US' youngest Congresswoman-elect can't afford rent

Congresswoman-elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has said she will not be able to afford an apartment in Washington DC until her salary kicks in when she takes office in January.

Ocasio-Cortez is the youngest woman ever to be elected to congress, at the age of 29. Before her new job starts, she'll have to find a place to live in the capital after months without a job. That three-month window will be "very unusual, because I can't really take a salary," Ocasio-Cortez told The New York Times. "I have three months without a salary before I'm a member of Congress. So, how do I get an apartment? Those little things are very real."

While Ocasio-Cortez has to scramble, she said that she and her partner will be fine, tweeting "don't worry... we're working it out!" "There are many little ways in which our electoral system isn't even designed nor prepared) for working class people to lead. This is one of them (don't worry btw - we-'re working it out!)" ..." she tweeted. Ocasio-Cortez currently lives in the Bronx, New York, and previously in a taqueria in Manhattan. For the next few months while she prepares for her job in congress, she won't have an income.

Washington, DC is the fifth most expensive city in the US, and Ocasio-Cortez made the point that the obstacles such as this can block low-income individuals from seeking office.

"There are many little ways in which our electoral system is not even designed for working class people to lead," she said. Ocasio-Cortez's campaign did not accept corporate donations, and she spent $194,000 on her campaign. Her opponent, Joe Crowley, spent $3.4 million. According to Rentcafe, the average rent for a 1-bedroom in the Bronx is $1,764 per month. In Washington DC, the average rent for a 1-bedroom is $1,996.