Hulu’s Little Fires Everywhere, based on a book by the same name written by Celeste Ng, does a wonderful job looking at systematic issues our society faces. One scene finds the two main characters (one black and one white) discussing choices. At one point Kerry Washington’s character tells Reese Witherspoon’s character, “You didn’t make good...Lee mas

As we continue to see rising rental costs and the highest level of inflation seen in 40 years, millions of renters nationwide are increasingly struggling to find affordable, safe and dignified housing. More and more tenants are finding themselves having to pick between paying for childcare, medical care, food and rent. In 2022, the federal...Lee mas

America is in the midst of an epidemic. Rising home prices has increased the prices of rental properties, creating a general lack of affordable housing in this country. Historically, it has been argued that Americans should not spend more than 30% of their income on rent or mortgage and utilities. However, according to Harvard’s Joint...Lee mas

While the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in financial instability and economic hardship for many households, unprecedented supports – including a national emergency rental assistance program and eviction moratorium – were enacted to reduce suffering among the country’s lowest-income renters. As these temporary supports come to an end, renters are facing a troubling landscape, with rising rental...Lee mas

Last Saturday, June 11th, Empower Missouri supporters, coalition members, staff and other guests gathered at the Piper Palm House in St. Louis to honor our six Advocates of the Year. It was wonderful to be back together in person, the first time in a long time for many of us, and it would not have...Lee mas

The National Low Income Housing Coalition’s newly released report, The Gap: A Shortage of Affordable Homes, documents a shortage of 7 million affordable and available rental homes for our nation’s lowest-income renters, who make up one quarter of all renters in the U.S. This severe shortage forces 71% of our poorest families – seniors, people...Lee mas

Last week, I offered testimony against a pair of bills in the Missouri House and Senate aimed at reducing homelessness. I first celebrated with the sponsors and the committee members that the Missouri legislature should be doing more to address our neighbors who live outside; homelessness is an untenable situation that is below the dignity...Lee mas

For months, Empower Missouri and our allies in Missouri have been urging our federal representatives to pass the Build Back Better Act, an opportunity to make historic investments for our neighbors with low incomes. Last week, Congress passed what we hope to be a final version of the bill. It includes targeted investments to reduce...Lee mas

Since 1901, the pinnacle of Empower Missouri’s work each year has been its Annual Conference. In fact, for the first decade, that was the bulk of Empower Missouri’s (then called the Missouri State Conference on Charities & Corrections) work. Once a year, advocates gathered together to discuss the state of affairs in Missouri and make...Lee mas

Homelessness and poverty are not crimes. However, in many communities across Missouri, it is treated like one. Police involvement in the form of ‘camp sweeps’ is often the method used to move people who are houseless out of the areas they have made their home. Springfield, Missouri can be used as a case study for...Lee mas