I Make $20/Hour And I'm Still Homeless

Jackson Hole, Wyoming, is a playground for billionaires. Teton County, where Jackson Hole is located, is the wealthiest county in the United States. It’s also the county with the highest income inequality. The town has been home to famous residents like Dick Cheney, Harrison Ford and Sandra Bullock, but it’s also home to a sizable unhoused and housing-insecure population. Tabish Talib traveled to Jackson to talk to the homeless people who live there and figure out why this extremely wealthy town can’t house its working class.

[petercraigg]

Holy s-hit, I used to make 24 an hour and was still homeless. When people say that "homelessness is not a personal failure, it's an institutional failure, " this is what they mean.

[kanegrey]

Anything below $25 an hour is poverty in California. $25hr you have roommates and barely making it. It’s crazy how the world had changed

[nunyabusiness]

If you are "working class" Jackson Hole isn't a livable city. Leave the rich to fend for themselves.

[bertbaker]

It's absolutely nuts that we have been conned into accepting that full time jobs shouldn't pay a living wage

[MAG]

The American dream can only be achieved two ways.
Being rich or being asleep.

[peternorthrup]

At age 54 I got layed off. Plant closed. I was a highly skilled employee. My hourly rate was $43.00 per hour. The same day I was let go I got a call. The president of another company offered me a job. $20.00 per hour. The plan for years was to retire at 55. He knew dam well that he was taking advantage of me. I didn't say a word. I had to stick with the plan. I spent exactly 1 year there to the day. Every dollar I made went into are retirement accounts. On my last day I didn't say a word. And walked out. I heard they tried to recruit different people from all over the country to replace me. I was very good at what I did. People from all over the country knew my work and that president knew it. I got the last laugh. After 39 years I was done.

[chowmarina]

Im so sorry this is happening. There is a problem with affordable housing here in Canada also. Too much greed and selfishness.

[Tired-bamboo-sunshine]

WE DON'T NEED NEW HOMES,
we need big money/companies to not be able to buy single-family homes. Honestly, there should be regulation over this, its just disgusting

[markd]

Sadly, all of America is becoming unaffordable for many working class Americans. Now, there's a big exodus of Americans moving to more affordable countries.

[Truth-of-the-matter]

The biggest problem is not a big enough diversification of housing units to support the mixed range of salaries. When developers insist on only building "luxury" apartments they eliminate a good majority of people. I'd love to see studio units (clean, comfortable and modern) like they build in Asia. Not everyone wants or needs big living spaces and most don't use the "luxury" amenities that cost exuberant price hikes.

[Materialgirl_]

I’m only in the beginning of this video but I can tell you all that things have gotten so bad for me financially that I’ve considered taking my own life multiple times. I used to work and I had everything that I needed. It was like after covid everything went downhill the 3 yrs following. Including my health. It started with swelling in my legs and then went from one thing to another. I can’t even explain the feeling that I have sometimes. I pray for these people. Every single one of them that GOD blesses each of them and provides what they need. It’s not fun

[SomethingSomethingg]

This is why I'm hoping to move out of the US soon. I've had enough. Not just of the fact that hard work doesn't mean anything but just everything. The divisiveness, the consumerism, the constant stress and anger and depression and anxiety. It's too much.

[alzathoth]

this is where i am currently at. Employed at $21/hr but living in an unaffordable area is horrible. I live in a car, surrounded by million dollar homes. life really sucks.

[christophiluslovingchristb]

Price gouging by apartment owners keeps working people homeless. Something needs to be done. People need a place to live!

[musicandpoetry_]

It shouldn’t have to be this difficult to survive, I feel for these people

[luiscontreras]

Im thinking I’ll be going homeless soon enough. The government has failed many of us. Im working two jobs and have to decide whether I eat or Pay bills to stay sheltered. Something needs to change!

[mariekatherine]

Then the rich residents should be prepared to do all the low wage jobs themselves. No more maids, waiters, dishwashers, trash haulers, home health aides, nurse’s assistants, food workers, stockroom workers, deliverers, nannies, teaching assistants, launderers, lawn care and landscapers, etc. They’ll have to do it themselves or make provision for workers. And when the workers get older? Does anyone expect 60+ year olds to be working 70+ hours a week while living in a tent?

[ProfertuAnalizer]

Believe me being poor in America is better than in INDONESIA, in America it is still easy to get a job whereas in Indonesia it is limited by age and gender and wages are low. Those of you who live in America are still too lucky, even though you are poor, you can still afford a car. It's really amazing 💓🇺🇸

[bonniegaither]

What are they going to do when there’s no one left to work anything, no shops, grocery stores, rodeo?
They’d better wake up and discover who’s actually important in the town.

[bumravioli]

I earned my bachelors 2 years ago and I still can’t find decent pay. The highest I was offered with years of experience in the field was $24. The most ridiculous one I got was $17 pay with no benefits. It’s hard. Now I have 2 jobs and still live with my mom. Multiple times she’s urged me to move out, but she doesn’t understand how much apartments are these days. A place in OC is $2, 400 a month! There is no way with me working two jobs am I even close to affording it along with my other bills. It’s utterly ridiculous