Notes

Housing & Urban Development (HUD) considers “affordable rent” to be within 30% of the renter’s gross income (before taxes). The 30% includes rent and all utilities (except for telephone).
HUD considers an individual (or a family) to be “rent burdened” if rent is more than 50% of the gross income.
HUD’s Fair Market Rent (FMR) is based on questionnaires sent yearly from the Census Bureau. FMR reflects what existing renters are currently paying. FMR does not represent currently advertised “For Rent” pricing.
Four categories of renters were considered: All incomes are gross (before taxes) for 2022.
- Full-time Minimum wage in Clatsop County: $13.50/hr ($2,340/month)
- Social Security retirees: $1,676.53 average
- Social Security Disability Insurance – SSDI: $1,364.41 average
- Supplemental Security Income – SSI: $841 maximum (average $601)
Of these four groups, only the full-time minimum wage rent burdened worker can afford a currently advertised studio apartment (Nov 2022) in the county.
Clatsop Community Actions maintains a list of affordable housing at https://ccaservices.org/housing/housing-list/. None of the complexes that have been contacted have a vacancy. One representative said they don’t maintain a waiting list because they haven’t had a vacancy in years. A personal friend was on the Gateway waiting list for five years before being accepted.
Some landlords require showing proof of income that is three times the rent. In these situations even if the potential renters are willing to be rent burdened (50%) they would not qualify for the apartment.
At least one retail property listing limits the maximum stay to 11½ months. It’s my understanding that Oregon law differentiates between one year and longer rentals. See ORS 90.427 Termination of tenancy without tenant cause at https://oregon.public.law/statutes/ors_90.427.
If single individuals join together to rent a 2-bedroom apartment, some landlords require each individual to show proof of income that is three times the total rent.

Data Sources

Housing and Urban Development (HUD)

Fair Market Rent for 2022: https://www.huduser.gov/portal/datasets/fmr.html#2022.

Social Security

Retiree (average monthly): https://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/quickfacts/stat_snapshot/.

SSDI (average monthly): https://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/quickfacts/stat_snapshot/.

SSI (maximum monthly): https://www.ssa.gov/ssi/text-benefits-ussi.htm.

“The major difference is that SSI determination is based on age/disability and limited income and resources, whereas SSDI determination is based on disability and work credits.” See https://ncoa.org/article/ssi-vs-ssdi-what-are-these-benefits-how-they-differ.