The housing and real estate policy area encompasses information on housing affordability, density and crowding, development and creation, and government assistance. As the most populous county in the United States, the supply of housing has been a key issue for decades. Housing policy is influenced at the federal level by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and further impacted by the California state government, fluctuations in the housing market, and local property owners.

In the absence of safe and affordable housing, populations will cease to thrive socially and economically. Understanding housing issues across neighborhoods can provide key insights into patterns in other policy areas like employment and income, health, and social connectedness.