Los Angeles (KNX) - A recent study conducted by the RAND Corporation has found that many workers at non-profit homeless services agencies in Los Angeles County do not earn enough income to support themselves.
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The study determined that a living wage for an individual residing in a one-bedroom apartment requires a minimum salary of $64,000 per year.
The researchers analyzed job postings and discovered that front-line workers in these agencies typically earn between $40,000 and $60,000.
Supervisors and managers tend to make more.
According to lead author Lisa Abraham, the challenges of low wages can lead to stress, health concerns, and housing insecurity. She emphasized that paying a living wage could significantly reduce stress and burnout among employees.
Celina Alvarez, the executive director of Housing Works, noted that about half of the organization's front-line staff have personal experiences with homelessness or housing insecurity. Some still living in supportive housing or face the possibility of losing their homes.
Mark Loranger, the CEO of Chrysalis, a homeless services provider focusing on workforce development, revealed that his organization experienced a 30% staff turnover rate last year. Exit interviews indicated that 42% of departing employees cited inadequate pay as the primary reason for leaving.
Although Chrysalis was able to increase staff pay with the help of private funders, Loranger admits that it's not enough. He mentioned that the terms of their contracts, particularly government-funded ones, make it nearly impossible to raise salaries further.
The study proposes several recommendations to address the issue of worker pay. These suggestions include urging government and philanthropic funders to allocate resources for basic cost-of-living wage increases in contracts and grants.
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