Abstract
Despite government programs intended to alleviate housing instability, low-income families continue to struggle in gaining safe and affordable housing. Affordable housing has become increasingly limited for many working-class families, whose wages have remained stagnant. Housing is the greatest cost expenditure for many families; whereby, a large portion of income goes towards rent. Consequently, there is a supply gap in units available for low-income renters, as homeownership has declined, while more households have turned to the rental market. Based on eleven in-depth interviews this qualitative study analyzed (a) how low-income Hispanic and white female renters in Salinas, California navigate access to affordable housing and (b) how housing challenges and living conditions affect low-income renters well-being. Relying mostly on snowball sampling, these women told me what housing problems they have encountered due to affordability and quality of housing conditions. The results indicate low-income mothers obtain housing by relying on social networks, prioritize rent while juggling multiple bills, and encounter health issues when obtaining affordable housing; yet, they expressed being blessed despite their housing conditions. Guided by an intersectionality framework, this paper explored how low- income mothers deal with high rental costs, the challenges in accessing affordable housing, and the techniques they employ to make ends meet.