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• 1. [Article] Who is Making Ends Meet in the Portland Region? A Profile of Poverty and Self-Sufficiency among Greater Portland Families

  The Portland metro region economy is near a complete recovery from the damage of the Great Recession that began seven years ago. Unemployment in April of 2015 was 5.2 percent, cut in half from the 2011 ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Who is Making Ends Meet in the Portland Region? A Profile of Poverty and Self-Sufficiency among Greater Portland Families Author: Kimmell, Jamin, Martin, Sheila A. Year: 2015 The Portland metro region economy is near a complete recovery from the damage of the Great Recession that began seven years ago. Unemployment in April of 2015 was 5.2 percent, cut in half from the 2011 rate of 10.5 percent. The region ranked among the top 10 metro region areas in the nation for employment growth in 2014. Unfortunately, the benefits of this economic resurgence are not experienced equally. Ideally, economic recovery should lead to jobs and wages that enable Portland metro region families to earn enough to provide for their basic needs. Low unemployment cannot offer high quality of life if the jobs available do not pay adequate wages to make ends meet. Furthermore, public and nonprofit organizations are burdened by the demand on social services caused by families that cannot earn enough to cover basic needs like food, housing and health care. Many families in the Portland region do not earn adequate income to make up for the rising costs of life’s necessities, and self-sufficiency eludes far more families than is indicated by federal poverty statistics. Households headed by women or people of color, and families with children, are highly overrepresented among those who cannot make ends meet. Education can close part of this racial and gender gap, but it is not a panacea; other barriers persist for those families who are least likely to attain self-sufficiency. This study is a demographic analysis of self-sufficiency in the Portland metro region. Title: Who is Making Ends Meet in the Portland Region? A Profile of Poverty and Self-Sufficiency among Greater Portland Families Author: Kimmell, Jamin, Martin, Sheila A. Year: 2015 The Portland metro region economy is near a complete recovery from the damage of the Great Recession that began seven years ago. Unemployment in April of 2015 was 5.2 percent, cut in half from the 2011 rate of 10.5 percent. The region ranked among the top 10 metro region areas in the nation for employment growth in 2014. Unfortunately, the benefits of this economic resurgence are not experienced equally. Ideally, economic recovery should lead to jobs and wages that enable Portland metro region families to earn enough to provide for their basic needs. Low unemployment cannot offer high quality of life if the jobs available do not pay adequate wages to make ends meet. Furthermore, public and nonprofit organizations are burdened by the demand on social services caused by families that cannot earn enough to cover basic needs like food, housing and health care. Many families in the Portland region do not earn adequate income to make up for the rising costs of life’s necessities, and self-sufficiency eludes far more families than is indicated by federal poverty statistics. Households headed by women or people of color, and families with children, are highly overrepresented among those who cannot make ends meet. Education can close part of this racial and gender gap, but it is not a panacea; other barriers persist for those families who are least likely to attain self-sufficiency. This study is a demographic analysis of self-sufficiency in the Portland metro region. Close

• 2. [Article] Where the Ends Don't Meet in 2014: Measuring Poverty and Self-Sufficiency among Oregon's Families

  This report sheds light on the economic realities facing many of Oregon’s households and provides an initial picture of the extent of income inadequacy in Oregon. Although addressing this issue is challenging, ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Where the Ends Don't Meet in 2014: Measuring Poverty and Self-Sufficiency among Oregon's Families Author: Morehead, Elizabeth, Martin, Sheila A. Year: 2015 This report sheds light on the economic realities facing many of Oregon’s households and provides an initial picture of the extent of income inadequacy in Oregon. Although addressing this issue is challenging, it can be seen as encouraging that many householders with below-Standard incomes are already part of the workforce. It is possible that many householders have adequate levels of education and experience but face other barriers that keep their wages low or raise their expenses. Identifying and addressing such barriers is the next step in bringing household incomes and costs into balance. Title: Where the Ends Don't Meet in 2014: Measuring Poverty and Self-Sufficiency among Oregon's Families Author: Morehead, Elizabeth, Martin, Sheila A. Year: 2015 This report sheds light on the economic realities facing many of Oregon’s households and provides an initial picture of the extent of income inadequacy in Oregon. Although addressing this issue is challenging, it can be seen as encouraging that many householders with below-Standard incomes are already part of the workforce. It is possible that many householders have adequate levels of education and experience but face other barriers that keep their wages low or raise their expenses. Identifying and addressing such barriers is the next step in bringing household incomes and costs into balance. Close

• 3. [Article] Indicators of the Metroscape: Self-Sufficiency

  Overview of annual median income and self-sufficiency standards for various household types in 2014, for several Oregon counties in Northwestern Oregon.

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Indicators of the Metroscape: Self-Sufficiency Author: Institute of Portland Metropolitan Studies Year: 2015 Overview of annual median income and self-sufficiency standards for various household types in 2014, for several Oregon counties in Northwestern Oregon. Title: Indicators of the Metroscape: Self-Sufficiency Author: Institute of Portland Metropolitan Studies Year: 2015 Overview of annual median income and self-sufficiency standards for various household types in 2014, for several Oregon counties in Northwestern Oregon. Close