Some Ohio Valley Residents Struggle as Housing Costs Rise, Incomes Don't

On this West Virginia Morning, in nearly one third of Ohio Valley counties, low-income residents are paying 20 percent or more of their income in utility bills. Energy costs are making housing harder to afford in some rural places where incomes are not keeping pace with rising costs. As part of a series on rural housing, Ohio Valley ReSource reporter Sydney Boles takes us to eastern Kentucky, where the cost burden is among the highest. She found a community working to keep their old Kentucky homes affordable.

Also on today’s show, we explore issues facing seniors, as well as their caretakers. Caring for a loved one as they age can be incredibly demanding.

This morning, we hear an excerpt from our Inside Appalachia podcast –a story produced by a young woman, about her own family’s experience trying to navigate the system for elderly assistance. Makayla Holloway lives in San Francisco, but her story is similar to what many here in Appalachia face, as they try to care for their loved ones.

And we have another story from our occasional series showcasing youth writers. Today we have a fifth-grader who lives here in West Virginia. Kasey Cutwright won first place among fifth-graders in West Virginia Public Broadcasting’s 2019 writers contest. Her story is about how her dog perceived changes associated with home schooling. 

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.

Support for our news bureaus comes from West Virginia University, Concord University, and Shepherd University.