The number of people living below the federal poverty level in San Diego County continues to grow; many different areas are being affected, and South County – where many Latinos live and work – has not been the exception.

A study by the Center on Policy Initiatives (CPI) on poverty and income in the South County region, which includes National City, Chula Vista, Imperial Beach, and San Ysidro, revealed that 14.7 percent of South County residents lived in poverty in 2015, a poverty rate significantly higher than the 13.8 percent for San Diego County overall.

According to the study, the ethnic group most likely to live in poverty are Latinos, who in some cases have to resort to living in Tijuana, or have to endure being exploited and underpaid by employers due to their immigration status.

“We saw that Latinos and African-Americans suffer a great deal of discrimination; this is a problem across all jobs,” said Jessica Cordova, Communications Specialist for the Center on Policy Initiatives in San Diego. “It is also more likely for any undocumented residents to be exploited at work, and they’re more afraid of speaking up, so it’s a combination of many things.”

Topping the list of worst-paying industries are accommodation and food service, retail trade, and waste management services. As a result, people working for restaurants and large retailers must suffer the consequences of their low wages.

“People have to hold down two or three jobs, and families have to share housing to be able to cover the rent. We know this is commonplace among Latinos, but it should not be this this way,” said CPI Senior Organizer Marco A. Briones. “As we increase minimum wage, we need to ensure are making enough to survive and provide a decent quality of life for their families.”

In South County, where 17 percent of Latinos are living in poverty, the hope is to find solutions that will allow them to make a decent living.
San Diego residents are looking at the Center on Policy Initiatives for further support in giving children and families access to reduced-price food products, better housing programs, health insurance, and affordable college education. These services would help thousands of struggling Southern California families.