Here in the Bay Area, affordable housing is a highly debated topic as the costs and demand for housing continues to rise with supply not keeping up with this upwards trend. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development considers families who pay more than 30% of their income for housing as burdened and may have difficulty affording necessities such as food, 
clothing, transportation and medical care. Currently, there are an estimated 12 million renter and homeowner households who pay more than 50% of their annual incomes for housing. A family with one full-time worker earning the minimum wage cannot afford the local fair-market rent for a two-bedroom apartment anywhere in the United States.
These facts and statistics are a large part of the reason why I am participating as a rider with Bike & Build this summer. Bike & Build engages young adults in cycling trips to benefit affordable housing. I will be participating in a 4,000 mile ride from Providence, RI to Seattle, WA assisting with affordable housing builds, reviewing and vetting grants to housing nonprofits, and raising awareness of this critical need.
If you want to contribute and support my ride and affordable housing across the U.S., you can read my bio and donate here. To follow along on my journey, go to http://bikeandbuild.org/follow-2016-trips/.
Housing should be a basic right granted to every person, regardless of income. Let’s work to make that a reality.
