Affordable Housing Trust for Columbus and Franklin County

What Affordable Housing Trust for Columbus and Franklin County does

The Affordable Housing Trust for Columbus and Franklin County (AHT), founded in 2001 and headquartered at 175 S. Third Street in Columbus, Ohio, is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit lender certified in February 2016 as a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) by the U.S. Department of the Treasury. AHT provides construction, acquisition, and rehabilitation loans to community development corporations, builders, and developers building affordable rental, supportive, and homeownership projects across Columbus, Franklin County, and — via the Regional Impact Fund (RIF) — an eight-county Central Ohio region. Revenue generation follows a CDFI nonprofit model: net interest margin and fees on the loan portfolio, supplemented by recurring appropriations from the City of Columbus bed tax and Franklin County transfer fees, federal CDFI Fund grants enabled by certification, and corporate/philanthropic contributions (notably a $10M JP Morgan Chase commitment in 2024). The product portfolio spans four core vehicles: core developer lending, the $100M Housing Action Fund (HAF) revolving facility closed in January 2020, the RIF for eight-county regional deployment, and the Emerging Developers Accelerator Program (EDAP), a multi-cohort accelerator cultivating minority developers. Grant Programs for Housing Innovation and a client portal round out the suite. Cumulative deployment exceeds $560M across 300+ projects since inception, with 2025 alone delivering $39.7M of closed loans, 1,385 units supported, and $420M of Central Ohio economic impact.

Go-to-market is direct, consultative, and relationship-driven: developers engage with the Director of Lending (David Butcher) for consultation, application submission, underwriting, and board or investment-committee approval, followed by closing. Pricing is below-market (specific terms not disclosed), with affordability criteria calibrated to Area Median Income targets from 30% to 80% AMI across project sizes ranging from 2-4 units to 200-400 units. Customers span enterprise for-profit developers (Woda Group, LDG Multifamily, Avenue Partners, McCormack Baron Salazar), nonprofit developers (Community Housing Network, Homeport, National Church Residences, The Community Builders, YWCA), and government housing authorities (Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority). Marketing channels center on a monthly newsletter, annual reports, project groundbreaking events, EDAP cohort activities, and referral partnerships (Ohio Housing Locator, CMHA, AHACO coalition). The organization is governed by a 13-member Board of Directors chaired by Sean Grant and operates with a 11-15 person staff led by President & CEO Ian Labitue, CFO Brian McClellan (effective January 2026), Controller Jay Conroy, and a senior team of directors across lending, legal, portfolio management, capital development, and communications functions.

Name

Affordable Housing Trust for Columbus and Franklin County

Legal name

Affordable Housing Trust for Columbus and Franklin County

Website

https://hztrust.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Affordable Housing Trust for Columbus and Franklin County is a 501(c)(3) CDFI-certified nonprofit lender that provides below-market construction, acquisition, and rehabilitation loans to developers of affordable rental, supportive, and homeownership projects across Central Ohio.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Development Lending

NAICS

Community Housing Services (62422), Continuing Care Retirement Communities and Assisted Living Facilities for the Elderly (62331)

SIC

Services-To Dwellings & Other Buildings (7340), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Affordable Housing & Community Development (Housing, Community Land Trusts) (BPAGALAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Rural, Tribal & Special-Population Housing Programs (FSALAKAL), Affordable & Subsidized Housing Property Management (LIHTC, Section 8) (BPAJAFAD), Housing & Neighborhood Services (Local Housing Programs) (BPAIACAJ)

Keywords

• Community development lending
• Affordable housing finance
• CDFI loan products
• Construction lending services
• Nonprofit mortgage lending

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbus

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Loan Interest and Fees: AHT generates revenue through interest and fees on loans provided to developers for affordable housing construction, acquisition, and rehabilitation. As a CDFI-certified nonprofit lender, they provide below-market loans and generate operating revenue through their lending activities.
2. Government Funding (City of Columbus): Funding comes from a portion of the City of Columbus bed tax. This provides a recurring public funding stream for operations and lending activities.
3. Government Funding (Franklin County): Funding comes from Franklin County's transfer fee for the sale of properties. This provides a recurring public funding stream based on property transactions.
4. CDFI Federal Grants: CDFI Fund certification (obtained in 2015/2016) allows AHT to apply for federal grants from the U.S. Department of the Treasury CDFI Fund.
5. Corporate and Institutional Contributions: Additional funding comes from financial institutions, corporations, and other organizations. Examples include JP Morgan Chase $10 million commitment and U.S. Bank Foundation $50,000 grant.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Affordable Housing Trust for Columbus and Franklin County (AHT) is an independent, CDFI-certified nonprofit lender founded in 2001 that provides below-market construction, acquisition, and rehabilitation loans to community development corporations, builders, and developers for affordable rental, supportive, and homeownership projects. Its offerings are organized around the core lending business plus dedicated capital facilities — the $100 million Housing Action Fund (HAF) and the multi-county Regional Impact Fund (RIF) — supplemented by the Emerging Developers Accelerator Program (EDAP) and a Grant Program for Housing Innovation.

Product overview

Affordable Housing Trust for Columbus and Franklin County (AHT) operates as a certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) offering a portfolio of lending programs and developer support services. The core offering consists of loan products for affordable housing development, supplemented by the Housing Action Fund (a $100M revolving loan facility), the Regional Impact Fund (extending operations to eight central Ohio counties), the EDAP accelerator program for minority developers, and a Grant Program for Housing Innovation supporting home repairs and nonprofit housing initiatives. Clients access services through a dedicated Client Portal.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Affordable Housing Trust (AHT) Core Lending Services Below-market construction, acquisition, and rehabilitation loans provided to community development corporations, builders, and developers for affordable rental, supportive, and homeownership projects in Columbus and Franklin County. Projects range from 2-4 units to 200-400 units based on AMI affordability commitments.
• Housing Action Fund (HAF) A $100 million revolving loan facility operated by AHT to address affordable and workforce housing needs in Columbus and Franklin County. Provides below-market loans to developers who commit to affordability criteria, with investment committee approval. Deployed $80 million and created/preserved 2,200+ units over three years, leveraging an estimated $433 million in new economic activity.
• AHT Regional Impact Fund (RIF) A regional expansion of AHT's lending model, providing flexible financing for affordable housing development across an eight-county area in central Ohio including Franklin and contiguous counties plus Knox County. Operates with $60+ million in capital in partnership with Licking County Housing Investment Fund and other regional counties.
• Emerging Developers Accelerator Program (EDAP) Cohort-based accelerator program that cultivates emerging developers, particularly women and people of color, by providing technical assistance, access to capital pathways, and ongoing consulting to create pathways to development careers and expand the pipeline of developers engaging with AHT. Publicly supported by Mayor Andrew J. Ginther and the City of Columbus.
• Grant Program for Housing Innovation Grant program providing funding for home repairs disbursed through nonprofit organizations to individuals, plus non-production project grants to nonprofits for housing-related initiatives.
• Client Portal Online self-service portal at hztrust.commongoalsportal.com that provides existing borrowers with access to manage their loan accounts and interact with AHT.

Quantifiable outcome

• 300+ successful projects completed over 20+ years
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered supporting and core.

• TFG Housing Resources, LLCsupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2024Myia Batie, Senior VP of Development at TFG Housing Resources, joined AHT's Board of Directors, bringing expertise in affordable housing finance from Enterprise Community Partners and Ohio Capital Corporation for Housing.
• Multiple County Partners (for Regional Impact Fund)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2023Partnership with Licking County Housing Investment Fund and other regional counties to expand affordable housing development beyond Franklin County into an eight-county region.
• City of Columbus (Mayor Andrew J. Ginther)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021City leadership collaborated on EDAP program launch, with Mayor Ginther providing public support for the minority developer cultivation program designed to increase supply of affordable housing.
• Affordable Housing Alliance of Central Ohio (AHACO)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Coalition of organizations that developed, operated, and funded affordable housing in central Ohio. Conducted research showing 54,000 Franklin County households pay more than half of income for housing, and developed the plan that led to Housing Action Fund creation.
• Ohio Housing LocatorsupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorReferral partner for individuals seeking affordable rental housing. AHT directs prospective tenants to this resource since AHT is a lender, not a housing provider.
• Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey partner for public housing initiatives. Multiple joint projects including Legacy Pointe at Poindexter, Columbus Scholar House, and Harriet's Hope. CMHA also receives referrals for Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher holders.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC): National CDFI providing financing and capacity-building for community development, including affordable housing lending. Directly comparable CDFI structure and mission, with similar focus on bridging public and private capital for community development.
• Enterprise Community Partners: National CDFI and affordable housing organization with extensive lending and development programs. Comparable in CDFI certification, mission focus, and developer financing activities, though operating at significantly larger scale across multiple geographies.

Direct peers

• Low Income Investment Fund (LIIF): CDFI focused on financing affordable housing and community facilities for low-income communities. Comparable mission, CDFI certification, and developer-targeted lending model.
• IFF (formerly Illinois Facilities Fund): CDFI providing financing for nonprofits, including affordable housing developers. Comparable in CDFI structure, below-market lending approach, and focus on community development outcomes.
• Reinvestment Fund: CDFI providing affordable housing and community development financing across multiple states. Comparable in CDFI structure, mission-driven lending approach, and community development focus.
• National Housing Trust: Nonprofit affordable housing organization that acquires, develops, and finances affordable rental housing. Comparable mission and operating model focused on preserving and creating affordable housing through financing mechanisms.
• Ohio Capital Corporation for Housing (OCCH): Ohio-focused CDFI providing affordable housing financing, including LIHTC syndication and construction loans. Highly comparable to AHT given similar state-level focus, nonprofit CDFI structure, and developer-targeted lending model serving overlapping Ohio markets.

Others

• Housing Partnership Network: Network of nonprofit affordable housing developers and lenders. Comparable ecosystem participants; AHT's developer customers include members of similar networks, making HPN an adjacent peer in the broader affordable housing capital ecosystem.
• Chase Community Development Banking: Major financial institution's community development arm that has committed $10M to AHT. Adjacent as a capital partner rather than direct competitor, representing the type of institutional funder whose participation is critical to AHT's growth strategy.

Emerging players

• Habitat for Humanity International: Major nonprofit affordable housing organization with local affiliates. While broader in mission including homeownership and advocacy, local Habitat affiliates receive AHT financing and represent overlapping affordable housing development activities in central Ohio.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 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 Affordable Housing Trust for Columbus and Franklin County