SAN DIEGO (KGTV) – Affordable housing and low rent are something many San Diegans want but sometimes struggle to find.
“It’s just not possible to make three times the rent when the rent prices are $2,900 a month, $3,800 a month, or $2,200 a month,” Margo Velez said.
Velez is your typical San Diegan who deals with something almost everyone in this city is experiencing.
"It's scary when you're living paycheck to paycheck,” Velez said.
"If I burn a chicken, I can't order a pizza. Because I have to allot money to other bills and such. Like cell phone bills. And other things- gas, we need insurance for the car. It's hard."
ABC 10News first talked to Margo last month about her struggles to afford to call San Diego home despite having a full-time job.
"The rent is too high, it's just too much,” Velez said back in August.
Right now, the average income in San Diego Countyis just under $120,000.
To qualify for help and make things a little easier, you'd need to make under $85,000 on the high end.
That's number is close to what Velez said is her salary range, so she's eligible.
However, experts ABC 10News previously spoke tosaid it's not as simple as just putting down a deposit on a low-income housing spot.
There are also other societal factors like special housing that's set aside for specific groups.
"I'm not a veteran. I don't have any trauma, no domestic violence. I don't have teen mothers,” Velez said.
She could move one of her adult children in to help. However that would increase her total income; together they'd make too much.
"Because, you know, well, your daughter makes this, and you make that; you just don't qualify because it's just too much. What do you mean it's too much? I'm still struggling. Hello?! So we don't qualify for a lot of low, low-income apartments,” Velez said.
"They need to open up the requirements low-income housing and they need to build a little quicker."
