In 1983, BRIDGE was formed from a major anonymous grant given to the San Francisco Foundation to spearhead new solutions to the worsening shortage of affordable housing.
This came about as the Bay Area Council and its business members were voicing concern that high housing costs were undermining the region’s workforce and economy.
1983: Blue Ribbon Task Force
Vision: build quality affordable housing at a large scale.
1983: Don Terner and Rick Holliday
Selected to lead BRIDGE and implement the ambitious vision.
1996: Carol Galante
Named President & CEO upon Don Terner's tragic death.
1998: Southern California
Established presence in San Diego.
2008: Anonymous Donor Revealed
Bill Brinton's son spoke at BRIDGE's 25th Anniversary.
2013: BRIDGE at 30
Actor Edward Norton on the holistic reach of housing.
2013: Pacific Northwest
Opened Portland office, began working in OR and WA.
2017: Doubled Production
Completed the 2013-17 Strategic Plan.
2021: Kenneth T. Lombard
Appointed President & CEO by BRIDGE Board.
Over three decades, those increments add up to a significant impact. And for BRIDGE, this is only the beginning.
A special blue-ribbon task force, headed by Alan L. Stein, decided on a practical approach. Instead of conducting more studies, their vision was for an organization that could actually build quality affordable housing at a large scale – not just hundreds, but thousands of homes within reach of the Bay Area's low- and moderate-income residents. The Task Force selected Rick Holliday and Don Terner to lead the organization and implement the ambitious vision.
BRIDGE has shown what can be done with clear vision, the right leadership and a strong base of community support. Our accomplishments to date have surpassed even the ambitious hopes of our founders. Beyond creating homes, BRIDGE is building and revitalizing communities at scale. Our vision continues to be realized, development by development, year after year.