Employers are paying up to address labor shortages

[Roisin Ni Fiachra]

4. I live outside of a tourist area, and the spike in housing costs

has driven workers out, despite abundant jobs and higher wages. Most of the surrounding area is National Forest, where no homes can be built.

Rich people fleeing cities/populated are buying up properties being sold by folks who lost their jobs due to COVID. They are also building new homes at a mind boggling rapid rate. Rents have skyrocketed in towns where most service workers live, 20 or more miles away. Rich people have also bought up many houses that they use for vacation rentals for tourists, charging tourists astounding rents per week. Many homes lie vacant, as second homes for the wealthy.

The only fast food burger joint is in desperate need of workers, and is offering $14 per hr for burger flippers. Restaurants and coffee shops have temporarily closed or cut hours at times due to staffing shortages. Every hotel has help wanted signs out.

5 years ago, rentals were available for $600/month. Now, workers are lucky to find a rental for $1200.

In order to get into a rental, workers need to undergo credit checks that only Mother Teresa could be qualified for.

If wealthy communities want a sufficient labor force, higher wages are not enough. Affordable housing is necessary as well.