Rising housing costs affecting low income households

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) - Pocatello native Leroy Otero had troubles with his housing situation in Caldwell, and decided it was best to move back to his hometown. 

"I came to Pocatello, and I got help right away with Aid for Friends," Otero said. "They put me in the shelter, and I stayed there for 30 days. My brother came down from Nampa, and he's gonna help me find an apartment."

Otero says they have been working tirelessly to get approved. 

"We’re hoping we get approved," Otero said. "We put in the application and paid the fees, so now we're just waiting."

It's a situation many low income households in Pocatello are facing 

The National Low Income Housing Coalition reports a person making minimum wage in idaho must work 76 hours a week to afford a one bedroom house or apartment. 

The non-profit organization also estimates a minimum wage worker can only afford $377 in rent per month, but the fair market rent for a one bedroom is almost double that rate in many areas. 

It's a problem that Aid For Friends Housing Manager Sharon Wakefield says is hitting Pocatello hard.

"The housing that's being built, contractors are going for what makes them more money, which makes sense if you're a business person," Wakefield said. "But it doesn't solve our problem with keeping homeless people off the street, because we need affordable places for the income levels that we're dealing with."

Adding to the problem, the U.S. Census Bureau reports that Idaho ranks fifth in the nation when it comes to evictions or foreclosures, which could haunt low income renters looking for their next home. 

"You bring all of that luggage with you when you're looking for a place, and the landlords have a choice of who they want to rent to, and they weed out a lot of those people," Wakefield said.

Wakefield believes it's those low income individuals that need our help most. 

"Pocatello is a low income area overall, and unless you have housing that matches up with that, you are going to have a problem," Wakefield said.