According to the report, a person earning $16.45 per hour -- a bit less than the state's average hourly wage -- would have to work 54 hours a week to afford a two-bedroom apartment at fair market rent.

It also found a person earning minimum wage -- $7.15 per hour -- would have to work 124 hours a week to afford the same apartment.

The state average wage is $16.45 and hour. If you are earning minimum wage and need a 2 br you definitely need to improve your skill set to earn more money or move to a more affordable area.

Quote:

Great! Poof! It's done!

Now: which tax do you want to go up to replace that revenue?

Gas? Income? sales? They're all lower than if we lived in NYC. There's no easy answers, unless you're running for office of course.

The unsaid part of the high rent issue is that most of NJ is suburbs that have drastically restrictive zoning for multifamily homes, thus driving up rents for the few available. Blaming taxes is a red herring, and this "report" is to serve that "affordable housing advocacy group's" agenda.

yes, lower property taxes, please.

Report: New Jersey among most expensive places to be a renter

by The Associated Press
Monday April 14, 2008, 8:30 AM

New Jersey is the fifth most expensive state for renters, making it difficult for many in commonplace jobs to find decent housing, according to a new report from an affordable housing advocacy group.

The report being released today by the Housing & Community Development Network of New Jersey, comes as Gov. Jon S. Corzine looks to cut property tax relief for tenants.

According to the report, a person earning $16.45 per hour -- a bit less than the state's average hourly wage -- would have to work 54 hours a week to afford a two-bedroom apartment at fair market rent.

It also found a person earning minimum wage -- $7.15 per hour -- would have to work 124 hours a week to afford the same apartment.

The advocacy group said its research demonstrates numerous occupations -- including preschool teachers, child care workers, home health aides, police and fire dispatchers, security guards, school bus drivers and social workers -- don't generate enough income to afford decent housing.

New Jersey has the nation's highest property taxes, at $6,800 per homeowner. Tenants don't directly pay property taxes, but are presumed to do so through their rent payments.

Under Corzine's $33 billion budget proposal, non-senior citizen renters would see their state-funded property tax rebates cut from as much as $350 to $80. That would save the state $127 million and affect 715,000 tenants.

Senior citizen tenants, though, would continue to get rebates averaging $690.

However, Corzine's spending proposal would also boost rental assistance for low-income residents by $15 million to $32.5 million.

The rental assistance program is currently helping 2,400 families.Corzine has also pledged to build 100,000 affordable homes within 10 years. And the advocacy group backs Corzine's rental assistance increase as well as mortgage foreclosure prevention bills proposed by legislators.