Housing is a stressor for many Kansans. All of us working class people understand the phrase “rent eats first” because it is, unfortunately, a common reality. Whether you rent, own, live with a friend or loved one, or are experiencing homelessness, housing is at the front of our minds constantly.
Rental costs have skyrocketed over the past few years, and recent inflation driven by corporate greed only adds fuel to the fire. When the cost of housing “eats” a substantial portion of your income, other bills and other priorities get left outstanding. Specific to the rental market, when corporations are allowed to purchase residential homes, it’s no surprise they ratchet up the rental price, far above the home’s value. This predatory practice has to stop.
For many, the idea of owning a home seems like a fantasy. In addition to rental prices being higher than mortgage prices, many Kansans and Americans are burdened with other large bills like healthcare costs, childcare costs, and student loan payments. With these on your shoulders, saving money for a down payment is, truly, a fantasy.
And, still, there remains a growing number of Kansans who are experiencing homelessness. Through no fault of their own, they ended up under water financially and even coming up with money for a security deposit and first month’s rent is out of their reach. Many of our fellow community members experiencing homelessness are veterans, even. While some seek to blame these people for their current circumstances or even paint them as monsters or dangerous, people experiencing homelessness deserve empathy and care. And they deserve elected officials who see them as humans worth fighting for.
Let’s hold corporations accountable for their greed and keep them from snatching up residential properties. Let’s get the rental and home ownership markets back under control. And let’s lift up those around us who are experiencing homelessness. I’m ready to fight for all of those things in the statehouse, with whatever solutions it takes.
Rental costs have skyrocketed over the past few years, and recent inflation driven by corporate greed only adds fuel to the fire. When the cost of housing “eats” a substantial portion of your income, other bills and other priorities get left outstanding. Specific to the rental market, when corporations are allowed to purchase residential homes, it’s no surprise they ratchet up the rental price, far above the home’s value. This predatory practice has to stop.
For many, the idea of owning a home seems like a fantasy. In addition to rental prices being higher than mortgage prices, many Kansans and Americans are burdened with other large bills like healthcare costs, childcare costs, and student loan payments. With these on your shoulders, saving money for a down payment is, truly, a fantasy.
And, still, there remains a growing number of Kansans who are experiencing homelessness. Through no fault of their own, they ended up under water financially and even coming up with money for a security deposit and first month’s rent is out of their reach. Many of our fellow community members experiencing homelessness are veterans, even. While some seek to blame these people for their current circumstances or even paint them as monsters or dangerous, people experiencing homelessness deserve empathy and care. And they deserve elected officials who see them as humans worth fighting for.
Let’s hold corporations accountable for their greed and keep them from snatching up residential properties. Let’s get the rental and home ownership markets back under control. And let’s lift up those around us who are experiencing homelessness. I’m ready to fight for all of those things in the statehouse, with whatever solutions it takes.
