Housing in California, let alone affordable housing, continues to be a catastrophic issue: seven counties rank among the ten least affordable in the country.  Construction and land costs here are among the highest nationwide, and are dramatically exacerbated by a market where population pressures far exceed the available housing stock.  The combination of these factors has had a brutal effect on the state’s low- and moderate-income families and seniors.  Today, the median price of a home in the Bay Area is over $659,000. In Southern California, average home prices are also high, averaging over $500,000 in San Diego and Irvine.  Throughout the state, record-high housing prices are well beyond the means of working families.  Despite these trends, homeownership—with its ability to revitalize whole communities—remains one of the most important asset-building strategies for low-income and minority households.  BRIDGE is committed to furthering these social and financial benefits through the goals of our Homeownership Initiative.