1993 Need Assessment Update & Fiscal Year 1994-95 Interim Priorities
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IV. LOW INCOME

SAN MATEO COUNTY FIELDS OF SERVICE CATEGORIES

A. HOMELESS
(SEE BASIC NEEDS SERVICES, TRANSITION/SHELTER & EMPLOYMENT FIELDS OF SERVICE)
POSSIBLE INDICATORS 1990 NEEDS ASSESSMENT REPORT UPDATE OTHER NEEDS STATEMENT-DATA
Number of Homeless Persons
    Families (Parents & Children)
    Children Only
    Women & Children
    Homeless Singles
    Homeless Youth
    (Runaways Population)
Characteristics of
Homeless Population


Persons Living In Poverty
(At Risk of Homelessness)
Target Group Affected
    Single Men
    Mentally Disabled
    Families
    Seniors
    Disabled
    Vietnam Veterans
    Substance Abusers
    Battered Women
    HIV Infected

1989 Estimates:
    5,500
    1,500
    1,000

    4,000




1980
  35,321 - 6.1% of Co.










1991 Estimates:
    8,665 between 5/89 and 2/90
    4,292 (1399 females)
    2,741







    40,405










  • Much of the homeless population is never counted, due in part of the Bay Area's mild climate, the "doubling up" with friends or family, and the transiency of this population. Poverty is not the only cause of homelessness: events such as injury, theft, layoffs, divorce or health problems can also lead to homelessness. (1990 San Mateo Needs Assessment Report)
  • Of all the factors contributing to the rise of homelessness, the severe shortage of housing for people with low incomes is one of the most fundamental. Increase in home rental and ownership costs, declining federal subsidy of low-income housing, and loss of affordable housing units to redevelopment continues to impact numbers of poor people, both in the Bay Area and nationwide. Not only do we not have enough existing affordable housing today, we are not creating enough for the future. (SF Foundation Homelessness initiative, A Homebase Report, 1992)
  • Of the total 639036 persons for whom poverty status was determined in San Mateo, 40,406 or 6.3% were living below the poverty level.
  • In San Mateo, 22% of homeless people are working. (Homebase, Spring 1989)
Source: Hunger and Homeless Action Coalition of San Mateo County
             Homebase, Homlessness in the Bay Area, Ten Points, 1989
B. POOR OR MARGINAL POOR
(SEE BASIC NEEDS SERVICES, TRANSITION/SHELTER & SELF-SUFFICIENCY & *EMPLOYMENT FIELDS OF SERVICE)
POSSIBLE INDICATORS 1990 NEEDS ASSESSMENT REPORT UPDATE OTHER NEEDS STATEMENT-DATA
Poverty
    Persons Living in Poverty
    Families Living in Poverty
    Children Under 18 Years
     Living in Poverty
    Elderly (65+)
     Living in Poverty
    Asian & Pacific Islander
     Families Living in
     Poverty
    Black Families
     Living in Poverty
    Hispanic Families
     Living in Poverty

Public Assistance
    AFDC Families
    General Relief Recipients
    Food Stamp Recipients

Poverty & Public Assistance
Cases by Subarea of the
County
    North County
    Central County
    South County
    Coastside
1980
  35,321 - 6.1% of Co.
    6,886 - 4.5% of all families
  10,899 - 7.9% of children
     in poverty
    3,022 - 5.1% of elderly in
     poverty
     723 - 5.2% of A/PI
      families in poverty

     984 - 11.5% of Black
      families in poverty
   1,440 -   2.5% of Hispanic
      families in poverty


    4,967
    1,088
    3,652 Cases






1990
  40,405 - 6.3% of Co.
    7,035 - 4.3% of all families
  10,463 - 7.6% children
    in poverty
    5,019 - 6.6% of elderly
     in poverty
    1,229 - 5.1% if A/PI
      families in poverty

    1,100 - 13.2% of Black
      families in poverty
    2,092 - 8.9% of Hispanic
      families in poverty


   6,506 - 4.0% of all families
   1,261
  15,202






  • Of the total 639,086 persons for whom poverty status was determined in San Mateo. 40,405 or 6.3% were living   below the poverty level. Of the total persons living below the poverty level (40405), cities and places having the largest number of persons living below the poverty level included: Daly City with 6,560 (16.2%); Redwood City, 5,328 (13.2%); San Mateo, 5,186 (12.8%); East Palo Alto 4,072 (10.1%); North Fair Oaks, 2,333 (5.8%); and Menlo Park, 1,745 (4.3%)
  • East Palo Alto an North Fait Oaks have the largest percent of their total population living below the poverty level with 17.9% and 17.1% respectively. Remaining cities and places percent total population living below the poverty level range from 0.4% (Highlands and Central County) to 8.7%)(Brisbane in North County)
  • Of the total 242,348 households for whom poverty was determined 5.6% were living below the poverty level.







Source: 1980 US Census
            1990 US Census
            Public Assistance, July 1989
            Public Assistance, August 1992
C. UNEMPLOYED
(SEE EMPLOYMENT SERVICES)
POSSIBLE INDICATORS 1990 NEEDS ASSESSMENT REPORT UPDATE OTHER NEEDS STATEMENT-DATA

Monthly Average Unemployed
    Total Civilian Labor Force
    Total Persons Employed
    Total Persons Unemployed

Trends in Employment Rates

Unemployment Rates
by Subarea of the County
    North County
    Central County
    South County
    Coastside

Job Growth by Industry
    (See County Profile)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1989
  2.5%
  354,600
  345,800
     8,800

1986 - 3.4%   1988 - 2.4%
1987 - 2.4%






 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1991
  4.2%
  351,200
  336,500
    14,700









 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • San Mateo Continues to have one of the lowest unemployment rates in California.
  • Nonagricultural wage and salary employment will expand by 10% during the 1989 - 1996 projection period, representing a gain of 29,400 jobs.
  • Services and retail trade, San Mateo County's two largest industry divisions, together will provide close to three quarters of the growth.
  • Services and retail trade, San Mateo County's two largest industry divisions, together will provide close to three quarters of the growth.
  • Business services will add more new jobs than any other single industry component and will represent 30 percent of the services growth.
  • Many of the jobs to be added in restaurants and other retail establishments, particularly at the entry level, will be part-time and/or seasonal positions.
  • Air transportation, the county's largest single industry, will post a seven-year gain of 3,900 jobs. However, almost two- thirds of these jobs were filled by mid-1990.
  • Employers report great difficulty finding experienced auto mechanics, electronic home entertainment equipment repairs, medical transcriptionists, motorcycle repairers, optometric assistants, service writers (automotive), and telephone and cable TV line installers and repairers. (EDD- Annual Planing Information, June 1992)

Sources: EDD, May 1988 W/forecast to 1989
              1991-EDD, June 1992

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