Kenosha still has a long way to go when it comes to safe and affordable housing.
That’s according to Joe’Mar Hooper, Wisconsin market leader for CommonBond Communities, one of the largest nonprofit providers of affordable housing in the upper Midwest.
“We have challenges as a community when it comes to developing and getting our people into affordable housing,” said Hooper, who served as keynote speaker during the annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Luncheon Wednesday organized by the Urban League of Racine and Kenosha.
“Unaffordability is a big issue in Wisconsin,” Hooper said. “We have a ton of people who are rent-burdened.”
Hooper said many renters spend 50 percent or more of their income on rent.
“It’s a national issue. A quarter of all residents who rent are paying above 50 percent,” Hooper said, adding that low-income renters face eviction or homelessness if they miss a paycheck or have unexpected medical bills.
