Presented by:Irwin Nesoff, DSW

Associate Professor Social WorkTo the

Wheelock CollegePolitical Caucus

February 24, 2010

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www.costofwar.com

Irwin Nesoff, DSW Associate Professor, Wheelock College, Boston,

MA.

All social primary goods - liberty and opportunity, income and wealth, and the bases of self-respect - are to be distributed equally unless an unequal distribution of any or all of these goods is to the advantage of the least favored.

A theoretical person who, shrouded in a veil of ignorance, must design a just society without foreknowledge of his or her own status in that society, that individual will choose a system of justice that adequately provides for those positioned on the lowest rungs of society. The individual will do so because he or she may end up in such a disadvantaged position and will want to be adequately provided for.

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Irwin Nesoff, DSW Associate Professor, Wheelock College, Boston,

MA.

In the year 2000 there were 301 billionaires In 2004 there were 400 billionaires

In 2001 17.6% of all US families ha $0 net worth

By 2007 that number increased to 18.6% of all US families

From 1979-2005 the top 5% of income households saw an increase of 81% in their net worth

In that same period, the lowest 20% of income households saw a 1.1% decrease in their income

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Irwin Nesoff, DSW Associate Professor, Wheelock College, Boston,

MA.

Food Insecurity

In 2008 14.6% (17 million) of all US households experienced food insecurity.

An 11.1% increase in just one year

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Irwin Nesoff, DSW Associate Professor, Wheelock College, Boston,

MA.

2007 Survey by US Conference of Mayors

Families with children comprise 23% of homeless population

21 cities surveyed 19 reported increases in homeless population 11 reported increases in employed people

who are homeless 21 reported increases in people requesting

food aid

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Irwin Nesoff, DSW Associate Professor, Wheelock College, Boston,

MA.

National Coalition for the Homeless

There are 200,000 homeless veterans on any given night

400,000 vets experience homelessness in a 12 month period

200,000 children are homeless on any given night

1.35 million children experience homelessness in a twelve month period

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Irwin Nesoff, DSW Associate Professor, Wheelock College, Boston,

MA.

National Alliance to End Homelessness

1999-2006 Funding for public housing declined by 25%

1997-2007 approximately 170,000 units of public housing were lost to deterioration

2004-2007 housing vouchers for poor families reduced by 150,000

2004-2007 Federal funding for affordable housing and community development reduced by more than $114 billion

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Irwin Nesoff, DSW Associate Professor, Wheelock College, Boston,

MA.

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Irwin Nesoff, DSW Associate Professor, Wheelock College, Boston,

MA.

Homeless High School StudentsRecent report in Boston Globe

4.2% of Mass. High school students are homeless

2006-2007 679,724 homeless HS students 2007-2008 794,617 homeless HS students

MCAS Test ScoresHomeless Youth General

Population

English 62% passed 90% passed

Math 45% passed 85% passed

Took test 33% 99%

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Irwin Nesoff, DSW Associate Professor, Wheelock College, Boston,

MA.

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Irwin Nesoff, DSW Associate Professor, Wheelock College, Boston,

MA.

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Irwin Nesoff, DSW Associate Professor, Wheelock College, Boston,

MA.

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Irwin Nesoff, DSW Associate Professor, Wheelock College, Boston,

MA.

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Irwin Nesoff, DSW Associate Professor, Wheelock College, Boston,

MA.

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Irwin Nesoff, DSW Associate Professor, Wheelock College, Boston,

MA.

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Irwin Nesoff, DSW Associate Professor, Wheelock College, Boston,

MA.

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Irwin Nesoff, DSW Associate Professor, Wheelock College, Boston,

MA.

Irwin Nesoff, DSW Associate Professor, Wheelock College, Boston,

MA. 18

Prevention efforts that include mediation services that help families negotiate with their

landlord, financial assistance to help families pay for back rent or

utilities, emergency assistance in food, clothing, transportation

vouchers, and other basic necessities. Housing First. a set of interventions designed to help families transition more

rapidly out of the shelter system; it includes crisis intervention, re-housing quickly as possible, follow-up case management, and housing support services to prevent the reoccurrence of homelessness.

Housing assistance. one-time payment of a security deposit and first month’s rent short–term subsidy that helps families pay for housing for

several months or a subsidy of $100 to $300 per month for a year or more.

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Irwin Nesoff, DSW Associate Professor, Wheelock College, Boston,

MA.

Targeting services. Services designed to help families access and

maintain stable housing as well as increase economic self-sufficiency improve family and child well-being.Data and planning. Data is used help design plans to end

homelessness, evaluate programs assess cost-effectiveness efficiently target scarce resources. The use of plans and data allows communities to

set specific goals and identify progress.

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Irwin Nesoff, DSW Associate Professor, Wheelock College, Boston,

MA.

Hourly Wages

One Adult One Adult, One Child

Two Adults

Two Adults,

One Child

Two Adults,

Two Children

Living Wage

$11.58 $21.00 $16.71 $26.16 $33.29

Poverty Wage

$5.04 $6.68 $6.49 $7.81 $9.83

Minimum Wage

$8.00 $8.00 $8.00 $8.00 $8.00

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Irwin Nesoff, DSW Associate Professor, Wheelock College, Boston,

MA.

Monthly Expenses

One Adult

One Adult,

One Child

Two Adults

Two Adults,

One Child

Two Adults,

Two Children

Food $234 $381 $452 $599 $746Child Care $0 $602 $0 $602 $1,065Medical $93 $184 $186 $277 $368Housing $955 $1,163 $955 $1,163 $1,163Transportation $267 $463 $535 $730 $926Other $193 $380 $387 $573 $760Monthly After-Tax Income Required

$1,743 $3,172 $2,515 $3,944 $5,027

Annual After-Tax Income Required

$20,916 $38,065 $30,177 $47,326 $60,327

Annual Taxes $3,154 $5,600 $4,570 $7,065 $8,905Annual Before Tax Income Required

$24,089 $43,689 $34,764 $54,412 $69,250

Annual Living Wage Income

$21,075 $38,220 $30,485 $47,611 $60,587

Annual Minimum Wage Income

$14,560 $14,560 $29,120 $29,120 $29,120

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www.livingwage.geog.psu.edu/

Irwin Nesoff, DSW Associate Professor, Wheelock College Boston, MA

Irwin Nesoff, DSW Associate Professor, Wheelock College, Boston,

MA.