Фor for the past five months, Anna Hokuf has lived in her car with her cat after leaving a violent home environment. Trying to save enough money to secure an apartment that does strange things while homeless is difficult enough for the 19-year-old. Now rising gas prices have made everything almost impossible.
“I don’t have the ability to save a lot of money, and gas prices are as high as almost $ 4 a gallon, it really makes you homeless difficult,” said Hokuf of the Lihai Valley, Pennsylvania region. “I have to keep my car turned on all the time to keep warm and keep my cat warm, which consumes more gasoline and causes tension in my car.”
It takes about $ 60 to fill the Hokuf’s car tank and about $ 40 a day for gas to keep warm at night. Food options are limited because it has no way to heat food. She bathes and washes periodically when she manages to find enough money for a hotel room for one or two nights. “Unfortunately, all the money I can get usually goes to petrol or food for my cat,” she said.
Gas prices have risen over the past year and are expected to continue to rise as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine further disrupts oil production, a production that already suffers from the effects of Covid-19. Last week, the price of oil reached its highest level in more than seven years, and the war threatens to inflame the already alarming problems of the United States with inflation.
The Biden administration has vowed to take action to curb rising gas prices by imposing economic sanctions on Russia, the world’s second-largest oil producer and exporter. So far, the sanctions have not covered the Russian oil and gas industry, as Europe is heavily dependent on it and this would lead to an even bigger jump in oil prices.
According to the American Automobile Association, the average gallon of gas in the United States was $ 3,619 as of March 1, compared to $ 2.72 per gallon a year ago. The states with the highest average gas prices include California at $ 4,837 per gallon and Hawaii at $ 4,565 per gallon, with Arkansas having the lowest at $ 3,243 per gallon.
Oil companies have reaped huge profits from rising gas prices in the past year, with the top 24 oil companies reporting $ 174 billion in profits in the first nine months of 2021 as companies turned down requests to increase oil production to mitigate price increases.
Rising gas prices, meanwhile, are disproportionately hurting low-income Americans, especially the growing segment of the homeless population in the United States who live without their vehicles.
In Michigan, a young woman living outside her car who asked to remain anonymous made money by delivering food and groceries through concert apps, spending from $ 10 to $ 15 a day to $ 100 a day on gasoline. They have been living in their car since the end of December, after losing their jobs in September and unable to afford to stay in their apartment. They rely on membership in the Planet Fitness gym to bathe regularly
“I have to idle for heating when I’m in colder areas, it definitely affects my gas consumption,” they said. “I don’t have the most credit, so buying a home is out of my reach right now, and with rents skyrocketing and the most demanding income being two to three times higher than rent, it’s impossible to find something affordable. “
Louis Vashiomiati of Auburn, Washington, moved into his van about two months ago when his landlord for three years chose to sell the house where he rented a basement and he could not afford to move to a new apartment in the area. as rents have risen in the last year.
“It’s the most stressful thing I do every day,” Vashomiati said. I didn’t know how much gasoline would cost when I moved to my van.
He spends about $ 40 a day on gasoline, much of which is used to keep warm in the winter. He is currently working in retail and struggling to save money on high gas prices, as apartments in his area require rent for the first and last month in addition to a deposit.
Rising gas prices are also significantly hurting rideshare drivers, who are already operating at low profit margins.
Ben Valdes, a part-time Uber driver in Los Angeles, California, has reduced his working hours for six years to only when there is a higher price, as gas prices in the area have reached about $ 5 a gallon.
“With rising gas prices and declining demand, I’m just starting to see fewer and fewer reasons to drive,” said Valdes, who spends $ 35 a night driving to $ 75 to fill his gas tank. . “A lot of drivers are starting to feel the pinch. Indeed, it is very expensive to put gas. “