NeighborWorks Orange County recently had the opportunity to participate in two impactful events focused on housing access and community investment—each highlighting the power of collaboration in solving California’s affordable housing challenges.
In Santa Ana, we joined the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco and a group of local housing leaders for a roundtable centered on addressing the rising cost of homeownership in our region. As working families across Orange County continue to face growing barriers to stable housing, we discussed actionable ways to expand housing inventory, improve access to ownership, and create practical, market-based solutions.
One of the ideas highlighted during this roundtable was the More Homes on the Market Act, a federal initiative aimed at encouraging more homeowners to sell by increasing the capital gains exclusion on home sales. This would not only help individuals retain more of their investment, but also potentially bring much-needed housing stock to market.
Shortly after, NeighborWorks Orange County headed to Sacramento for the California Coalition for Community Investment (CCCI) Summit and CDFI Advocacy Day 2025, where we joined fellow community lenders in advocating for greater support of Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs). These mission-driven institutions play a critical role in delivering affordable, responsible financial services to people, businesses, and neighborhoods that are often underserved by traditional finance.
Throughout the day, we met with several state legislators and their staff, including representatives from our home region—Senator Tom Umberg’s District 34 office and Assemblymember Avelino Valencia of District 68. We shared the importance of continuing to support CDFI-financed housing, small business, and nonprofit projects, and emphasized the need for renewed funding to the California Investment and Innovation Program (Cal IIP)—a key resource in ensuring affordable housing solutions can move forward.
As an organization committed to expanding homeownership and building strong communities, we know that long-term change requires partnership—between nonprofits, financial institutions, lawmakers, and residents. Whether advocating locally or at the state level, NeighborWorks Orange County will continue to champion the policies, programs, and investments that bring stability and opportunity to the people we serve.
Because together, we can turn shared vision into real progress.
