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The annual cost to make ends meet for certain families in Pinellas and Sarasota counties has surged past $100,000 – that’s according to a newly released report from United Way and United for ALICE that’s raising concerns about affordability in and around Tampa Bay.
The data comes from United Way Suncoast’s ALICE report.
ALICE stands for “Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed.”
It’s households that earn more than the Federal Poverty Level, but less than the basic cost of living for the county.
Doug Griesenauer is the Vice President of Community Impact of United Way Suncoast.
“When we think of families who are struggling, it’s not just whoever is most likely to appear in your mind, but its cashiers, it’s bookkeepers and accounting employees, it’s 1 in 5 elementary and middle school teachers, it’s nurses,” Griesenauer told WMNF.
The report shows that across Hillsborough, Pinellas, Sarasota, Manatee, and DeSoto counties, the average survival budget for a couple with two small children in 2023 rose to over 96 thousand dollars – an 8% increase from 2022.
And nearly half of households across Hillsborough, Pinellas, DeSoto, Sarasota, and Manatee counties live below the ALICE Threshold.
“The findings emphasize the urgent need for investments in things like affordable housing, quality childcare, workforce development, access to health care, the basic needs for our families,” Griesenaur said.
Griesenauer cited housing and child care as two major contributors to the high survival cost.
Read the full report here.
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