Housing Opportunities Made Equal

What Housing Opportunities Made Equal does

Housing Opportunities Made Equal, Inc. (HOME) is a 501(c)(3) civil rights organization founded in 1963 and headquartered at 1542 Main Street in Buffalo, New York. It is the only comprehensive fair housing agency in Western New York, serving Erie and Niagara Counties through four integrated service lines: (1) fair housing advocacy and enforcement, processing approximately 200 discrimination complaints per year through investigations, tester-based evidence gathering, and paralegal counseling; (2) education and training, including free landlord certification courses and tenant rights workshops delivered via municipal contracts; (3) the Making Moves Program, a housing mobility initiative assisting Housing Choice Voucher holders to relocate to well-resourced neighborhoods with mobility coaches and landlord incentives up to $5,000; and (4) Oxford Commons Apartments, ten units of affordable housing operated above the headquarters. The organization maintains a staff of approximately 18 employees under Executive Director M. DeAnna Eason (appointed January 1, 2017).

The organization's revenue model is grant- and donation-funded rather than transactional. It draws on federal HUD Fair Housing Initiative Program grants, New York State funding, municipal contracts (City of Buffalo, Towns of Hamburg and Amherst, Erie County CDBG Consortium), a tiered corporate sponsorship program (Champions $5,000+, Leaders $3,000+, Partners $1,000+) with named sponsors including M&T Bank, National Grid, Highmark WNY, and Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, individual memberships ranging from $10 (Student) to $1,000 (Partner), and unrestricted donations processed through Neon CRM. Direct services to discrimination victims, landlords, and voucher holders are provided free of charge; landlord training and certification are free within the WNY service area and fee-based outside contract zones.

HOME operates as a member of the New York State Fair Housing Network, which collectively services 94% of New York's population, and has participated in multi-agency enforcement actions including the $7.1 million Clover Group settlement (August 2022) and the NAACP Legal Defense Fund complaint against Avant Realty (January 2025). It has also co-filed federal complaints with partners such as People Inc. and filed the first source-of-income discrimination case under Buffalo's Fair Housing Law (2013). GTM is direct-to-consumer through walk-in intake (9am–1pm daily), phone assistance (716.854.1400), web-based reporting, community partnerships, social media (Facebook, Instagram), and the nationally recognized quarterly Insight newsletter.

Name

Housing Opportunities Made Equal

Legal name

Housing Opportunities Made Equal, Inc.

Website

https://homeny.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1963

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Founded in 1963, Housing Opportunities Made Equal is the only comprehensive fair housing agency in Western New York, serving Erie and Niagara Counties through discrimination complaint investigation, landlord certification, and the Making Moves housing mobility program for voucher holders.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fair Housing Advocacy and Civil Rights Services

akta.pro primary industry

Fair Housing, Compliance & Housing Program Oversight (FSALAKAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Affordable Housing & Community Development (Housing, Community Land Trusts) (BPAGALAC), Public & Affordable Housing Programs (Subsidies, Vouchers, Public Housing) (BPAIANAA), Housing & Neighborhood Services (Local Housing Programs) (BPAIACAJ)

Keywords

• Fair housing advocacy
• Housing discrimination enforcement
• Landlord training certification
• Housing mobility programs
• Tenant rights education

Headquarters

HQ city

Buffalo

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Membership: Individual donations and membership fees provide ongoing support. Membership levels range from $10 (Student) to $1,000 (Partner) annually. Donors become members and receive the Insight newsletter.
2. Corporate Sponsorship: Corporate sponsors at various levels (Champions $5,000+, Leaders $3,000+, Partners $1,000+) provide funding with associated recognition benefits.
3. Government Grants: Federal grants from HUD and state funding for fair housing enforcement work. May 2023 article mentions federal grants to help work against discrimination in housing.
4. Contract Services: Contracts with municipalities including City of Buffalo, Towns of Hamburg and Amherst, and Erie County CDBG Consortium for fair housing services and tenant trainings.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

HOME is a civil rights nonprofit that provides free fair housing advocacy and enforcement services to victims of housing discrimination in Western New York. Its core offerings include discrimination complaint investigation using trained testers, paralegal counseling for tenant-landlord disputes, landlord training and certification, the Making Moves housing mobility program for Section 8 voucher holders, and operation of affordable housing through Oxford Commons Apartments.

Product overview

Housing Opportunities Made Equal (HOME) is a civil rights nonprofit organization that operates as a single integrated service rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture. Its core offerings consist of fair housing advocacy and enforcement services, landlord training and certification programs, and housing mobility assistance programs. The organization provides educational publications including the Guide to Landlords' Rights, Tenants' Rights Guide, and fair housing awareness brochures available in multiple languages. Additionally, HOME publishes the Insight and Access newsletters and operates Oxford Commons Apartments as affordable housing. These services work together to fulfill HOME's mission of ensuring equal housing opportunity through education, advocacy, and enforcement of fair housing laws in Western New York.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Making Moves Program (MMP): Comprehensive mobility program assisting Housing Choice Voucher holders move to well-resourced neighborhoods in Erie and Niagara Counties.
• Making Moves Program for Landlords
• Oxford Commons
• Insight Newsletter
• Access Newsletter

Products and services

• Fair Housing Services Comprehensive fair housing services including recording and investigating discrimination complaints, paralegal counseling for landlords and tenants, client advocacy, case preparation for legal action, and victim support services. HOME processes approximately 200 housing discrimination cases annually for residents of Western New York.
• Landlord Training and Certification Free landlord certification courses and fair housing trainings offered monthly via live webinar and on-demand for landlords, property managers, and real estate professionals in Western New York. Covers fair housing law, protected classes, discriminatory practices avoidance, tenant screening, reasonable accommodations, and landlord rights and responsibilities.
• Making Moves Program (MMP) A comprehensive housing mobility program assisting Housing Choice Voucher holders move to designated well-resourced areas in Erie and Niagara counties. Provides housing search assistance, moving expense support, security deposit assistance, mandatory workshops, credit counseling referrals, and ongoing support through mobility coaches.
• Mobility Assistance Program for Landlords Program offering landlords who rent to Making Moves Program participants one-time property improvement grants up to $5,000, security deposit payments, assistance with PHA communication, guaranteed rent payments through HCV, and tenant-landlord mediation services.
• Housing Search Assistance Housing search assistance services for anyone needing help finding available housing. Staff help identify units based on bedroom needs, budget, and preferred areas.
• Oxford Commons Apartments Affordable housing apartments located at 1542 Main Street above HOME offices in Buffalo, NY. Applications available by mail, email, or phone.
• Guide to Landlords' Rights (6th Edition) Sixth edition publication (129 pages, copyright 2022) covering landlord rights, Erie County and NYS law changes, DSS Security Agreements, domestic violence protections, occupancy standards, lead abatement, tenant screening, leases, security deposits, and eviction procedures.
• Tenants' Rights Guide Free guide from the NYS Attorney General's office available in English and Spanish, providing comprehensive information on tenant rights.
• Choosing Good Tenants: A Practical Guide for Landlords Free publication providing practical guidance for landlords on tenant selection and management.
• Housing Discrimination: Know Your Rights! Brochure Free brochure explaining how to recognize and respond to housing discrimination, available in English, Spanish, Arabic, Somali, Burmese, and Karen languages.

Quantifiable outcome

• 200 discrimination cases processed annually
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor, moderate and core.

• Clover GroupminorOthers · 11 August 2022Clover Group settled fair housing lawsuit for $7.1 million; HOME and six other fair housing agencies participated in the settlement for disability discrimination at 38 affordable senior housing properties.
• Erie County Fair Housing PartnershipmoderateStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 February 2020Partnership created to address income discrimination under the Erie County Fair Housing Law; first lawsuits filed in February 2020
• New York State Fair Housing NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHOME is one of six full-service fair housing organizations in NYS Fair Housing Network, which collectively services 94% of New York's population. The network works to advance fair housing policies and expand housing opportunities statewide.
• Housing AuthoritycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Housing Authority for the Making Moves Program, helping Housing Choice Voucher holders move to well-resourced neighborhoods. HOME assists with extensions and reasonable accommodations.
• RTJ EnterprisesminorOthersRTJ Enterprises manages Oxford Commons Apartments located at 1542 Main Street above HOME offices.
• Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer CentermoderateGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor at the Leader level ($3,000+); partners on landlord training workshops

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC): National CDFI supporting affordable housing and community development. HOME refers clients to LISC for housing and economic development resources; LISC funds many of the same community-based fair housing initiatives HOME supports.
• Erie County Fair Housing Partnership: Local partnership co-founding HOME in 2020 to address income discrimination under the Erie County Fair Housing Law. Direct coalition partner; comparable enforcement focus but organized as a partnership rather than a standalone agency.

Direct peers

• CNY Fair Housing: Central New York–based nonprofit fair housing organization offering complaint investigation, testing, and education. Direct peer within the NY State Fair Housing Network, operating with the same enforcement, education, and outreach model as HOME.
• Long Island Housing Services (LIHS): Long Island–based fair housing nonprofit providing discrimination investigations, housing mobility counseling, and training. Direct regional peer within NYS Fair Housing Network with the same enforcement-and-mobility operating model as HOME.
• Fair Housing Justice Center: NYC-metro fair housing organization conducting testing, investigations, and enforcement. Sister agency in NYS Fair Housing Network with a comparable integrated enforcement/education model.
• Westchester Residential Opportunities (WRO): Westchester County fair housing nonprofit providing testing, complaint investigation, and housing counseling. Sister agency in the NY State Fair Housing Network with mission, services, and funding model closely aligned to HOME.

Regional players

• Housing Opportunities & Maintenance for the Elderly (HOME NYC): NYC-based housing services nonprofit focused on elderly housing, anti-eviction support, and home repairs. Comparable mission and similar acronym; overlaps with HOME on housing stability but is geographically separate and elder-focused.
• Connecticut Fair Housing Center: Connecticut-based fair housing nonprofit providing investigations, testing, and education. Comparable operating model to HOME but operating in a different state geography.

Emerging players

• Belmont Housing Resources for WNY: WNY affordable housing developer and operator that partners with HOME on Section 8 voucher acceptance and referrals. Local peer in the affordable-housing delivery ecosystem serving overlapping clients.

Broad incumbents

• National Fair Housing Alliance (NFHA): National umbrella and advocacy organization for the fair housing movement in the US. NFHA is the broad incumbent that HOME operates within as a regional enforcement affiliate; both share the testing, enforcement, and policy mandate.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/HOMEnyinc
• Instagraminstagram.com/homenyorg
• Xx.com/HOMEnyorg

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Housing Opportunities Made Equal