Across the country, people of every race, background, and community are feeling the strain of an affordability crisis. The prices of essentials—housing, utilities, food, childcare, and healthcare—continue to rise while corporations keep wages low and corporate profits reach record highs. And lawmakers have failed to intervene. For millions of people, full-time work is no longer enough to stay afloat. Families are forced to make impossible tradeoffs, and many feel that the economy is not working for them.
This crisis did not happen by accident. It is the result of the ultra-wealthy pressuring politicians to concentrate money and power in the hands of the few while weakening systems that support and protect the public. Policymakers have allowed corporate power to expand, failed to ensure that wages keep pace with the true cost of living, and neglected the public investments that make life more affordable.
Read the Report: How We Solve the Affordability Crisis
These choices have not affected everyone equally. For generations, government officials and the private market systematically excluded Black and brown families from wealth-building opportunities, leaving many with fewer assets or resources to draw on when costs rise. At the same time, over the past several decades, corporations and the ultra-wealthy refused to raise wages to match the rising cost of living and undermined worker power through union busting while hoarding wealth. Together, these trends have produced an economy in which many households have little cushion to absorb rising prices or unexpected expenses, while those with significant wealth are largely insulated from economic shocks.
When people struggle to get by while witnessing the ultra-wealthy hoard resources and power, trust in institutions deteriorates. These conditions can be exploited by authoritarian forces that thrive on division and insecurity, but they can also spark collective action. History shows that when people organize, they can build movements that have the power to push back against authoritarianism and strengthen democracy.
Working people built the economy, and they should benefit from its abundance.
This affordability crisis is not inevitable. It is the result of political choices—and it can be reversed through deliberate action to lower costs, raise incomes, and bolster public systems. A nation's budget reflects its values. By prioritizing equity, economic inclusion, and robust investment in public goods, policymakers can help build an economy where people can afford not just to survive but to thrive. Working people built the economy, and they should benefit from its abundance.
This report examines key drivers of the affordability crisis and how rising prices are shaping people's everyday lives. It also offers a framework for solutions that restore not just affordability but dignity, stability, and democratic control over our economy.
Read the Full Report: How We Solve the Affordability Crisis
In this report, we use the term “affordability crisis” to describe the growing gap between what people need to live safe, healthy, stable lives and what they can actually afford.
We focus on five core drivers of household costs: housing, utilities and energy, food, healthcare, and childcare. These are the most essential and unavoidable expenses in families’ budgets. They shape whether people can keep a roof over their heads, keep the lights on, feed their families, stay healthy, and care for loved ones. When people can’t afford the basics, they feel the consequences across every part of daily life.
