Housing Justice
We believe that housing is a fundamental human right.
Addressing housing and homelessness in the Bay Area has thus never been more essential than it is right now. Historical disparities reproduced in today’s housing system operate in tandem with the Bay Area’s immense racial wealth gap, with Black and Latinx resident’s half as likely to own homes and twice as likely to live in poverty. In short, fighting for housing stability and affordability requires putting equity front and center. Housing Justice is a social justice issue.
Take Action for Housing Justice This Election Season
Elections are coming up, and your vote can make a significant impact on housing justice in the Bay Area. Supporting Proposition 5 is a critical first step toward creating more equitable housing solutions for our community. Make your voice heard by learning more about Prop 5 and ensuring you’re registered to vote.
The Need For Housing Justice
Today over 32,000 Bay Area residents are experiencing homelessness. Housing insecurity is one of the main factors driving poverty in the Bay Area today. Whether our neighbors are facing housing/rent burdens, housing insecurity or homelessness – fundamentally we’re talking about an experience in which individuals and families are forced to choose between the cost of housing or paying for basic needs like food, clothing, and childcare.
Households in marginalized populations are almost 4 times as likely as white households to have rent debt
95% of zip codes in the Bay Area have become less affordable for prospective homebuyers
Bay Area renters have accrued “shadow debt” – borrowing money from individuals or lending institutions to cover unpaid rent
Many families have been forced to leave the region entirely due to the lack of affordable housing options
Lunch and Learn: A Free Lunchtime Virtual Learning Series
The Bay Area’s affordable housing crisis affects us all. While many residents support efforts to prevent homelessness, reduce displacement, and expand affordable housing, few are actively engaged in local policy advocacy.
UWBA is hosting a six-part virtual Lunch & Learn series on Housing to educate and engage residents, community members, and UWBA partners. Each 45-minute session will explore housing and homelessness issues, challenge common misconceptions, and discuss solutions that promote equity and affordability.
“Sometimes I feel I’m navigating a labyrinth, where every time I think I’m getting close to the center, the maze shifts, exposing new walls and putting me back in survival mode.” –Sharryl, UWBA Ambassador
Learn how Sharryl navigated through their housing challenges
Stay Engaged in Housing Justice
Join our housing justice newsletter to stay informed about the latest developments, policy efforts, and ways to advocate for safe, affordable housing in the Bay Area. Sign up today and help create change.
Standing Up for Housing Justice in the Bay Area
United Way Bay Area is committed to ensuring everyone in our community has access to safe, stable, and affordable housing. In light of recent developments, we strongly oppose policies that criminalize homelessness, which only deepen the housing crisis. Our Housing Justice initiative works to address the root causes of homelessness and advocate for equitable solutions that uplift all Bay Area residents.
Explore how Proposition 5 can provide affordable housing solutions for California’s future
Improve access to stable, affordable housing and advocate for homelessness prevention
Our Work: UWBA, our partners, and other housing and advocacy organizations advocate for affordable and dignified housing for all people in the Bay Area, challenging misconceptions about housing and homelessness. This educational and advocacy initiative will help the public “Learn, Understand, and Act” on solutions that increase housing equity and affordability for racially marginalized groups disproportionately impacted by the housing crisis.
- Proposition 5 (formerly ACA1): At United Way Bay Area, we believe housing is a human right, and we are committed to supporting policies that ensure affordable housing for all. Proposition 5 is a critical measure that seeks to increase funding for affordable housing solutions across the state, helping to create more equitable access to housing for Bay Area residents. Your support for Prop 5 is a powerful step toward addressing our region’s housing crisis and ensuring that everyone has a safe and stable place to call home.
- Policy: We support policies and programs that improve conditions, remove barriers to, and increase the supply of safe and stable affordable housing. We do this by advocating for the increase of public funding for housing, the reform of exclusionary land-use policies, and the open access to housing opportunities for communities of color, as well as by centering renters at risk of displacement. Learn more about our policy work.
How to Take Action
We encourage you to Learn, Understand, and Act to support our Housing Justice work and take the next step to make the Bay Area a place for all.
