Concerns about college costs and affordability are widespread, but who is impacted and what does that impact look like in California? Twenty-two higher education and financial aid experts with a broad array of experiences and viewpoints were asked these questions to understand more about college affordability and the policymaking landscape in California. Among the responses, there was resounding agreement that California has a college affordability problem, despite the state having long prioritized keeping tuition low or even free. Key takeaways include: (1) Affordability issues disproportionately affect lower income, underrepresented, and non-traditional students, including community college students in particular who have access to less financial aid than students at four-year institutions; (2) Affordability challenges contribute to inequities in college enrollment, completion, and student debt burdens, with low-income and minority students less likely to enroll in or complete college, and more likely to have borrowed for college; (3) Housing and food insecurity issues plague students across all types of colleges, adversely impacting students' ability to enroll, graduate, or minimize student loan debt; and (4) Existing state aid programs are not designed to sufficiently address non-tuition costs of college, including housing, food, textbooks, and transportation, particularly in high-cost areas of the state. According to every one of the experts, improving college affordability in California requires better supporting students' ability to pay for non-tuition costs such as housing, food, and transportation, with most experts believing that additional aid is especially needed at community colleges. Additionally, experts universally agreed that equity requires targeting available aid to low-income students, lower-middle-income students, non-traditional students, and particularly vulnerable students who face the greatest financial burdens in covering college costs and who often have the greatest difficulty in navigating the complex system surrounding college costs and financial aid. [Monica Griffith drafted this report.]