Income, Employment, and Other Income Sources
Income The average income of homeless clients during the month before being interviewed was $367 (table 2.6).20 Further, 13 percent received no cash income at all during the past month. Clients in families averaged $475, but this amount had to support the parent and two children (on average). Homeless families thus were living on 46 percent of the federal poverty level of $1,023 for a family of three. Single homeless clients averaged $348 during the month before the interview, which was 51 percent of the federal poverty level of $680 a month for a single person. A comparison of these figures with the 1995 median monthly household income of $2,840 for all American households shows just how impoverished homeless clients really are.
Paid Employment Almost half (44 percent) of homeless clients did some paid work during the 30 days before being interviewed, and 21 percent received money from family or friends. Of those who report working in the last 30 days, 20 percent did so in a job lasting or expected to last at least three months, 25 percent worked at a temporary or day labor job, and 2 percent earned money by peddling or selling personal belongings. Three percent name more than one source of earned income. Of those receiving money from family members or friends, 9 percent receive it from parents, 2 percent from a spouse, 5 percent from other relatives, 12 percent from friends, including boyfriends and girlfriends, and 1 percent from child support. Eight percent receive income from more than one type of friend or family member. Eight percent report obtaining money through panhandling. Considerably fewer (29 percent) homeless clients in families did any paid work. On the other hand, homeless clients in families were more likely than other homeless clients to receive money from family members or friends (32 versus 19 percent), including spouses, other relatives, friends including boyfriends and girlfriends, and child support. However, this help was clearly not enough to supply an adequate income. Receipt of Government Benefits Homeless clients receive income from a variety of sources in addition to earning income through a job. Means-tested government sources of income include AFDC (52 percent of homeless families), GA (9 percent), and SSI (11 percent). Food stamps was the government benefit helping the largest proportion of homeless clients (37 percent), followed by Medicaid (30 percent). Receipt of means-tested benefits differs considerably by family status (figure 2.14). As would be expected, 52 percent of homeless families receive AFDC. In addition, homeless clients living in families are much more likely than single homeless clients to receive food stamps (61 versus 25 percent), and Medicaid (71 versus 31 percent). Although the two groups do not differ in their receipt of General Assistance or SSI, the difference attributable to the three programs linked through AFDC (AFDC, food stamps, and Medicaid) is enough to raise the level of homeless families receiving any means-tested benefit to 79 percent, compared with half of that (39 percent) among single homeless clients.
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