Working professionals cannot afford housing in their local market despite full-time employment

Rhode Island workers need to earn $33.95/hour to afford basic housing costs, yet many earn significantly less, forcing them into impossible financial choices between rent and other necessities. Current housing markets have decoupled from local wage growth, leaving full-time employed individuals unable to secure stable housing without extreme financial strain or relocation. Existing solutions like government assistance programs have long waitlists and insufficient funding to address the scale of the problem.