Depending on what the minimum wage is in a state, rent should not exceed a certain amount. For instance, if the minimum wage is 16.50 and that person makes 2,640 dollars a month (generous considering this is before taxes), rent should not exceed 880 dollars. I got that number from the normal x3 requirement that tenants usually have to have.
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This is an awesome Idea. In Cheyenne WY they have a monopoly thing going were all apartment complexes are the same price. In 2016 that price averaged around $1200 per month. At that time there was no way I could afford that. Apartment rentals are ridiculous now I do not see how anyone can afford to rent these days!!!
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Remember the minimum wage in every place on earth is zero. Price controls would collapse the rental industry. By the logic of that proposal a 200 sq. ft. apartment in the middle of nowhere would cost the same as the rent in a top floor apartment in the nicest cities. There would be no incentive for anyone to want to rent their property. Then people will want housing price caps on homes for sale, and the cycle continues. The best fix for the issue is to deregulate the market and remove the minimum wage, so unqualified people can work for less to get their foot in the door. I haven’t seen any place pay minimum wage, other than servers, in over 20 years and I live in a lower than average income area.
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I agree all the details aren’t realistic, but something like this needs to be done. I’m from washington and most jobs start at minimum wage or a dollar or two above it. The rent combined with inflated grocery prices is insane and unsustainable.
Why not just earn more or move to a community that you could afford to live? Seems like you have the ability to make a change but would rather sit and suffer.
Different apartments have different costs to build, maintain nobody wants to invest in an apartment building to lose money, so there won’t be any incentive to build more apartments…unless your thinking is make the government do it…not a good idea if you think it through.
A harsh judgement on someone when you don’t know their situation. I wanted to stay in the area I am in now because of the college I’m going to to help my future, but I actually am planning on moving soon to a different city because of how impossible it is in my current area.
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Minimum wage is not meant to be a living wage. It is for people just entering the working world to get experience working and supplemental income for those who need it. If you want to afford more, you have to make more. Join a trade and rent won’t be as much as an issue, there are many options to have a good life and avoid price controls and extra regulation. The more you understand how the free market works the more everything makes sense, and it becomes clear that the issue is over regulation, inflation, and minimum wages increasing.
I see your point, but with this stance you’re saying let’s say… customer food service. A lot of people make the point that high school students and college students usually work these types of jobs, not needing to make too much money yet. What about the adults that work these jobs while students are in school? Should everyone leave entry customer service jobs to seek a better future and close the industry altogether? Or, what your stance would be in this scenario, people with these jobs that provide these goods just shouldn’t make enough to live even though america as a society indulges in food goods.
When high school and college students aren’t working that’s when retirees or adults who need a little extra use it supplementally. If you are not trying for management or to gain the skills to be an entrepreneur in that field, then I don’t see any reason why someone wouldn’t want to better their skills, income, and living conditions by pursuing other options.
Also it’s not that people shouldn’t make enough to live but realistically it’s impossible in a field like that. A company has to pay taxes, employees, lawyers, insurance, materials, and still has to make a profit for rainy days or expansion. If wages for the majority, which would be servers, cooks, etc. goes up the price of the final product has to go up. In return everyone’s pay everywhere would have to go up to match so they can afford everything as well. Then you are in the same problem wanting more money for the same work, or the company loses money and goes out of business.
Hmm to explain my situation to you would take to long. Let me give you the abridged version. I am a disabled vet. I make 1200 a month. At the time I had still not received my ssdi although my injury had a occurred six years prior. We had just lost our house and car because we could not afford them anymore. My wife got a job locally but they transferred her to Cheyenne WY. She slept in our car the first week and showered at a gym the second week she stayed with a fellow employee but the dogs were “not nice” We lived in a motel 6 with our two kids one severely disabled while she worked I looked for a place to live. I finally found a place that would take us in based on our income because of our situation. This took a lot of haggling and begging from me. Apartments should never cost as much as they do. Buying a home is not possible for everyone and renting a home is even worse then apartments. This whole price thing is because big corporations are buying up the apartments and maxing the rent. It’s BS!!! packing up and moving is nice if you HAVE money but for those of us that don’t its not that easy.
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I wish i could vote on this 528348538x i think its ridiculous how much rents have gone up with absolutely no raise in living wages ! Not only do you have to make 3x the rent but you need to jump through hoops from backround checks and credit checks which come out of the renters pocket and that’s BEFORE you even move in…and if ypu dont pass all of these things not only are you out on the street but you just lost 40-60$ !!! And then you have landlords telling you well if you dont like it, you can always buy…but thats not the case either nor is it that simple …obviously if i could buy i wouldnt be here jumping through hoops 
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