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Arizona Ranks 46th In Annual Children’s Report

Published: Monday, June 17, 2019 - 5:05am
Updated: Tuesday, June 18, 2019 - 8:43am
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Arizona’s rank has dropped in a national report about children’s health, education and security.

The 2019 KIDS COUNTⓇ Data Book released by the Annie E. Casey Foundation finds a larger than average percentage of Arizona families spend more than 30 percent of their income on housing. Conventional public policy said households that spend more than 30 percent are considered housing burdened. That can lead to families spending less on food, child care and medical needs.

In a prepared statement, Joan Serviss, executive director of the Arizona Housing Coalition said, “On any given night in 2018, nearly 10,000 Arizonans were homeless. High housing cost burdens make it nearly impossible for working families to accumulate emergency savings to respond to unexpected costs of loss of income, and can lead to eviction. Our state and federal leaders need to do more to address this economic threat.”

The report said the housing burden has improved nationally, but stalled in Arizona. The report measures 16 indicators and ranks Arizona 39th in housing affordability and 46th overall. Last year, Arizona ranked 45th overall.

“The data clearly show us that a growing economy does not automatically translate into better conditions for children and families,” Dana Wolfe Naimark, president and CEO of Children’s Action Alliance, said in a prepared statement. “Arizona has seen significant economic growth since the Great Recession, but many children and families and many communities continue to struggle. It takes combined community effort and strategic public policies to help more children grow up safer and healthier.

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