New Directions Housing Corporation

What New Directions Housing Corporation does

New Directions Housing Corporation (NDHC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit affordable housing provider founded in 1971 and headquartered at 1617 Maple Street in Louisville, Kentucky. It manages 913 housing units housing over 1,300 residents across Louisville's West End and Southern Indiana (Floyd and Clark counties), with a portfolio that spans Section 8 subsidized housing, Section 8 senior and disabled housing, workforce housing with income limits, and Wellspring-managed specialized housing. Resident services are delivered through RentCafe (a third-party SaaS property management platform supporting online rent payment and applications), Google Analytics for web analytics, and in-person property management teams. Approximately 80% of properties are concentrated in Louisville's West End neighborhoods, including Park Hill, Parkland, California, Chickasaw, Shawnee, Portland, Algonquin, Shively, Russell, and SoBro.

The organization operates a diversified set of mission-aligned programs beyond core property management. The flagship I Rise program (launched November 2020) is the first Kentucky nonprofit-approved HUD Family Self-Sufficiency program, enabling low-income families to accumulate $3,000–$5,000 in savings over 3–5 years; it has served over 200 families and earned the 2023 NAHRO Award of Merit. Repair Affair has repaired 3,787 homes cumulatively for elderly and disabled homeowners earning below 50% of Area Median Income, and the New Albany Emergency Repair Program extends the model into Southern Indiana. Ancillary programs include St. Benedict Center for Early Childhood Education (a Head Start program serving 95 children with a 5-star Kentucky All-Stars rating), Learning Centers in Shelby Park/California/Shawnee, a USDA-designated community garden at Brandeis Apartments, Resident Peer Support Specialists, and a Real Estate Development program that rehabs and resells vacant properties to first-time homebuyers.

Revenue is generated through a hybrid model: recurring rental income (Section 8 at 30% of adjusted gross income; workforce housing at 3x rent multiples; LIHTC-restricted units); federal grants including the $6.3M HUD Green and Resilient Retrofit Program award for Directions Apartments; Kentucky Housing Corporation funding; tax-deductible individual and corporate donations (PNC Bank, Gheens Foundation, James Graham Brown Foundation); volunteer-supported free home repair services; and an annual I Rise Gala fundraiser. The customer base is highly fragmented — individual low-income families, seniors (55+), individuals with physical and mental disabilities, formerly homeless individuals, and elderly/disabled homeowners in the service area — with no material single-customer concentration. Bridgette Johnson assumed the President and CEO role on July 1, 2025, succeeding Lori Hudson Flanery and becoming the first African American woman to lead the organization.

Name

New Directions Housing Corporation

Legal name

New Directions Housing Corporation

Website

https://ndhc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1971

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

New Directions Housing Corporation is a Louisville-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded in 1971, that manages 913 affordable housing units across Louisville and Southern Indiana and delivers wraparound resident services including the I Rise financial self-sufficiency program, Repair Affair home repairs, Head Start early childhood education, and neighborhood revitalization.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Affordable Housing Services

NAICS

Other Residential Care Facilities (623990), Other Community Housing Services (624229)

SIC

Operators Of Apartment Buildings (6513), Real Estate Agents & Managers (For Others) (6531)

akta.pro primary industry

Housing & Placement Coordination (Assisted Living, Memory Care, SNF) (HSABAIAL)

Keywords

• Affordable housing services
• Property management services
• Home repair programs
• Community development
• Resident services

Headquarters

HQ city

Louisville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Rental Income from Affordable Housing Properties: Revenue generated from renting affordable housing units to qualified residents. Section 8 tenants pay 30% of adjusted gross monthly income; workforce housing tenants pay based on Low Income Tax Credit Guidelines.
2. Government Grants and Funding: Federal funding from HUD including the Green and Resilient Retrofit Program ($6.3 million for Directions Apartments), and support from Kentucky Housing Corporation. Funding supports property upgrades, operations, and special programs.
3. Individual and Corporate Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individuals and organizations supporting affordable housing mission. Donors can designate gifts to specific programs. The organization also holds fundraising events like the I Rise Gala.
4. Home Repair Program Services: Free home repair services for elderly and disabled homeowners, funded through donations and volunteer labor. Programs include Repair Affair and New Albany Emergency Repair Program.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

New Directions Housing Corporation is a nonprofit provider that develops, owns, and manages affordable rental housing for low-income individuals, families, seniors (55+), people with disabilities, and individuals transitioning from homelessness, primarily in Louisville's West End and Southern Indiana. It complements its 913 housing units with free home repair services for elderly and disabled homeowners (Repair Affair), a HUD Family Self-Sufficiency financial empowerment program (I Rise), real estate development to expand affordable housing stock, and community-building programs including early childhood education (St. Benedict Center Head Start).

Product overview

New Directions Housing Corporation operates as a nonprofit housing organization offering a portfolio of interconnected programs and housing properties across Louisville, KY and Southern Indiana. The core offerings include Property Management & Resident Services (affordable rental housing for individuals, families, seniors, and disabled), Real Estate Development (increasing and preserving affordable housing through rehab and sales), Repair Affair (free home repairs for elderly/disabled homeowners), and Community Building & Engagement. The I Rise Program serves as a HUD-approved Family Self-Sufficiency initiative—the first nonprofit-operated program of its kind in Kentucky—complemented by I Rise Mentorship. Supporting services include Learning Center Programs, Community Gardens, and Art/Murals programs. Housing inventory includes Section 8 properties (Shawnee Renaissance, Directions, Smoketown), Section 8 Senior & Disabled housing (St. John Gardens, St. William, Woodbourne House, Clifton Court), Workforce Housing (Heverin House), Workforce Housing with Income Limits (Roosevelt, Muhammad Ali Historical Properties), and Wellspring Managed Properties. Additional offerings include St. Benedict Center for Early Childhood Education (Head Start program) and the annual I Rise Gala fundraising event.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• I Rise: HUD-approved Family Self-Sufficiency program that helps low-income families achieve financial stability and self-sufficiency by allowing residents to save their rent increases in an interest-bearing account over 3-5 years.
• Repair Affair
• St. Benedict Center for Early Childhood Education

Products and services

• Property Management & Resident Services Management of 913 affordable rental housing units across multifamily, senior (55+), Section 8, workforce, formerly homeless/special needs, and physically accessible housing categories for low-income individuals, families, seniors, and people with disabilities in Louisville and Southern Indiana. Residents apply online or by phone, pay rent through property-specific RentCafe portals, and access resident services.
• Real Estate Development Real estate development program focused on increasing and preserving affordable housing stock, primarily in Louisville's West End neighborhoods; rehabs and sells vacant and abandoned properties to working-class families including first-time homebuyers while partnering with other nonprofits for additional resources.
• Repair Affair (Home Repair Program) Free home repair program for elderly and disabled low-income homeowners (age 60+ or verified disability, income below 50% of Area Median Income, $33,850 for one-person household). Provides life-changing repairs that enable recipients to safely remain in their homes longer, powered by volunteers and donations. Has repaired 3,787 homes across the program's history.
• I Rise Family Self-Sufficiency Program HUD Family Self-Sufficiency program that helps low-income NDHC residents break the cycle of poverty by saving their rent increases in an interest-bearing escrow account over 3-5 years while working toward goals (education, job training, homeownership). Upon graduation with goals met, participants receive accumulated funds typically totaling $3,000-$5,000. The first Kentucky nonprofit-operated HUD FSS program, with over 200 participating families and 5 graduates; recipient of the 2023 NAHRO Award of Merit and 2024 KHC Outstanding Performance in Resident Services.
• Community Building & Engagement Neighborhood revitalization and community engagement program engaging directly with residents, listening to needs and concerns, amplifying neighborhood voices, and working with residents as facilitators to strengthen Louisville's West End communities. Includes resident peer support specialists, community gardens, youth and lifelong learning centers, and art/mural programs.
• St. Benedict Center for Early Childhood Education Official Head Start program serving 95 low-income children, achieving a 5-star rating through the Kentucky All-Stars program. Provides early childhood education as part of NDHC's wraparound family services portfolio.
• New Albany Emergency Repair Program Home repair services for residents in Southern Indiana (Floyd and Clark counties), an expansion of NDHC's home repair work to its Southern Indiana service area. Includes short-term programs staffed by contractor teams for larger technical jobs.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1,300 people housed in 913 units
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration9 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Louisville Visual Arts (LVA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on public art murals at New Directions properties, funded by Louisville Metro Government's Imagine Grant through the Jennifer Lawrence Foundation. Four murals created at various properties.
• Russell: A Place of PromiseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to support a resident peer support specialist at Russell Apartments, New Directions' largest apartment community with 82 units.
• Metro United WayminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMetro United Way identifies affordable housing as the #1 need of people seeking its assistance, supporting New Directions' mission and providing additional resources for affordable housing production.
• NeighborWorks AmericacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational organization providing support and has rated New Directions as Exemplary for strong governance and stewardship practices.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Habitat for Humanity of Metro Louisville: Local Louisville affiliate of Habitat for Humanity, focused on affordable homeownership through new construction and rehabilitation. Direct peer sharing the same geographic market and serving similar low-income families seeking housing stability.
• Louisville Metro Housing Authority: Government housing authority operating public housing and administering Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers in Louisville. Directly comparable as the primary public-sector affordable housing provider in NDHC's core market, though it focuses on subsidized rental rather than resident services.
• Volunteers of America Mid-States: Regional nonprofit serving Kentucky, Tennessee, and Southern Indiana with housing, recovery, and human services programs. Directly comparable as a Louisville-based nonprofit providing supportive housing for low-income individuals, veterans, and those experiencing homelessness.

Broad incumbents

• The Community Builders: National nonprofit affordable housing developer and operator with over 11,000 units across 10 states. Comparable to NDHC in combining real estate development with resident services, though at larger scale and broader geographic footprint.
• BRIDGE Housing Corporation: West Coast-focused nonprofit affordable housing developer with over 13,000 units. Comparable to NDHC in mission and resident service integration, though serving a different geographic market with a for-profit/nonprofit hybrid structure.
• National Church Residences: National nonprofit senior housing and services provider operating affordable housing for seniors across 25+ states. Comparable to NDHC's senior/disabled housing operations (St. John Gardens, St. William Apartments), though at significantly larger scale.
• Enterprise Community Partners: National nonprofit that develops and operates affordable housing and provides capital through CDFI lending. Comparable to NDHC as a NeighborWorks-like organization, though with much larger national scale and additional real estate investment/development capabilities.
• Mercy Housing: One of the largest national nonprofit affordable housing developers and operators with over 50,000 units across 41 states. Comparable service model combining affordable housing with resident services, education, and health programs, though at a significantly larger scale than NDHC.

Emerging players

• National Housing Trust: National nonprofit focused on preserving and operating affordable rental housing. Comparable to NDHC's property management and resident services focus, though more focused on preservation of existing affordable units rather than mixed-program community development.

Others

• LISC (Local Initiatives Support Corporation): National CDFI providing capital, technical assistance, and grants to community development organizations including affordable housing nonprofits. Indirectly comparable as NDHC and similar NeighborWorks affiliates are common LISC funding/technical assistance recipients.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about New Directions Housing Corporation