The root of the housing affordability problem is the lack of low-income housing programs at the scale necessary to make significant progress. Therefore, the major challenge is to build a constituency, reaching beyond housers, to deal effectively with the housing problems of one-third of this Nation’s households. To this end, we must address and correct misperceptions of housing programs and present more positive images. The emphasis given by many to worst case housing needs has obscured the extent of our real housing needs. As currently defined, worst case housing needs refer to fewer than one-half of all unsubsidized, very low-income renter households, and ignore the less critical but still real problems of an additional 21 million households. These households have somewhat higher incomes than those with severe problems, and a comprehensive approach to meeting their needs as well as those with acute problems could significantly expand the constituency for housing assistance.