What can the Bay Area learn from Vienna’s globally recognized approach to housing for all—and what does it take to translate those ideas into California’s unique political, financial, and regulatory landscape? This panel brings together policymakers, practitioners, and housing leaders to explore how principles like housing as public infrastructure, cost-based rental models, and strategic use of public land can be adapted to meet the region’s housing needs. The conversation will examine what travels well, what requires reinvention, and how to build the coalitions, financing tools, and public will needed to deliver inclusive, mixed-income communities at scale.
As the Bay Area confronts deepening housing challenges across income levels, new approaches are gaining momentum—including social housing as a model for long-term affordability and stability. Vienna’s internationally recognized system offers a powerful example of how housing can be treated as essential civic infrastructure: publicly stewarded, sustainably financed, and designed to serve a full spectrum of residents, including the middle class.
This session provides an overview of Vienna’s social housing model—grounded in cost-based rents, limited-profit development, and strong public sector leadership—and explores how these principles are beginning to take shape in California. From emerging legislation to regional housing finance authorities and new public development models, the conversation will examine what it takes to translate global ideas into local action.
Join us for a forward-looking discussion on how the Bay Area can move toward a more stable, inclusive, and scalable housing system—one that delivers housing for all.
OUTCOMES
Define the core principles of social housing, including public stewardship, mixed-income models, and permanent affordability
Understand the key elements of Vienna’s social housing system, including cost-based rental models and limited-profit housing associations
Identify opportunities and constraints for adapting social housing approaches within California’s legal, financial, and political context
Evaluate emerging tools—such as regional housing finance authorities, public land strategies, and new legislation—that can support social housing at scale
PANELISTS
Margaret Abe Koga, Santa Clara County Supervisor
Pamela Campos, City of San Jose Councilmember
Randy Tsuda, Chief Executive Officer, Alta Housing
Regina Celestin Williams, Executive Director, sv@home
Wayne Chen, Housing Director, City of Mountain View
MODERATOR: Anu Natarajan, Managing Director, GPLA
This event is a part of Affordable Housing Month 2026.