Despite employment training and other programs, many veterans struggle to meet housing costs

Source: National Housing Conference

WASHINGTON — One of the biggest hurdles veterans face as they return to civilian life is finding a job, but even those who are employed often struggle to meet basic survival needs.

In the report “Paycheck to Paycheck,” researchers for the Center for Housing Policy examine the gap between veterans’ wages and expenses associated with renting and hom eownership.

Data from the first quarter of 2012 show that veterans working in some of the main jobs available through the U.S. Department of Labor’s specialized training programs do not earn enough to afford to buy a median-priced home or to rent a home at the fair-market rent in many areas, the report said.

“Because many veterans have been off the job market for years while serving multiple tours of duty, they often struggle to find employment,” Laura Williams, Center for Housing Policy researcher and report author, said in a statement. ”In many housing markets, the jobs America’s  servicemen and women may find waiting for them after deployment do not pay enough to afford the costs of buying a home, and in some markets and for some occupations, veterans cannot afford the costs of renting a modest rental home.”

Here is a database of the 10 most expensive metropolitan areas for home ownership in the United States. Home prices include new and existing home sales figures from the first quarter of 2012, the most recent available.

A related report, “Paycheck to Paycheck 2012: Can veterans afford housing in your community?” explores housing affordability for veterans working in jobs targeted by Labor Department training programs.

The Center for Housing Policy is the research arm of the National Housing Conference, a nonprofit organization that advocates for safe, affordable housing at the local, state and national levels.