Cost of Living – Teen Observer Archive

July 30, 2018

Can farmers’ markets connect with low-income communities?

Organic vendor selling Early Girls tomatoes at the Berkeley Farmers’ Market on July 28, 2018. (Photo by Izzy Nesbett)

BERKELEY Calif.—The bustling farmers’ market on a Saturday morning has a sense of community and high spirits as people buy organic produce. As Arrous Lambert, a vendor for the Street Sheet newspaper said “Berkeley people have the biggest hearts I’ve ever seen,” and encourages more lower income people to enjoy it.

People browsing through the Berkeley Farmers Market on an early Saturday morning. (Photo by Julia Hovet)

However, because all produce is required to be organic, few items are less than $5. The gentrified area surrounding the market allows for these high prices, and has begun to discourage lower income families from entering the community. With this in mind, vendors are hopeful the versions of food stamps such as, electronic benefit cards, and vouchers will gain funding to bring in more low income families. This will create a symbiotic relationship, helping them connect more with the neighborhood.

However, as Abel Estrella of Smit Ranch expressed, current grants for lower income families are spent too quickly on small amounts of produce because of high prices. Some argue that it is fruitless for them to go to the farmers market for a shopping trip, and there are other places that offer more for less.

The Ecology Center offers programs specifically for these families, such as Market Match and First 5. Despite their goals, the produce is too costly for them to receive a healthy fulfilling meal. The usual Market Match voucher is only $10, while the cheapest fruits at the market are around $5.

Similarly, the First 5 wants to help newborns to five year olds eat healthy within these early years of development, but again prices are too high. As one employee from Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) stated, “once those twenty dollars are gone, they will not come on their own”.

This has not gone unnoticed by Sen. Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), who aims to increase funding to these programs through the 2018 Senate Farm Bill. Several vendors at the market said, “Berkeley is more open to change” and people “need to dismiss the fact that the farmers market is for people with money.”

Flower vendor at the Berkeley Farmers Market delivering a positive message. (Photo by Izzy Nesbett)

Nonetheless, when observing the market there were no obvious differences or signs of hope with the introduction of the bill. Many fall into Estrella’s beliefs, who states that not much will change but does see many electronic benefit card holders for his lower priced perishable food.

July 14, 2017

U.S. student debt tops $1.4 trillion

WASHINGTON, D.C.–American University students and Northwest District of Columbia residents said Wednesday that student loan debt which is above $1.4 trillion in the United States today is a serious issue facing those seeking higher education in America.

Nelson Jacobson discusses his experience with student loans. By Vicky Tan

“Interest rates are rising and I’m scared that I’ll still be paying of loans when I’m 35,” said Leila Ackerman, 18, who will start at American University this Fall.

Ackerman worries about expenses beyond just tuition and housing. She said the hidden costs are also going to add up. Not only is tuition becoming more and more expensive, but new students must be able to afford food, textbooks and other necessities to living away from home.

“I’m one of the lucky ones, I can’t even imagine what having loans breathing down your back would feel like,” said Janice Barlow, 20, an American University student. “You really can’t do anything. Every thing you do, anywhere you go, you have to be thinking about money.”

According to the Student Loan Debt Report, national student loan debt collectively currently totals $1.41 trillion.

According to the report, around 70 percent of college students in the United States now owe some soft of debt for education. However, even with almost a whole generation drowning in student loan debt, there is no guarantee of employment after they graduate.

There was a general consensus among both residents and students that government is not doing enough to help financially struggling students. With interest rates slowly rising, the nation has not made education as high a priority as others, they said.

“Government should try to make education more affordable, everyone should have the opportunity to go to get a better education if they want to. Money should not be a limiting factor,” Ackerman said.

August 6, 2016

Tuition & diversity mark Berkeley’s evolution

BERKELEY, Calif. — How has Berkeley changed over the years?

What used to be a free education for California residents, was around $13,500 for in-state tuition, a number that jumped to more than $38,000 for out-of-state students, in the past academic year.

The University of California, Berkeley, the state’s first and now ranked No. 1 on U.S. News’ annual “best colleges” list, was created 48 years later, in 1868. Over the years, change throughout the university and the town is reflected in the grounds themselves — and continuing construction over the campus’ 1,200 acres — and the students.

Stan James, the manager of Bill’s Men’s Shop, which was founded in 1961, said, “The students were different; they were more preppy. They were pretty much all the same.”

In 1968, the registration fee for all students was $300 per year. The tuition for out-of-state students was $1,200 per year, and tuition was free for all in-state residents.

In 1975, 85 percent of students attending Berkeley were residents of California. According to a recent study done by the Berkeley News Office in 2015, 65 percent of students attending Berkeley are now residents of California.

Maureen Nam, owner of Steve’s Korean BBQ, and Stan James said they have seen a definite increase in diversity in their years working in the heart of the Berkeley campus.

Nam said that over the years, she has noticed that the economy and her business are tied. “State of economy low, my business goes low. State of economy high, my business goes high.”

Right now, Nam has noticed an increase in Asian students, especially Chinese. She said that they are big fans of what Steve’s Korean BBQ has to offer, and so her business is booming.

There have been many new developments within Berkeley, such as development of new residential halls, apartments and restaurants over the years. These changes have shifted both Berkeley’s cityscape and demographic, as the city and the people of Berkeley are connected in an unmistakable and fluid way.

James said that for the past four to five years there was a lot of construction, and the end-result did not turn out as was initially planned. A fire broke out on Telegraph Avenue, taking out two restaurants.

A side-view of the construction project. Nam said, "The general noise and construction makes everyone uncomfortable." Photo by Anamaya Shore — A side-view of the construction project. Nam said, “The general noise and construction makes everyone uncomfortable.” Photo by Anamaya Shore

There is currently a construction site,The Southgate Apartments, on Durant Avenue in hopes of creating new apartment space for students,and other Berkeley locals. There will be 44 apartments, eight two-bedroom units, 36 one-bedroom units and junior one-bedroom apartments. The project also includes two restaurants: Taco Bell Cantina and Garlic Mediterranean.

The average cost for an apartment will range from $2,000 to 4,000 a month; even at that high price tag, the apartments are still expected to draw students.

One thing has remained a constant: The importance of academics, students and a vision that Berkeley students will “contribute even more than California’s gold to the glory and happiness of advancing generations.“

James says, “As far as the university, that’s been the constant thing. Students come and get their education.”

July 20, 2016July 21, 2016

Mixed reactions to D.C.’s minimum wage hike

Ken Martin sells the newspaper Street Sense in Tenleytown on Wisconsin Avenue. Photo credit: Kyla Jackson.

Jacqueline Davis shopped at a CVS in Tenleytown, where one-bedroom apartments can fetch $300,000 and single-family homes go for more than $1 million.

A longtime District resident, Davis, 66, worries for low-income residents who may not be able to afford staying in the city. She agrees with the D.C. City Council’s decision this summer to hike the minimum wage to $15 an hour.

“I feel very good about it,” Davis said.

In June, the City Council voted to raise the minimum wage from its current $11.50 to $15 an hour by 2020 for non-tipped workers. People interviewed this week in Tenleytown expressed mixed reactions to the increase, with some saying it’s necessary in a city where the cost of living is increasing and others saying they fear prices may go up as a result.

Victoria Alukpe, 21, a political science major at American University, said no one can survive on minimum wage. She feels the increase will help people match their pay checks with what they pay for.

“Everyone is working to survive,” Alukpe said.

Through her studies in political science, Alukpe has come to support the idea of a higher minimum wage, joining many District residents and workers who agree with the minimum wage increase.

D.C. living does come with a hefty price tag.

Zillow.com statistics note that the price for a one-bedroom home in D.C. in 2016 sold for an average $370,000. That’s been steadily on the rise and is expected to continue going up. Five years ago, the average one-bedroom cost $319,000.

Transit costs also add to a low-wage worker’s monthly bill. Metro riders can expect to pay $237 for a 28-day pass, according to the WMATA website.

Ken Martin, 62, a D.C. hat vendor who was offering the Street Sense newspaper outside CVS on Wisconsin Avenue, has a different take on the minimum wage.

“The whole thing is just wacko,” Martin said.

Martin disagrees with the minimum wage increase. He feels it will also raise the cost of living and minimum-wage workers won’t get ahead as promised.

“People just don’t do the math,” Martin said. “Everybody wants more money, but they don’t realize that more money is not enough money.”

July 9, 2016July 11, 2016

Students stress over debt

AU Weber — Rebecca Weber, 27, an American University graduate student, reads at the campus Starbucks. Photo Credit Sami Pye.

Liz Hexler, 18, a rising sophomore at American University, shook her head as she contemplated the idea of transferring to a more affordable college.

“I already am getting a large scholarship, but it still is not feasible for me to be at American University for more than two years,” said Hexler, of Chicago.

She came with the hopes to succeed in the international relations program, but has been left angered by what she sees as excessive fees and tuition.

With college prices on the rise and more and more people applying, students are struggling to repay loans. Currently, U.S. graduates and students owe $1.2 trillion in student debt, according to debt.org.

Every second, $3,000 in student debt is acquired, and the average debt for the U.S. graduate student is $33,000, according to debt.org. In 2014, the average amount of debt at graduation rose 56 percent, from $18,550 to $28,950, according to the Institute for College Access and Success.

Joanna Sobieski, 24, a 2015 American University graduate, and Alex Mazzarisi, 22, who graduated the school in May, both supported the idea of going to community college for the first two years and then transferring to a more expensive.

“I worked three jobs, so I didn’t have the typical college experience,” Sobieski said.

Sobieski had to work numerous jobs to keep up with with all of the expenses that come with attending American, where the average annual cost is around $60,000, according to American University’s website.

After graduation, Sobieski worked abroad for a year with a very low-paying job, so she was able to postpone the loan, but now she is very stressed as to how she will repay the loan. In order to repay, she plans to work a 9-to-5 job and work retail or waitress on the side.

Rebecca Weber, 27, an American University graduate student, said when she finishes her master’s degree in international affairs, she’ll have more than $100,000 in loan debt.

“I’m not going to live where I want to live or be at the same level of comfort,” Weber said.

Others, like Mike Limarzi, 33, did not see student loans as a huge obstacle.

“They do impact, but not disastrously,” Limarzi said.

Limarzi graduated from Georgetown University, a private school in Washington, D.C., in 2004. While student debt wasn’t a struggle for him, he still pays his wife’s $500 monthly student loan.

“We have an amount to pay, and we try to pay over it each month so we finish fast,” Limarzi said. “We know how to budget.”

Sitting on a bench outside the American University library where she works, Tara Barnett, 28, explained what helped her the most with student debt after graduating from Reed College in 2009.

“I had a lot of financial aid,” Barnett said. “Without it, I couldn’t have gone.”

For many, grants and loans are the major forms of federal financial aid for undergraduate students. According to the U.S. Department of Education, over 1.9 million students receive financial aid each year. For some, it’s the only way to afford college.

“My boyfriend goes to school in Denmark,” Mazzarisi said. “He didn’t come from a well-off family, but he is still able to go to one of the best colleges in his country because it is free. He also gets paid $800 to attend.

“The U.S. can maybe learn something from that,” she continued.

July 1, 2015July 7, 2015

Students and graduates struggle, worry about loans

Student loans are controlling the lives of many college graduates in the Washington D.C. area with current students already worried about when their loans are due.

For Samantha Garrison, 20, an American University student, loans are a huge problem.

“I am probably going to spend the rest of my life paying loans,” Garrison said.

Garrison, who identified as low income, receives financial aid but noted she’ll still graduate with between $22,000 and $28,000 in college loans.

Her debt mirrors that of the typical U.S. college student.

Students walk the campus of American University. Photo by Nima Padash.

U.S. students graduated with an average of $33,000 in student loan debt, according to a 2015 report from Debt.Org, a part of Bright Horizons Financial Services.

There was a 77 percent increase in average balance size in student loans between 2004 to 2014, according to the 2015 Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s Student Loan Borrowing and Repayment Trends.

After college graduation, Garrison said she’ll be the main breadwinner in her metropolitan-area household, but she fears her loans will hold her back. Even with a post-college job, those loans will cut into her income and the family’s quality of life.

“I am still going to have those loans for a while,” said Garrison, who hopes to pursue family law.

But Tommy Bennett, a 19-year-old American University student, is more hopeful about his student loans, saying he is confident a well-paying job out of college will help him start paying them back with little issue.

“I have brothers who have college loans, who are now out of college and are living nice lives,” said Bennett, who thinks repayment will take 15 years if he stays on budget and gets a good job.

Femsu Movaelane, 18, who lives in Washington D.C., is not yet a college student like Bennett, but she already has concerns about the future debt.

Student loans can affect every aspect of a student’s life, from marriage to depression and home buying.

“The burden of student debt is the key factor in young graduates not starting a business and the marriage rate for millennials is down 12 percent,” according to the 2015 Debt.Org report.

Another 2015 report from the Brookings Institution said students with more debt reported lower levels of psychological health.

Cameron Nichols, 19, identifies more with the reports’ findings and sees college loans as something that will hold him back.

Nichols, who attends college in California, does not think that the loans will last long but he said that while he has them his quality of life will suffer, he said.

“It controls your life, takes all your time, and cripples you,” Nichols said.

July 8, 2014July 8, 2014

Got $1 million? Tenleytown cost of living on the rise

house — A Tenleytown home in Northwest Washington, D.C.

WASHINGTON— Workers in Tenleytown agreed the cost of living has increased to a rate unaffordable for the average American, according to several interviews conducted Monday.

Menelik Walker, a Whole Foods employee, said he is concerned about the high cost of real estate. According to realtor.com, home prices in Tenleytown can exceed $1 million.

“They’re beautiful homes, but I don’t know if it’s affordable,” Walker said.

The cost of living in Tenleytown, an area south of Chesapeake Street and north of Van Ness Street, is 68.5 percent higher than the average Washington cost and 98.3 percent higher than the average national cost, according to areavibes.com.

Michael Warner, an American University alumnus who sells newspapers to raise money for the homeless, said that prices of homes and necessities are similar to the extravagant costs of New York City and residents here need a high-paying job and good education to afford cost-of-living expenses.

“You have to be educated to live in D.C.,” Warner said.

Maria Harris, a worker at the Tenley-Friendship Library, said that living in Tenleytown is an acquired taste due to the high cost of living but says she still sees economic diversity.

“It’s all over the place,” Harris said. “There are people who are wealthy and others who are poor.”

Warner and Harris both agreed that even though the cost is high, the location in Northwest Washington, D.C. is convenient. Harris explained that Tenleytown is a “vibrant” place to live, and that there are many places to go and activities to keep anyone from boredom.

“Necessities are within walking distance,” Warner said. Teneleytown is an “excellent place to live.”