Washington, DC. 2025 Habitat for Humanity Greater San Francisco Serving the Bay Area in San Francisco, San Mateo, and Marin Counties converged on their Congressional Representatives in February. Their many conversations throughout the week have shown that there is enthusiasm for these ideas in the halls of Congress. They ended the week in DC feeling optimistic, despite the many challenges the cause of advancing affordable homeownership still faces. There is still a lot of work ahead, and continued support is needed. Individuals are encouraged to reach out to their representatives, ask that they take action, and continue checking the website to find the many ways they can support affordable homeownership in their communities.
In the Bay Area, especially, housing is prohibitively expensive for far too many. In California, for example, residents need an annual income of $203,072 to afford a median-priced home. One in five California families spends more than half their income on housing, while 82% of renters and 69% of homeowners spend more than 30% of their income to maintain a roof over their heads. This problem affects not only today’s residents but also future generations.
Immediate, large-scale action is needed. This urgency was raised with policymakers during a recent visit to Washington, where scores of affordable housing advocates gathered for the annual Habitat on the Hill event. Collectively, they met with dozens of policymakers on both sides of the aisle, including Congresswoman Lateefah Simon and the offices of Congresswoman Pelosi and Congressman Huffman, to discuss vital actions that can improve the affordability of the country’s housing.
They were joined by fellow housing advocates and proud Habitat homeowner Andie Rounds, who shared how owning a home has been nothing short of transformative for her and her family – providing them with the stability, security, and opportunity every family deserves. Together, they asked congressmembers to address affordable homeownership specifically, while also supporting legislation that increases housing availability in all forms. There is little federal or state funding aimed at bringing homeownership, as opposed to affordable rentals, within reach. This is despite its significant benefits: U.S. homeowners’ average net wealth is 400% higher than similar renters, and home equity represents the largest proportion of wealth (34.5%) for U.S. households.
They stressed to lawmakers that the private market alone cannot address the nationwide supply shortage of starter homes. Legislative action and both federal and state funding are urgently needed.
With a lot of change happening in Washington right now, the one thing everyone can agree on is the urgent need for safe, affordable housing for all. This was a major issue for voters in the last election, and it is time for Congress to act. They urged lawmakers to support existing successful programs through appropriations in the FY2026 budget, champion new policy ideas, and support incentives through the tax code.
