insufficient Income:
Over 40 percent of U.S. households are unable to afford basics, forcing them to make impossible choices and risky trade-offs every day. See how the six essential elements of a household budget — housing, child care and education, food, transportation, health care and technology — as well as taxes affect financial decision-making for ALICE families.
To reduce poverty in Bridgeport, the focus of the Mayor, CC, and our state delegation needs to be on creating living wage jobs for Bridgeport residents in BRIDGEPORT. Forcing Bridgeporters to commute to low wage jobs down county/northern suburbs only exacerbates the poverty problem in Bridgeport, e.g., wasted $time$ commuting, expense of commuting, need for more $childcare$ to allow for commute time, lost time that could be spent pursuing education for $job-skills upgrades$/more lucrative employment….
Concentrating development on the housing sector, in terms of more units toward accommodating population growth, only creates a greater tax burden for Bridgeport residents even as it reduces the opportunities for the lucrative tax base growth that is needed to allow for the myriad of upgrades in services and infrastructure (school spending) that are indicated for regaining a livable Bridgeport.
The state and city government (and feds) have it all back-asswards about “helping” Bridgeport, per the present non-plan plan for our city. According to the state, feds, and city what will “fix” Bridgeport is more housing/more people. WRONG! More jobs/better jobs, high-end commercial tax base is what we need — but that appears to be reserved for the Gold Coast/Suburbs.
Unless and until Bridgeport is treated seriously and fairly by Hartford/DC, poverty will only continue to increase in our city. We need a City Hall/CC and state delegation that will fight for us and not just go along with Hartford and DC with a wink and a nod…