October 2023

A letter from the President & CEO: Celebrating 40 years of strengthening communities—beginning, but not ending, with affordable housing.

Dear Partners, Friends, and Supporters,

This year marks BRIDGE Housing’s 40th anniversary, and we have a lot to celebrate. Since our founding in 1983, BRIDGE has grown to be one of the preeminent affordable housing providers on the West Coast, delivering more than 21,000 homes–nearly $5.2 billion in new housing, from San Diego to Seattle–with more than 8,000 units in the development pipeline. Today, we have more than 30,000 residents living in 13,500 units in California, Oregon, and Washington, and we deliver over 60,000 hours of programming and services for our residents annually.

We would not be where we are today without the talent and determination of many committed supporters and partners. These include our visionary founding leaders, board members, business partners, and local government officials. And, of course, none of our achievements would be possible without the commitment and dedication of our many team members over these past four decades.

While we’re proud of our accomplishments, we also recognize the enormous work still ahead to address the urgent challenge of affordable housing in some of our nation’s costliest markets. BRIDGE was founded on the belief that communities can truly flourish only when residents can access a safe and affordable place to live. We still believe that today, and we are more committed than ever to do “whatever it takes” to make a difference for families and communities for 40 more years and beyond.

Thank you for your support.

Kenneth T. Lombard

President and CEO

BRIDGE Housing

Annual Report

Our 2022-2023 Annual Report chronicles BRIDGE’s work over the past year and acknowledges our generous donors. Their support allows us to invest in the lives of our residents by building and maintaining quality homes, providing supportive services, and creating vibrant communities.

Major Grants Awarded to Three California Developments

Three BRIDGE developments in California have been awarded a total of $119 million in state funding under the Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities (AHSC) program, which aims to promote transit-oriented development and lower housing-related carbon emissions. The awards will support affordable housing and sustainable transportation infrastructure at communities in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Sacramento. The AHSC program is administered by the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) and California Strategic Growth Council (SGC).

Sustaining

Transformational Gift

BRIDGE Housing received a generous donation from pioneering philanthropist MacKenzie Scott’s Yield Giving organization. The unrestricted $8 million grant – the largest gift in BRIDGE’s history – will aid our ambitious growth plans and catalyze our mission to strengthen communities and improve lives by providing safe, stable, and affordable housing.

“We are deeply grateful to MacKenzie Scott for her generosity and her confidence in our innovative leadership in addressing the housing affordability crisis for working families on the West Coast,” said BRIDGE President and CEO Ken Lombard.

Orkney Trust Grant

Orkney Trust provided BRIDGE with a $1M gift to support capital improvements to BRIDGE’s portfolio of 13,000 high-quality apartments that are home to 30,000 low- and middle-income residents on the West Coast.

“We greatly appreciate the Orkney Trust’s generous gift, which will enhance our ability to maintain the highest standards in housing, amenities, and services for our residents,” said Ken Lombard, BRIDGE President and CEO. “Major charitable donations like this are vital because BRIDGE is committed to preserving and operating existing communities while also seeking to create new affordable housing through development and acquisitions.”

Celebrating Resident Scholars

This fall, BRIDGE awarded $520,430 in competitive scholarships to 55 residents pursuing their education and career goals. We look forward to honoring our new scholarship recipients at our 40^th Anniversary luncheon on November 7th. Thank you to our generous donors and sponsors who make these scholarships possible!

Check out our impact report here.

Leading

BRIDGE Welcomes Mary Jane Jagodzinski

In July, Mary Jane Jagodzinski joined BRIDGE as Senior Vice President of Development – Southern California. During her career of 30+ years, Ms. Jagodzinski has demonstrated expertise in strategic planning, acquisition, entitlements, project financing, design and construction, initial-lease up, and project closeout.

BRIDGE President & CEO Ken Lombard shares, “Mary Jane has an outstanding track record of success executing and innovating in every market cycle with expertise in strategic planning, acquisition, entitlements, sustainable and cost-effective design, as well as public and private finance. We look forward to her leadership as we continue to build our presence in Southern California.”

BRIDGE Welcomes Tina Hahn

Tina Hahn joined BRIDGE in August as Vice President of Strategic Projects, overseeing strategic project initiatives, from development through successful execution, in accordance with BRIDGE’s mission and core values. During her 20+ year career, Ms. Hahn has distinguished herself as a results-oriented, data-driven strategist and leader. Most recently, she was Director of Investor Relations for Include Ventures, which focused on investing in diverse fund managers and founders in early-stage ventures.

“We’re excited to welcome Tina to our team in this new role,” said BRIDGE President and CEO Ken Lombard. “Her depth of experience and business acumen will add tremendous value and help us advance strategies to take BRIDGE to the next level.”