A new study released Thursday from the Center on Policy Initiatives shows three in ten San Diego County households with working-age people don’t make enough money to get by.
Teacher Vicky Maheu has worked for the local community college district as an adjunct professor for 28 years, but her hours have been cut back. She also had to give up another part-time job to care for her elderly parents. These days she’s struggling to survive.
"I basically can’t pay my bills on time. I’m always behind on my bills. And because I have to eat I have to make priorities for what I spend," she said.
Thirty percent of San Diego’s working-age households are living below self-sufficiency standards. The study from CPI shows a single person living in the county needs to make about $28,000 to cover basic expenses. A family of three needs about $52,000.
The study says 54 percent of Latinos and 43 percent of African Americans in the county don’t meet that standard.
