blog post The End of Affordable Connectivity? By Joseph Hayes, Eric Assan May 15, 2024 This month marks the end of a federal program that helped low-income households afford internet access. Nearly 3 million California households—half of those eligible—were enrolled.
blog post Does Transfer Reduce Regional Enrollment Gaps at CSU and UC? By Cesar Alesi Perez May 14, 2024 California students from regions with larger Latino and Black populations and regions with lower incomes are underrepresented among first-time freshmen at the state's public universities. Transfers from community colleges appear to help offset this disparity at CSU but not at UC.
blog post Taking Stock of California’s Capacity to House its Homeless Population By Cesar Alesi Perez May 1, 2024 By expanding the supply of permanent housing as well as emergency shelter beds, federal pandemic aid boosted the capacity of California's homeless housing programs. Yet despite this promising growth, these programs are not meeting an increased need.
blog post Testimony: Enhancing California’s Wage Data Can Help Improve Its Economic Future By Sarah Bohn Apr 30, 2024 At a hearing of the Senate Select Committee on Career Technology and the New Economy, PPIC researcher Sarah Bohn discussed how improvements in the state's collection of wage data could inform strategies for promoting economic growth and opportunity.
Fact Sheet California’s Nutrition Safety Net By Tess Thorman, Patricia Malagon Apr 24, 2024 Millions of Californians participate in more than 15 programs designed to help them access nutritious food; these programs also reduce poverty. CalFresh, the largest nutrition program, provides low-income families with monthly food-buying resources. Other large programs serve pregnant Californians, young children, and K–12 students.
blog post California’s Medi-Cal Expansion Is Lowering Poverty among Undocumented Immigrants By Patricia Malagon Apr 18, 2024 At the beginning of this year, California broadened Medi-Cal eligibility to include all undocumented immigrants regardless of age. We examine how the state-funded expansion of coverage could reduce poverty among non-citizens and their families.
Fact Sheet Income Inequality in California By Tess Thorman, Daniel Payares-Montoya Apr 17, 2024 California’s income gap narrowed in 2022, but the disparity between high and low incomes is wider in California than in most other states. Over the longer term, income inequality has been driven by earnings growth among college-educated workers.
blog post Are California’s Foster Youth Claiming the State’s New Tax Credit? By Caroline Danielson Apr 9, 2024 Last year, California implemented the Foster Youth Tax Credit in an effort to alleviate poverty among young adults with a connection to the foster care system. We examine how this credit is working so far.
blog post Are Eligible Undocumented Immigrants Claiming the CalEITC and Young Child Tax Credit? By Tess Thorman Apr 4, 2024 Low-income Californians who file their tax returns with Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers (ITINs)—primarily undocumented immigrants—are eligible for the California Earned Income Tax Credit and the Young Child Tax Credit. We examine trends in ITIN filers' claiming of these credits and discuss ways to improve uptake.
blog post As Internet Usage Grows, Californians Are Concerned about Online Security By Joseph Hayes Apr 3, 2024 With a record-high share of Californians using the internet at home, online privacy and security are key issues. Identity theft and credit card or banking fraud are the top concerns among the state's residents.
