The number of women rearing children by them-
financially underprivileged states makes the search for affordable and safe housing difficult for these mothers and becomes a strain on their children’s education and economic well-being.
selves in America has nearly tripled in the last 45 years, reaching a current estimate of 10 million single mothers in this country. The U.S. Census Bureau reports more than 1 in 4 families with children under the age of 18 are headed by a single parent and more than 3 out of 4 To help break this cycle of poverty, single mothers single parent families are headed by a female. Although need access to housing programs and education, budwomen have made great economic strides in the last de- get and credit counseling, financial advice and guidance to increase their opportunity for economcade, studies show that they continue “The U.S. Census Bureau reports ic development and wealth through to be disproportionately impacted by more than 1 in 4 families with homeownership. Through the propoverty. Single mothers face serious economic challenges; they generally children under 18 are headed by cess of home purchase preparation, women can increase savings, dehave lower incomes and higher living a single parent and more than 3 crease debt, improve their credit expenses for child care, healthcare out of 4 single parent families and develop a sustainable finanand housing. cial plan in order to build a stable are headed by a female.” future for themselves and their chilAccording to the U.S. Census Bureau’s Selected Economic Characteristics, based on 2010-2014 dren. When low-income women are empowered through American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 30.9 per- comprehensive education, training and counseling, many cent of American families headed by women with no barriers to homeownership can be overcome. husband present are below the poverty level. The information also affirms that 40.5 percent of these households Tarrant County Housing Partnership (TCHP), a housing have children below 18 years and 47 percent have chil- nonprofit organization, created their Women’s Homedren under five. California depicts slightly lower rates ownership Initiative in 2011 with the goal of increasing with a total of 27.9 percent single female households wealth accumulation for low-income, single mothers, living in poverty, 37.8 percent with children under 18 particularly those residing primarily in underserved comand 40.6 with children under five. Living indefinitely in munities. This objective was accomplished by building
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