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University of Toledo Report Sheds Light on Poverty in the
City
By Brittany Jones
The Truth Contributor
The 2018 Ohio Poverty
Report found that Lucas County’s
poverty rate hit 20.7 percent, however, what was startling
is that not only was it the sole county in northwest Ohio
with numbers so high, but also that similarly-rated counties
were located in the Appalachian area—Athens, Adams, Pike,
etc.
As a result, Toledo City
Council members, at the urging of Councilman Larry Sykes,
commissioned researchers of the University of Toledo’s Jack
F. Ford Urban Affairs Center to conduct a study about the
spatial distribution of poverty throughout the City and to
investigate such stimuli.
“I was looking at the
homeless downtown and around town begging and yet people
said everyone was working,” said Sykes explaining his reason
for wanting the study.
On Thursday, August 15,
Sujata Shetty, PhD, and three graduate students presented their findings
– the Toledo and Lucas County Poverty Study – to Sykes’
Finance Committee of City Council and interested community
members. The study provided deeper insight of where, why,
and how poverty concentrates in certain areas, along with
further insight on local anti-poverty efforts by nonprofits
and evaluation of similar cities’ approaches to lowering
poverty.
The Report also
acknowledged historical trends of its indicators such as
employment, public assistance types (e.g. Supplementary
Security Income (SSI)), educational attainment, and others
in the years of 2000, 2010 and 2017. State, federal, and
nonprofit data were the main sources which were then
displayed via City Council Districts and census tracts to
provide a vivid picture on what areas are in need of
intervention. Overall, poverty exists throughout the City,
however, some Districts contain higher poverty census tracts
than others.
The Report was comprised
of three sections: spatial distribution of poverty, analysis
of Toledo’s poverty scene (both historical and present) and
policy implications along with summaries of similar cities’
poverty programs.
Results from 2017 census
data show that Districts 3 and 4 bear the highest incidences
of poverty indicators, with slight increases seen in
Districts 1 and 2 over the target years mentioned
previously. It is fitting to highlight that these conditions
worsened between 2000 and 2010, with a minor decrease in
2017.
Thirty-eight census tracts
contained a large non-white population and at least 40
percent of the residents living below 185 percent of the
federal poverty line, which ranges between $12,490 for an
individual to $43,430 for a family of eight.
Other major findings were
that of more households participating in the Supplemental
Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), but not SSI, more
disabled residents in Districts 3 and 4, and that 34.4
percent of residents have college credits or an associates
degree, compared to 32.2 percent with their high school
diploma (only 17 percent have their Bachelors and above).
While it is known that
advanced education and large income are strongly linked,
employment opportunities are abundant for those with at
least a high school diploma or G.E.D., however, these jobs
often pay lower wages. In fact, 70 percent of the jobs
created in the City only require such a degree.
Toledoans are working, but
the mismatch between housing cost affordability and low-wage
employment increases chances of falling into poverty. The
cost of living was also discussed to shed light on a
comfortable wage that takes into consideration other facets
of life besides income (e.g. taxes, childcare, etc.). Other
highlights from the Report were:
• Forty-eight percent of Toledo residents are renters and 52
percent own their home, but 45 percent of renters pay more
than 30 percent of their gross household income on housing
costs. It was found that District 4 experienced the highest
burden in 2000 with some households paying close to 60%.
• Employment jumped from 54.9 percent in 2010 to 89.2
percent in 2017, with the education sector having the
highest percentage of Toledo’s employed residents, 25
percent.
• Toledo’s median household income is an average of $17.21
an hour, but for one adult and one child, a sufficient
hourly wage needs to be at least $19.28 an hour and above.
The remaining parts of the Report uncovered the mismatch of
loan originations under the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA),
which are meant to boost economic activity in low to
moderate income neighborhoods; in addition to the economic
and social implications of “shrinking cities” due to
suburbanization, continued disinvestment, increased
vacancies, and the like.
Interviews with local nonprofits found a shared consensus
with the inefficiencies of Community Development Block Grant
(CDBG) fund allocations, encouragement of greater
collaborations between community partners to reduce
administrative costs, and increased support for both
minority- and women-owned businesses.
From the investigation of other cities’ poverty efforts, it
was suggested that Toledo should employ increased community
engagement with poverty policy creation (i.e. Poverty
Commission group, embrace data and evidence-driven
approaches, new funding opportunities, and a comprehensible
application process for residents participating in
poverty-focused programs.
For a look at both the presentation and the Report, go to
https://www.utoledo.edu/centers/urban-affairs/.
Brittany D. Jones is a
third-year doctoral student within the Spatially Integrated
Social Sciences (SISS) program at the University of Toledo
and one of the main contributors for this Report. Her
research focuses on African-American/black landownership and
the resurgence of urban agriculture as a means of food
justice and sovereignty.
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