Los Angeles County faces a poverty crisis and an erosion of the middle class that could worsen under the current economic downturn, according to a report by the United Way.<\/p>\n
The county’s poverty rate is now higher than the rest of the nation’s, according to the report, which surveyed the county’s economic situation in 2009. More than 1.47 million people, or 15% of the county’s population,\u00a0 live on an income of $22,000 a year for a family of four, the report says.\u00a0 The national average is 13%.<\/p>\n
The full report will be available Tuesday at 3 p.m. at the United Way of Greater Los Angeles’ website<\/a>.<\/p>\n Nearly four in 10 people in L.A. County suffer from extreme poverty, the report says; those people live on less than $5,400 a year for a single person or about $11,000 for a family of four.<\/p>\n The jobless rate had soared to 12.3% by early 2009, wiping out all job growth from the previous decade, the report states. Wages remained stagnant and did not keep up with housing costs.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n The middle class also felt the pinch, the report says. Only 1% of salaried workers saw significant income growth, while the average worker\u2019s pay fell nearly $2 an\u00a0 hour.<\/p>\n The United Way survey also said the ranks of the working poor swelled in 2009. Defined as families of four making less than $44,000 a year, that group in Los Angeles County is now 7.5% greater than the national average.<\/p>\n \u201cOne of the things that keeps me optimistic in this downturn is that it has created a sense of urgency for us to accelerate in the areas that need improvement,\u201d said Elise Buik, president and CEO of United Way of Greater Los Angeles, which conducted the study. \u201cMy hope is that we can find a way for business, labor, philanthropy and government to come together in areas of education reform, jobs and housing so our middle class doesn\u2019t fall further behind.\u201d<\/p>\n — Ching-Ching Ni<\/p>\n More breaking news in L.A. Now:<\/strong><\/p>\n Few African Americans vaccinated at L.A. County H1N1 flu clinics<\/a><\/p>\n Glendale feeling an identity crisis, bringing in consultants<\/a><\/p>\n Sen. Dianne Feinstein seeks moratorium on expansion of toxic-waste landfill in Kettleman City<\/a><\/p>\n San Diego County man to pay $18,000 for stealing electricity to grow pot<\/a><\/p>\n