CARLOS T. CARTER
For December’s health focus, University of Pittsburgh student Michelle Dougherty highlights the latest research on housing security, including the role of community safe spaces. In response, Carlos T. Carter, President & CEO of the Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh, explains UL housing support for people who face money troubles due to rising rent.
Q: Carlos, Michelle’s article mentions “rent burden,” which happens when the money people spend on rent causes financial distress. How is the Urban League able to help people who are rent burdened?
Carlos: To reduce the stress of high housing costs for low- to moderate-income families, the UL offers services aimed at stabilizing housing situations. Our organization doesn’t provide funds directly, but it does connect eligible households to rental assistance programs and provides housing counseling. Since the pandemic, we’ve worked with agencies that focus on eviction prevention and support via magistrate court intervention, mediation with private landlords and subsidized housing providers, and delinquent payment plan options.
However, the cost of rent is rising above the 30%-35% standard. As rental prices began to increase, we realized that income, employment, and additional subsidized housing issues must be addressed. We created the program Moving on Up, which provided support for rental assistance and concentrated on employment/training, budgeting, and financial literacy. It also addressed the affordability of where a person lives, including stabilizing income and spending, and creating and following a budget.
Although some people expect that government intervention will save the day, we shouldn’t count on COVID-type funding increases from the upcoming administration. Instead, the UL will continue advocating for more subsidized housing, ways to turn vacant lots and run-down houses into livable spaces, discontinuing rental space price gouging, and giving workers a livable wage.
Q: Michelle also highlights the importance between housing security and community spaces. How does the Urban League support this connection?
Carlos: Our Family Support Centers foster a safe community space in three different neighborhoods. The centers empower families by offering tailored resources and programming, including ways to access help, connect with others, and build resilience.
The centers help families achieve economic self-reliance through parenting workshops, early childhood education, health services, financial literacy classes, and employment assistance. They emphasize early childhood development via resources for parents and programs for children that give our kids a strong start in life. They provide immediate crisis help, too — for example, food and diapers — all while helping families develop long-term success strategies.
To learn more about the centers and programs, visit ulphg.org and click on Family Support Centers in the drop-down menu.
