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June Is National Homeownership Month



Homeownership builds financial security and can drastically help people improve their net worth. The net worth of a typical homeowner is nearly 40 times the net worth of a non-owner. Home equity and retirement accounts represent over 60% of households’ net worth.

In the last decade, middle-income homeowners have accumulated $122,000 in wealth due to price appreciation alone.


However, a historic 50-year record shortage of affordable homes available for purchase has severely limited access to the residential real estate market.

A landmark report commissioned by NAR last year found the U.S. has developed an “underbuilding gap” of 5.5 million housing units over the last 20 years. This translates into a $4.4 trillion underinvestment in housing.


The housing shortage is constraining homeownership opportunities for too many Americans.

There are currently 280,000 homes listed for sale that middle-income families can afford to buy, a marked decline from 450,000 homes in 2019.


For middle-income households, there is only one affordable listing for every 125 households, a stark decrease from one listing for every 46 households in 2019.


Over the last two years, the percentage of single-family homes sold below $250,000 has plummeted from 47% of sales to 28%.


Apply for a Community Foundation Grant! (Deadline: July 31)

The Bridge Association of REALTORS® Community Foundation awards grants* annually to support essential community programs in the categories of Youth Arts and Education, Senior Services Community Activities, and Workforce Housing and Homeless within Albany, Berkeley, Emeryville, Kensington, Oakland, and Piedmont.

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Each year, the grant submission period opens on June 1 and remains open until July 31 at 11:59 pm.


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*The maximum grant size awarded is $3,500.00.


Eligibility Guidelines

Requests for grants should be specific in their targeted use for the funds and cannot be used for general funds. Your non-profit organization must have tax-exempt status under section 501(c)(3) or have a fiscal sponsor that is a tax-exempt entity. Basic criteria include the following:

  • Funds must be used for a specific project/event

  • The project/event must occur between September 1 of the application year to July 15 of the following year

  • Your organization’s annual budget must be less than $1,000,000

  • Your organization must provide services in Alameda or Contra Costa County in the cities of Albany, Berkeley, Emeryville, Kensington, Oakland, and Piedmont.

  • Your request can be to start a new program

  • Your request can be to fund special project-specific salaries and stipends

  • Your request cannot be to fund regular full or part-time salaries


Honorary Member For Life Application Deadline: Sep 1, 2023


Honorary Member for Life status is a prestigious membership distinction and eligible & approved members will have their State Association dues paid in full for life! To qualify, applicants must have been C.A.R. members for at least 25 years and be at least 75 years old at the time of submission. Please note that the deadline to submit your honorary-member-for-life applications is September 1st, 2023.


To apply, please contact staff@bridgeaor.org along with a copy of your government-issued ID – Bridge AOR will complete the application for the applicant.

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