Newark ranks worst for renters among 96 cities, according to a recent Forbes report.
The rankings took average rent, apartment size, amenities, and percentage overall income spent on rent into account.
According to Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka, “The basis of Newark’s problem begins with the State and the Court’s refusal to make affordable housing a real priority.” This structural, systemic problem isn’t going away until actual policy mitigates it.
Forbes went on to report that 56% of renters in Newark were “rent-burdened,” meaning spending 30% or more of their income on rent.
Newark’s affordable housing advocates are trying to launch initiatives to connect needy renters with affordable housing, but the unbridled market forces of unrestrained capitalism are apparently still working against that.
Do you need to find a roommate in Newark to make your housing more affordable?