Right-size wages, benefits and housing so people can get ahead

Let’s enable all Americans to achieve their goals by providing them with opportunities to earn an income that allows them to pay for housing, transportation and necessary goods and services — like food — without going into excessive credit card debt.

 

Insufficient wages, affordable housing, and public transportation are three examples of why so many of our fellow Americans operate their households at a loss. When you are barely eating, behind on bills or going into debt, you are unhappy and less productive. Crime, trauma, and substance abuse increases. 

 

When you can only afford to live far from work, traffic and pollution get worse — more traffic means more carbon in the sky — while natural habitat continues to be cleared and cities become ghost towns replaced by more sprawling concrete jungles.

 

That has a negative impact on business productivity and satisfaction with politicians and government — the American way of life.

 

Sure. Increasing wages can drive up expenses potentially hurting profits. Affordable housing in urban areas could negatively impact home values and increase crime and congestion. 

 

If more people have money left over after paying for housing, transportation and basic needs, productivity increases and peace-of-mind spreads. That can lead to less turnover and absenteeism and lower recruiting and development costs.

 

If affordable housing comes with appropriate maintenance rules, public transportation, and zoning for new stores, property values will be fine. Crime will not be a problem.

 

 

We have outlined some ways to increase all of our productivity by reducing the financial and psychological stress created by insufficient wages, high rent and mortgages, and  limited public transportation.

 

But what is the obligation of real estate developers and owners and business executives to ensure all Americans have a living wage, affordable housing, and public transportation?

 

Should policies be developed to hold them accountable for rising crime, drug use, environmental degradation, homelessness and other social drivers of health because of their practices?

 

What do we want to do about a way of life that drives up the cost of living, so we can’t afford to be our best?

 

The next steps are up to you.