Rent, mortgage expenses out of reach for many, data shows

Sarah Owsley, advocacy director for Empower Missouri, speaks June 26, 2023, at a public meeting about Jefferson City's housing shortage. (News Tribune file photo)


A rule of thumb is that housing costs, including utilities, should take up no more than 30 percent of your take-home pay.

But Sarah Owsley, advocacy director for Empower Missouri, said the widely-accepted rule to ensure people are living somewhere they can actually afford is untenable for many in Jefferson City...