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
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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.