Affordable Living:
Affordable Housing
Arizona has a rapidly growing housing crisis. Due to rental and market rates soaring limitlessly; the number of Arizonan families struggling to support themselves has vastly increased. Resulting in many of the Affordable Housing Communities around the valley to have multiple years long waiting list, some up to 8 years long. Causing many to become homeless, especially vulnerable populations (such as veterans, seniors/ disabled, and youth).
Plan: 1) To address the growing homeless population, we will convert decommissioned properties (such as closed department malls and shopping plazas) into facilities specializing in transitional housing. Providing housing, meals, clothing, classes, and other resources to support individuals trying to re-establish themselves; giving them all the necessary tools needed to regain their independence. Upon admission, individuals must agree to comply to all program regulations and will be given a time frame to complete the full program. 2) Arizona needs to fund and open additional affordable housing (subsidized) communities throughout the valley; as well as, develop more specialized housing communities for our more vulnerable populations. 3) We also need to introduce a rental increase cap on conventional property owners, based on percentage limits per year; derived from their target demographics’ averaged annualized wage increases and the previous 12 month cost of living adjustment.
Welfare Programs and Reform
Welfare programs are a vital safety net for the working class and those below the poverty line. They are necessary to guarantee a minimum standard of living for those in need. Many Americans find themselves working multiple jobs, only able to survive pay check to pay check. Well here is reality, life comes at us hard and we never know what tomorrow is going to bring. Now imagine, you go to work to discover your department is being laid off, or get hurt or sick and unable to go to work. Those people lose everything. So, until we as a nation can figure out how to diminish the rapidly growing wage gap and support true livable wages, we must support these safety nets to protect our American workers.
Plan: 1) Welfare programs need to be funded and supported; however begin transitioning away from solely income limit style regulations, to a hybrid system (including income limit initial requirement, with a time frame implemented for cut-off). This style of program would provide the needed assistance based upon their income qualifications; then gradually weans them off the program over a time frame, based off the households qualifying circumstances. Allowing individuals to return to work and not fear immediately being cut off from programs, to be able to get back on their feet; while learning how to budget and become self-sufficient along the way. 2) Individuals must contribute to society, in order to receive from society; meaning all programs require a minimum number of hours volunteered or worked in order to continue receiving resource benefits.
Jobs
The working class American is the foundation in which everything is built. Not only the back bone of this nation; but its fuel and strength. Yes, the minimum wage in Arizona has been increased to $12; however, even working full time is not enough to survive on. There are also still many workers in Arizona being paid below the state minimum; such as hospitality workers and disabled employees.
Plan: 1) Federal minimum wage needs to be increase to $15 per hour, by 2024. 2) Federal regulation mandating anyone working with a disability be paid the same as any other employee for the same work. 3) Equal pay for equal work.