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About Street roots. (Portland, OR) 1998-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 21, 2014)
Street roots 13 Nov. 21, 2014 Can 31 cents per hour change the world? BY MICHAEL BUONOCORE established a wage floor of $15 per hour for C O N T R IB U T IN G C O L U M N IS T all staff and interns employed directly by us, here has been a lot of discussion effective this Dec. 1. That will mean about income inequality in our increases between 31 cents and $4 an hour country lately — we are living in a for some 30 staff. These employees include time when wealth is concentrated among resident specialists who work with our most the richest Americans, aqd the gap between vulnerable residents and entry-level the richest and everyone else is the widest maintenance staff who keep oùr apartments it’s been since the 1920’s. People work in good repair - crucial jobs in the agency’s hard, often at multiple jobs, and still mission to help the 15,000 households We struggle to pay rent and put food on the are serving at any point in time. table. The idea that if you just work hard The new wage floor will cost the agency enough, you can get ahead doesn’t bear out about $76,000 a year. This year we can for many families and retirees. absorb the expense with personnel funding As the new executive director of our that goes unspent when we have staff state’s largest affordable housing provider, I turnover. Next year, we expect flat funding am grateful to be in a position to make a from our various revenue sources, and this difference in our community’s fight against will present a budgeting challenge. We could poverty. face choices such as not filling positions At Hoine Forward, we provide housing for when someone leaves or cutting people who are struggling economically. We administrative costs in other areas, while hear and read a lot about poor people living maintaining our current service levels and off the system, not doing their fair share, quality. These decisions may be difficult, but being lazy and dependent We watch most of doing the right thing isn’t always easy. those same people get on the bus to get to Reactions from our staff to raising our their job every day, and see that even with a wage floor give me confidence that our paycheck, food stamps and housing help, team,will rally behind whatever path we hardworking families struggle to leave choose. One employee told me the action poverty behind. we took really hit home from her vantage We do what we can to use opr housing point — not just as someone who has resources wisely and to help as many struggled with poverty most of her life but families as possible, and we will strive to do as someone who has now made social more. We also recognize that our role, in the service a career and sees up close how hard community is not just as a housing provider it is for so many to leave poverty behind. but also as an employer. Mostly, I heard from employees who aren’t It is a strong value of ours to hire people receiving raises as a result of this move. who participate in our housing programs. They wanted to let me know they .believe But getting a job at Home Forward doesn’t this reflects the values of an organization always end an employee’s struggle with they want to be a part of. We’re all in this poverty. together. To help them in that effort, we have. We’vë stopped short of requiring this ■ H om e Forward's executive director, Michael Buonocore, has deep roots in social justice, . com m unity organizing, a n d advocacy. H e believes com m unities m u st work together on m any fro n ts to fig h t the effects o f poverty, while seeking the resources necessary to address the causes o f the problem. no longer adrift cresting white capped waves above a heavenly flowing ocean current of blue | upon a state landlocked beyond despair swimming sorrow faith long vanquished comes the morrow empty further tears amidst the mist hope rises still welcoming spring late in arriving mother earth sig h s. deeply breathing dawn’s birth of dew Order e-books and print copies at iamnotapoet.org or streetroots.org/iamnotapoet H U Iww 1 l*A'i w é BSSÏ wage floor for the many for-profit and nonprofit organizations with which we contract, as we can’t presume to know the pressures on their individual business models. Yet we hope other employers will take note of what we’ve done and consider increasing wages in whatever ways they can manage. I am encouraged that our partner Multnomah County, which is a major employer in our community, has joined our ranks. Other leaders in government, One employee told me the action we took really hit nonprofit and philanthropy have home from her vantage point reached out to voice — not jnst as someone who their support, learn more about what we’re has struggled with poverty most of her life hut as doing, and tell m e, about steps they’re someone who has now made considering. social service a career and The staggering sees np close how hard it is income inequality we see in our country and for so many to leave poverty in the world involves behind. many complex factors that are hard to untangle. Advocacy for broad policies and increased minimum wage standards is important, but we don’t have to wait for entire systems to change. At its heart, the issue is about income - the paychecks people receive that give them security, stability and hope for the future. Can 31 cents per hour change the world? - No. But it will make things a little easier, a little more equitable for a handful of our employees. That’s a s ta rt Is there something you can do? We hope you’ll join us.
