Poverty and Anti-Poverty in Florida

Alayne Unterberger, PhD

Miami, FL

Research Director, RISEP

Florida International University
* alayneunterberger@yahoo.com

Miami-Dades Situation
(poverty data) - 1
2012-13 Poverty 2010 Poverty

Increase 2010
2012-3

Average
Women
Men
African Americans
Hispanics
Non-Hispanic Whites

19.1%
20.7%
17.4%
29.0%
18.8%
16.7%

16.5%
17.3%
15.7%
28.6%
21.8%
11.5%

2.6%
3.4%
1.7%
0.4%
-3.0%
5.2%

Children under 18

25.4%

23.5%

1.9%

Source: US Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2010-2013

Miami-Dades Situation
(poverty data) - 2

Poverty and Work

Statistics

Total

Population 16 years and over

1,988,562
Worked full-time, year-round in the 845,124
past 12 months
Worked part-time or part-year in 393,117
the past 12 months
Did not work
750,321

Below
poverty level

Percent
below
poverty level

349,581
37,023

17.6%
4.4%

77,703

19.8%

234,855

31.3%

Florida vs. Miami-Dade Poverty

Average
Women
Men
African Americans
Hispanics
Non-Hispanic Whites
Children under 18

Florida

Miami Dade

15.6%
16.6%
14.6%
27.0%
20.6%
13.0%
22.5%

19.1%
20.7%
17.4%
29.0%
18.8%
16.7%
25.4%

American Community Survey, Tables S1701, US Census.

US
Total population percent in poverty
Under 18 percent in poverty

15.8%
22.2%

Unionization in Florida
Change from Change from
US 2013
Florida 2013
2007
2000
Union membership
11.3%
5.8%
-0.1
-1.0
Union coverage
12.5%
7.3%
0.0
-1.4

Source: 2013 Current Population Survey, US Census.

What is Poverty?*
FAMIL
Y
SIZE

PERCENT OF POVERTY
GUIDELINE
100%

120%

133%

135%

150%

175%

185%

200%

250%

11,670.00 14,004.00 15,521.10 15,754.50 17,505.00 20,422.50 21,589.50 23,340.00 29,175.00

2 15,730.00 18,876.00 20,920.90 21,235.50 23,595.00 27,527.50 29,100.50 31,460.00 39,325.00

3 19,790.00 23,748.00 26,320.70 26,716.50 29,685.00 34,632.50 36,611.50 39,580.00 49,475.00
4 23,850.00 28,620.00 31,720.50 32,197.50 35,775.00 41,737.50 44,122.50 47,700.00 59,625.00
5 27,910.00 33,492.00 37,120.30 37,678.50 41,865.00 48,842.50 51,633.50 55,820.00 69,775.00
6 31,970.00 38,364.00 42,520.10 43,159.50 47,955.00 55,947.50 59,144.50 63,940.00 79,925.00
7 36,030.00 43,236.00 47,919.90 48,640.50 54,045.00 63,052.50 66,655.50 72,060.00 90,075.00
100,225.0
8 40,090.00 48,108.00 53,319.70 54,121.50 60,135.00 70,157.50 74,166.50 80,180.00
0

Produced by: CMCS/CAHPG/DEEO

*Poverty guidelines are federal guidelines for receiving federal public benefit
As of 1996, no unauthorized immigrants can qualify for any federal benefit

Poverty Guidelines vs. the Poor

Poverty guidelines (FIPC) are followed by state and
local governments when qualifying for public benefits
such as..

Food stamps

Women, Infants and Children (WIC)

Section 8/Public Housing Programs
Medicaid (or Disability)

Food Stamps
(http://miami.about.com/od/governmentcityservices
/a/food_stamps.htm)

Taken from the actual page (above):

In order to receive Food Stamps in the state of Florida, you must

meet the following requirements:

Proof of Identity: You must be able to show proof of your identity.

Work Requirements: If you are between the ages of 18-50 and
not disabled, you must work at least 20 hours a week to receive
Food Stamps. Individuals who are not working or participating in a
workfare program may only receive Food Stamps for three months
in every three year period.
Gross Income Requirements: Your household monthly gross
income (pre-tax pay) must be less than 130% of the federal
poverty guidelines
Net Income Requirements: Your household monthly net income
(after-tax pay) must be less than 100% of the federal poverty
guidelines.

But

there is more!!!!

Food Stamps (page 2)

Child Support Requirement: You may be required to

cooperate with the state in establishing paternity and
providing child support.
Asset Requirement: You must have less than $2,000
in assets, excluding your home and cars worth less
than $8,500. If at least one person in your household
is 60 or older or disabled, you may have up to $3,000
in assets.
Ineligible Classes: You are not eligible for Food
Stamps if you have been convicted of drug trafficking,
are a fleeing felon, have intentionally violated a courtordered program, or are a student in an institution of
higher education (there are exceptions if you are
working, a single parent, or other special cases).

How hungry am I?
Lets say you are working part-time @ minimum wage
$7.93/hour X 25 hours/week = $198.25 (gross)
If things remain constant, you will gross $10,309/yr, which
is only $859.08/month.
Congratulations! You qualify!
100% $11,670.00 for 1 person (and for 2 $15,730.00 )

How hungry am I?
Lets say you are working full-time @ minimum wage
$7.93/hour X 40 hours/week = $317.20 (gross)
If things remain constant, you will gross $16,494.40/yr, which is
only $1374.53/month.
You do NOT qualify!
100% $11,670.00 for 1 person (and for 2 $15,730.00 )
But even at 133% of the poverty rate: $15,521.10 you do not!

Minimum Wage in FL

Since 2004, Florida has indexed our minimum

wage to the FEDERAL minimum wage
($7.25/hour) plus inflation = $7.93/hour

This is GOOD and it goes up every January

1.
Are you still hungry?

Yes.

What Does It Take to Live in MiamiDade?

Recently, Oxfam America released data for every

county in the US -increase in the minimum wage to
$10.10/hour (6/2014)
(http://www.oxfamamerica.org/explore/researchpublications/working-poor-in-america/)
Findings: Florida ranked #7 in all states
1,599,000 in FL or 22.4% would be affected by the
$10.10 raise
FLs top Congressional Districts affected:
#5-68,000; #9-76,000; #11-50,000; #25-67,000 and
#26=70,000

What does it REALLY take?

Economic Policy Institute Family Budget Calculator

Monthly costs for a family with 1 parent and 1 child
in Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, Florida
Housing
$1,122
Food
$369
Child Care
$550
Transportation
$480
Health Care
$937
Other Necessities $382
Taxes
$386
Monthly Total $4,225

Annual
Total
$50,704

Median
Househol
d Income
FL
$ 47,886

$24.38/hour

$23.02/hour

Lets compare.minimum wage, cost of

living and poverty levels
Poverty
Level
100%

$10.10
minimum
wage

$7.93
current
minimum
wage

1 adult/1
child

1 adult/1 child

1 adult/1
child

$15,730/year

$21,008/year

$16,494.40

Qualifies for
Free Lunch
Section
8/Public
Housing
WIC
Medicaid
TANF (welfare)
Food Stamps
Title XX
(daycare)

Qualifies for
Free Lunch
WIC
Kid Care

Qualifies for
Free Lunch
WIC
Kid Care

Wages and Insurance Rates

US 2013
Median Income CPS
Household $
Percent with
private insurance
Percent with
government
insurance
Percent without
insurance

Florida Change
Change
2013 from 2007 from 2000

51,939 $

47,886

63.9%

55.3%

-8.7

-13.2

32.6%

34.8%

5.7

7.2

15.4%

21.5%

1.7

5.3

Source: CPS, 2013, US Census.

3,563

4,675

Wait!

If I stay at the poverty level, I receive a lot more

valuable benefits. I have a lot less: rent, childcare,
health insurance and food costs.money.
If I go out, get two jobs and make just a little over, I get
nothing?
Right! Its a poverty trap!

Poverty affects every aspect of life

Lets do something!
From a Labour Candidate in Britain: 2014
http://www.somertonandfromelabour.org.uk/

Antipoverty Programs (Great Society, WOP)

BETTER

GOOD (and still

studying)

Title XX-Day Care

**Title X (family
planning)

Medicaid

Medicare Expansion

VPK

Medicare

USDA agricultural
programs Free
lunch

CHIP/KidCare

*Women, Infants and Children

(nutritional)

Unemployment
Compensation

Obamacare

BEST (Historically)
Food Stamps

Social Security

Public Housing and Housing

Assistance (VA, FHA, GI Bill)
Head Start
Job Training
* = nutritional, not just income-based
** = age, not just income based

Individual
Development
Accounts

Local Programs and Policies

Ordinances on wages and policies (to be covered

later)

Living Wage
Wage Theft
Consumer protection and enforcement of rules (predatory
loan protections)

Civil rights linked to economic justice

Equal enforcement of zoning, codes and laws
Raising wages
Asset building!

Depressed yet?

RISEP/CLRS Work to Date

(abbreviated)

State of Working Florida 2014 (yearly)

Wage Theft: How Millions of Dollars are Stolen
from Floridas Workforce (2012) with the South
Florida Wage Theft Task Force
The Impact of the Early Care and Education
Industry on the Economy of Miami-Dade County
(2010) with the Alliance for Early Care and
Education
Portrait of Womens Economic Security (2009)
with the Womens Fund of Miami Dade
The Growing Divide: Income Inequality and its
effects on Floridas families (2008)
Working Poverty: Low Wage Workers in Florida
(2005)