Housing is much more than four walls and a roof,  basic shelter, and a place to eat and sleep. Home is where people grow, think, learn, relax and form their first bonds and relationships. Housing is particularly important for young children because it is the foundation on which they build the rest of their lives. Children’s healthy development requires that a home be sturdy and free of toxic hazards, and provide a place for them to eat well, play safely and sleep soundly. In short, the quality of a home affects a child’s ability to grow, think, learn, relax and form those critical early bonds, initiating a promising or problematic trajectory. This trajectory can translate into not only school and life success or failure for the child, but also serious economic consequences for society. At the most basic level, the lack of affordable housing puts safe, healthy, well-maintained housing out of reach for too many families, leaving children in homes that can impede their development. Affordability problems also lead to increased residential mobility, which has detrimental effects on educational attainment.