Denver is in critical condition when it comes to providing affordable housing for working families.
The rate of critical housing needs in the metro area increased 162 percent between 1995 and 2004, putting it at the top of the list nationwide, according to a study released Thursday by the Center for Housing Policy.
From 1997 to 2005, the number of working families with critical housing needs increased 73 percent nationally to 5.2 million.
There are two components defining critical housing needs: paying more than half of income for housing and/or living in dilapidated conditions.
Nearly 40 million American households meet the study’s definition of working families: those households that work the equivalent of a full-time job and earn at least the annual minimum wage of $10,712 but no more than 120 percent of the median income in their area.
Staff writer Margaret Jackson can be reached at 303-954-1473 or at mjackson@denverpost.com
