Struggling to find affordable housing, an Austin teacher has turned to sleeping in his car. Bill Atkinson, a dedicated fourth-grade teacher, has been living in his car for over a month, unable to secure a stable place to live due to a combination of student loan debt and low credit after falling behind on rent and school-related expenses.
Atkinson shared his story with KVUE, revealing the challenges he faces every day while sleeping in his car, surrounded by his belongings and lacking basic amenities like air conditioning. Despite working odd jobs on the side, Atkinson’s income is not low enough to qualify for income-based housing, yet his credit score is too low to be approved for affordable apartments.
With the median income for a single person in Austin at $88,200 annually, Atkinson’s teaching salary of $53,000 falls in the middle ground, making it difficult for him to afford the average rent of $1,436 in the city. Ovidia Molina, president of Texas State Teachers Association, echoes Atkinson’s struggles, highlighting the fact that many educators in the state are living paycheck to paycheck and leaving the profession due to low wages.
Atkinson is hoping to raise funds through a GoFundMe campaign to clear his debts and transition out of living in his car. He believes that the state needs to increase wage limits for affordable housing and support teachers with better compensation. By sharing his story, Atkinson aims to raise awareness about the challenges faced by educators and inspire change in the system.
