Priscilla Chan’s Partnership for the Bay’s Future has protected 73,000 tenants and financed 4,400 homes across five Bay Area counties, according to the CZI’s April 2024 report. The initiative launched in 2019 to tackle the region’s affordable‑housing crisis while advancing racial equity and economic inclusion.
CZI reported that 36 policies were proposed and 13 passed, with Berkeley’s Preference Policy and Antioch’s Cottage Communities on Faith‑Owned Land among the successes. Community groups brought renter and low‑income voices to local, state and regional meetings, while the policy fund supplied technical assistance to municipalities.
The finance arm raised nearly $600 million and facilitated $404 million in investments; 90% of the units were aimed at households earning 80% of the area median income or less, with half targeting those earning 50% or less. CZI’s $50 million seed capital was low‑cost and risk‑tolerant, encouraging other funders to join. The loan funds are managed by Local Initiatives Support Corporation Bay Area.
More than 20,000 community members engaged with the program, and 11,000 people have received new or preserved homes. The partnership stresses protecting existing affordable units to prevent displacement as rents rise. Similar preservation tactics are seen in Los Angeles’s Local Rental Owners Collaborative.
Looking ahead, CZI will roll out additional policy support and financing next year to close remaining gaps and expand the number of affordable units. This model demonstrates how private philanthropy can pair with policy and market mechanisms to address long‑standing housing shortages.