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poverty in marion...

According to the 2000 US Census, Marion County Florida has a population of over 391,000 people. The population comprises over 100,000 households, with 2.50 people per household, and approximately 75,000 families with children. Sixteen percent of the population live below the poverty level.

A family or individual living in poverty in Marion County struggles to afford the basic necessities of life, and therefore, constantly lives on the brink of homelessness. The poverty threshold for a US family is $22,000 a year; in Marion County $14,500 is the threshold for a family of three. For instance, approximate monthly expenses for a single mother with two children, includes $690 for rent (median contract rent for Marion County), $150 for utilities, $360 for food, $230 for transportation $411 for childcare, and an additional $135 for other miscellaneous household expenses. This results in a minimum monthly household expense of $1,900. To meet the annual household expenses of $20,000, the head of household would need to earn $25,000 a year or $12.00 an hour. Head of households earning minimum wage of $7.25 an hour, would have an annual income gap of almost $10,000 a year. For many families or individuals, going without such items as auto insurance, or obtaining assistance from government, non-profit or faith based agencies is necessary in filling the income gap in order to maintain their housing situations.

HMIS quarterly report January to March, 2010, a total of 1,500 non-duplicated head of households were entered into the database as  requesting at least one direct service. 86% of Marion residents requesting services received a total of 3,600 services, during the first quarter. Thirteen percent requested services that were not provided; an additional 4% percent were waiting for approval or denial for requested services.

In conclusion, the biggest problem facing residents who are homeless or precariously housed lack adequate funds to acquire the basic necessities of life. Many people living in poverty lack skills and education to acquire a higher paying job. This indicates the need for preventive services, or rapid re-housing programs.

Participating HMIS Agencies