New annual poverty data released today by @uscensusbureau --showing that pre- #COVID19, when economy was strong, *more than 1 in 6 Californians* was living in poverty.

What does this mean? THREAD 1/

These are data based on Supplemental Poverty Measure (SPM) – better measure of poverty than official poverty measure, bc SPM accounts for differences in cost of housing, more kinds of resources & expenses. Under SPM, the CA poverty rate is much higher than under official pov. 2/

Higher CA SPM poverty is mostly bc of high housing costs in many parts of CA. See recent @CalBudgetCenter report on housing affordability with @AureoMesquita 3/ http://bit.ly/2WD5BR6 

In fact, after acct for housing cost, CA cont to have one of very highest state pov rates in the US, according to the data released today for 2017-2019. (Technical details: CA rate was highest point est at 17.2%, but Lousiana’s rate of 16.2% is not statistically different.) 4/

Imp to look beyond statewide rate too– CA SPM pov by race/eth won’t be avail till later fall, but expect pattern from prev yrs, w Latinx & Black Californians most likely to exper pov - result of past & current discrim policies & practices driving disparities in wages/incomes. 5/

These data show even pre-COVID many Californians were struggling, & now we’re in midst of recession more severe than Great Recession, w millions of jobs lost. Key federal supports that many unemp workers relied on expired end of July... 6/ https://twitter.com/alissa_brie/status/1285243778039640064?s=20

More recent Census data- collected last month– showed >1 in 4 CA adult renters had no/slight confidence in ability to pay next rent, >1 in 10 CA adults faced food insecurity, >1 in 3 CA adults reported difficulty paying usual household expenses. 7/ https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/household-pulse-survey/data.html

Key implications – near-term, Californians urgently need policymakers to put in place supports to make sure families & individuals can meet basic needs for housing & food. What wd help: restore enhanced fed unemployment bens, boost food assistance, help with covering rent. 8/

Longer-term, fact that more than 1 in 6 Californians was in poverty *before* COVID shows critical need for policymakers to address CA’s long-standing housing affordability crisis, key reason so many Californians struggled to make ends meet even when economy was booming. /end