In June 2025, a claim (archived) circulated online that Batman actor Christian Bale was building 12 homes in a $22 million village in Palmdale, California, that aimed to keep siblings in the foster-care system together.
One popular Facebook claim read: "Christian Bale Is Building 12 Foster Homes That Aim to Keep Siblings in the Foster Care System Together and Under the Same Roof."
The claim circulated on X (archived), Instagram (archived) and Bluesky (archived), where posts included an alleged $22 million price for the development. Snopes readers also searched our site for more information about the rumor.
The heartwarming claim is true. Bale and Together California, a charity founded by the actor; his wife, Sibi; and UCLA Dr. Eric Esrailian, broke ground on the project in 2024. According to Together California, the village, located near Palmdale, will feature 12 homes and a community center. The project was estimated to cost $22 million at the time of the groundbreaking, according to international media.
According to Together California's Facebook page (archived), construction remained ongoing in June 2025. In May 2025, CBS reported the village was hoping to welcome its first children "next year."
CBS also reported that "trained foster parents" would take care of the children living in the village.
According to AC Martin, the architects on the project, Together California's "Village for Brothers and Sisters" will feature 12 town house units for children in foster care, two studio units for young adults transitioning out of the foster-care system, a 7,000-square-foot community building and outdoor space.
Bale first got involved with the U.S. foster-care system in 2008, according to CBS, after considering what would happen to his own daughter if she were left without her parents.