Why We Ride

The Affordable Housing Cause

Pedaling for Affordable Housing since 2003.

What Is Affordable Housing?

A home is affordable if payments plus taxes and basic utilities do not exceed 30% of a household’s gross income.

Unfortunately, far too many people in the United States do not have the financial means to rent or own a home that is affordable, safe, and durable.

Extremely Low-Income (ELI) individuals and families, whose income as at or below 30% of the median income in their area, often spend over 50% of their incomes on housing. This leaves them with few funds left over for basic nutritional, medical, and educational needs. According to the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) 1 out of 4 rental households (11+ million households) in the U.S., fall into this category.

As the federal minimum wage has stagnated at $7.25 since 2009, it is increasingly difficult to keep pace with rising costs. To afford the national Fair Market Rent for a one-bedroom apartment, an individual would need to work 94.5 hours at minimum wage.

Because of rising costs, many families are relegated to homes that are inexpensive but considered physically inadequate. Such homes may lack access to basic utilities (e.g., electricity), or they may include units with structural deficiencies (e.g., handicap inaccessibility, poor insulation, and damaged roofs). These realities impact millions of homes across the country.

Our Approach

Pedaling for Affordable Housing

Bike & Build is so much more than just a yearly bike trip. From when riders sign up for a trip, to on the road, to post-trip impact, Bike & Build addresses affordable housing from many angles and throughout all aspects of our program.

Education

Service

Advocacy

Our riders are very much ambassadors for the affordable housing cause. Riders prepare host presentations for the various church congregations and other community members who may host them overnight or for a meal in order to talk a little bit about the cause and why they are dedicating their summer to this cause. In communities through which they pass, riders talk to local residents and spread the message of what it means to pedal for affordable housing.

Service

On the road, rider teams stop about every fifth day and riders trade their bikes for hammers or saws to help on an affordable housing build site with a local affiliate. For Bike & Builders, “days off” are really “days on” as riders serve alongside local community members in a hands-on application of Bike & Build’s mission to impact affordable housing. Additionally, prior to the trip every rider must complete 15 hours of “sweat equity” volunteer work on a local affordable housing affiliate site in their communities.

In 2019, Bike & Build introduced “Affordable Housing Days” – a chance for teams to take a day off of their bikes and connect with local communities about local affordable housing issues and community solutions.

Education

Every Bike & Build rider participates in a curriculum designed to inform not only our riders, but also the community members that our riders meet during the summer. Pre-trip, riders will read about and discuss in small groups the various issues surrounding the cause: public housing; sustainability; socioeconomic influences; etc.

They will also meet with an individual in their community impacted by the crisis. During the trip, each rider will share what they’ve learned from those conversations, both with their fellow Bike & Build teammates and with the community members they meet on the road.

Research

These organizations have a wealth of resources on affordable housing:

Volunteer

Find out what is going on in your community. Organizations are always eager for volunteer help. Here’s a few to check out:

Can’t find an affiliate near you? Want additional resources? Email us to find out who you can connect with in your area.

How You Can Help

Support The Organization

Our Programs

Programs