The Cause

What is affordable housing?

• The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) considers housing to be affordable to a low-income family as long as the cost of housing, including rent or mortgage/tax payments plus basic utilities minus telephone and internet service, does not exceed 30% (before taxes).
• In 2001, 4.8 million low to moderate income working families spent more than 1/2 of their income on housing. By 2010, this number had jumped to 9.5 million – just shy of doubling in just 9 years. Over time people are not making enough each year to keep pace with rising living costs.

The housing issues of an individual family are going to be as unique as they are, but in general there are three main issues facing citizens in the United States when it comes to housing.

•  Cost burdens: residents pay an excessively large percentage of income on housing costs. The total number of all renters in 2009 experiencing a housing cost burden(using 30% rule) increased to 18.5 million from 17.4 million in 2008. An additional 14.3 million households spend over 50 percent.
• Physical inadequacy: Lack of hot water, electricity, toilets, bathtubs, and showers are examples of severe physical deficiencies. Unsafe stairs, ramps, and roofs account for just some of the structural dangers families live with. One in seven poor families lives in housing which is physically dangerous or inadequate.
• Overcrowding: the number of people living in the house is greater than the total number of rooms in the house. Notoriously difficult to track.

Why should I care about affordable housing?

• Housing is one of the most basic forms of health care.  People who have stable, affordable housing not only have an improved quality of life, but also are more compliant with taking their medication
• Families already pay too much of their income for housing, leaving less income for critical expenses such as food and medical care
• Housing development creates jobs and helps local economies. A lack of affordable housing stifles economic growth, adds to traffic problems, creates worker stress, and generally impacts the quality of life in our region
• Affordable housing is good for families. Well-kept, reasonably priced housing provides children with a safe and healthy place to live. Children who grow up in stable housing are more successful in school, and are physically and socially healthier
• People have more time for their families and volunteering in their community if they don’t have to commute long distances

So what is this Bike and Build?

• A 501 (c)(3) that produces cross-country fundraising cycling trips, open to participants ages 18-25
• Eight trips leave and bike cross country, one trip is a regional ride Richmond, VA to DC and then on to Philadelphia
• Over eight seasons, Bike & Build has contributed $3,387,200 to housing groups to fund projects planned and executed by young adults
• In the summer of 2011 they raised more than $605,000
• Bike and Build was listed as a 2014 Top Rated Nonprofit by Great Nonprofits

For more information keep checking in with the blog's main page because I will post interesting statistics, stories and random bits of information as we get closer to the start date!