By Denae Bybee
Poverty in Utah County wears an atypical face that reflects the two major culprits of this growing hardship to families - astronomical housing and healthcare costs.
That's what the Utah Community Action Partnership Association found in its annual Data Book on Poverty that was released Wednesday. It hopes communities and legislators will recognize that, despite record-low unemployment and availability of world-class healthcare, many Utah County residents live in poverty. Intact families of four comprise those in greatest need and most likely live right next door.
Despite having the highest birthrate in the United States, the single largest group of people living in poverty in the valley are families with two children. Larger families which characterize Utah County are in the middle to upper income group. Single moms are the second largest group. Adults in poverty are usually 30-40 years old.
'The number of people in poverty in Utah County can almost fill the LaVell Edwards Stadium,' said Myla Dutton, executive director of Community Action Services and Food Bank in Utah County, 'and most of those are working people.'
According to the report, a family of four is considered poor if its income is $20,650 or less.
'It's not about finding work; it's about finding work that you can live on the wage,' Dutton said.
A person needs an income of nearly $13 an hour in order to afford rental housing. Home ownership is nearly impossible for some as Utah County's house appreciation has increased 167.19 percent but household income has increased by only 89.93 percent.
Six years ago, 4,500 low-income housing units were needed to meet the demand. Thousands more are needed now for families, seniors and the disabled, Dutton said.
Statewide, 90.4 percent of low-income children do not have health insurance. Many families aren't using the state Children's Health Insurance Program, leaving approximately 45,200 eligible children not enrolled, according to a news release.
A recent Dan Jones & Associates survey show 88 percent of Utahns agreed that supporting CHIP is a responsible investment in the future of Utah's children.
Amber Izarraraz, a 26 year-old single mother of three living in Provo, earns $14 an hour, is an accountant for a property management company and rents a home.
She said her plans to purchase a home were dashed when she thought her children were enrolled in CHIP but because of an administrative error weren't. Unpaid medical bills hurt her good credit. She said she hopes to qualify for a home in the next few months.
Tuesday, Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. called on Congress to reauthorize the federally-matched CHIP program in a timely manner.
'Uninsured children don't receive the preventative care they need, which can affect their quality of life.' Huntsman said in a news release. 'Children with access to adequate health care lead healthier lives, perform better in school, and are more likely to succeed in life.'
The Utah State Legislature has funded CHIP generously this year. Open enrollment lasts until funds are gone, which means about 14,000 additional children can be covered. Officials are pushing for increased participation in enrollment, which begins next week and is expected to last about 12 months.