NeighborWorks New Horizons

What NeighborWorks New Horizons does

NeighborWorks New Horizons (NWNH) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1992 and headquartered at 235 Grand Avenue in New Haven, Connecticut. NWNH develops, owns, and manages a portfolio of more than 800 affordable rental housing units and 12 commercial units across New Haven, Fairfield, Southern Hartford, and New London Counties, serving low-to-moderate income households earning between 25% and 80% of Area Median Income (AMI), as well as seniors aged 62+ at dedicated senior properties such as Winter Grove (Southington), Elias Howe, and St. Paul's Commons (Bridgeport). The organization holds a Community Housing Development Organization (CHDO) designation from both the City of New Haven's Livable City Initiative and the State of Connecticut's Department of Housing, and is a Connecticut Housing Finance Authority (CHFA)-approved homebuyer counseling agency. Its property management technology stack is built around RealPage (oneSite) for online leasing and rent payment, an internal property database, and a public searchable property portfolio on its website.

NWNH generates revenue primarily through monthly affordable rental income from its housing units, supplemented by grants from public agencies (City of New Haven, State of Connecticut Department of Housing, CHFA), corporate contributions (Liberty Bank Foundation, Eversource, Wells Fargo Foundation, Webster Bank, TD Charitable Foundation, Community Foundation for Greater New Haven), and affiliation with the national NeighborWorks America network. Secondary revenue includes one-time rental application fees ($40 for the first adult applicant, $25 for each additional household member over 18). The organization's go-to-market is direct-to-consumer combined with referral-driven intake: residents arrive through community outreach, social-service agency partnerships (e.g., Connecticut Institute for Refugees & Immigrants), a searchable online property portfolio, and an 8-step application process involving eligibility verification, rental interviews, and security deposit collection.

Beyond core housing operations, NWNH delivers a layered resident services program free of charge: LEAP youth programming (afterschool, Saturday, and summer activities for children ages 7-12, having served over 10,000 children since 1992), CHFA-approved homebuyer education classes (~120 participants annually, with 24% becoming homeowners and 29% applying for mortgages), Financial Fitness Workshops, Ready to Rent courses, Budget Coaching, and resident leadership councils at multiple properties. The organization is led by President & CEO Tom Cruess (appointed 2019), CFO Arlene Lawrence, and a six-member Board of Directors chaired by Hewad J. Hemat, with a staff of 50+ covering real estate development, property management, finance, legal, compliance, facilities/maintenance, and community development. Outreach is community-led via IMPACT resource fairs, NeighborWorks Week, food pantries, and partner referrals rather than paid advertising.

Name

NeighborWorks New Horizons

Legal name

NeighborWorks New Horizons

Website

https://neighborworksnewhorizons.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

NeighborWorks New Horizons is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1992 that develops and manages 800+ affordable rental housing units across four Connecticut counties, serving low-to-moderate income households earning 25%-80% of AMI and seniors aged 62+, supported by CHDO and CHFA designations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Affordable Housing

NAICS

Lessors of Residential Buildings and Dwellings (53111), New Multifamily Housing Construction (except For-Sale Builders) (236116)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

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

Keywords

• Affordable housing development
• Property management services
• Homebuyer education
• Financial counseling
• Community development programs

Headquarters

HQ city

New Haven

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Affordable Rental Income: NWNH generates primary revenue through affordable rental payments from tenants in its 800+ housing units across New Haven, Fairfield, Southern Hartford, and New London Counties. Rents are priced affordably for qualifying households within minimum and maximum income thresholds determined per unit.
2. Grants and Contributions: NWNH receives grant funding from public agencies (City of New Haven, State of Connecticut Department of Housing, CHFA), corporate contributions, and private foundations including Liberty Bank Foundation, Eversource, Wells Fargo Foundation, Community Foundation for Greater New Haven, and NeighborWorks America. The organization is a 501(c)(3) with Tax ID 22-3237413.
3. Application and Processing Fees: NWNH charges rental application fees of $40 for the first adult applicant and $25 for each additional household member over 18 to cover the cost of credit checks.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

NeighborWorks New Horizons is a nonprofit organization that develops, owns, and manages affordable rental housing across Connecticut. It operates 800+ housing units in New Haven, Fairfield, Southern Hartford, and New London Counties, serving low-to-moderate income households (25% to 80% AMI). The organization also provides resident support services including CHFA-approved homebuyer education classes, budget coaching, financial fitness workshops, Ready to Rent courses, and youth programming through a partnership with LEAP.

Product overview

NeighborWorks New Horizons is a nonprofit affordable housing organization operating as a single, unified offering: the development, ownership, and management of quality affordable rental housing combined with resident support services. The core product is an affordable rental housing portfolio of over 800 units across Connecticut, supplemented by community programs including LEAP youth programming, homebuyer education classes, budget coaching, financial fitness workshops, and Ready to Rent courses. All services are provided free of charge to residents and are coordinated through the Community Building & Engagement Department.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Affordable Rental Housing Portfolio A portfolio of over 800 affordable rental housing units and 12 commercial units across New Haven, Fairfield, Southern Hartford, and New London Counties in Connecticut. Properties include multi-family apartments, senior housing, single-family homes, and artist housing serving residents at 25%, 50%, 60%, and 80% AMI levels.
• Budget Coaching Program A program that helps residents become current on rent, avoid eviction, and develop financial skills through group and individual sessions covering spending psychology, budget and goal setting, active household budgeting, and credit repair counseling.
• Financial Fitness Workshop A workshop covering practical money management strategies including understanding and using credit, making smart financial decisions, identifying essential vs. non-essential expenses, increasing income, reducing expenses, and recognizing predatory lending.
• Ready to Rent Program A six-and-a-half hour home readiness course educating potential renters on prioritizing housing needs, creating spending plans, housekeeping and maintenance skills, tenant and landlord rights, and understanding credit reports.
• Resident Leadership Councils Resident-led councils at properties including Winter Grove (Southington), George Street Apartments (New Haven), and Hubbard Woods (Guilford). Councils organize social activities, community events, health awareness activities, financial workshops, reading programs, and advocacy.
• LEAP Youth Programs Free afterschool, Saturday, and summer programming for children ages 7-12 living in NWNH developments, in partnership with LEAP. Programs include literacy-based curriculum, arts, computer science, swimming, athletics, cooking, and team building activities. LEAP operates out of five public schools and its own community center.
• Homebuyer Education Class A CHFA-approved first-time homebuyer class offering a minimum of 6 hours of in-person or virtual instruction covering planning and budgeting, credit repair, the home buying process, mortgage structures, legal representation, preventive home maintenance, and foreclosure prevention. Serves approximately 120 participants annually with 24% becoming homeowners.
• Donation Program Tax-deductible donation program from a 501(c)(3) organization (Tax ID 22-3237413) supporting affordable housing programs and community initiatives.
• Resident Council Program Resident councils at multiple properties organize social activities, community events, health awareness activities, financial workshops, reading programs, and advocacy initiatives for residents.

Quantifiable outcome

• 800+ housing units developed and managed with near-full occupancy
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• LEAP (Learning, Enrichment, and Play)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1992NWNH partners with the nonprofit LEAP to provide free afterschool, Saturday, and summer programming for children ages 7-12 living in NWNH properties. LEAP has served over 10,000 children since 1992 with thousands of college and high school student counselors, providing literacy-based curriculum, arts, computer science, swimming, athletics, cooking, and team building activities. LEAP operates out of donated space in five public schools and its own community center with a swimming pool, gym, dance studio, teaching kitchen, and classrooms.
• NeighborWorks AmericacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNWNH is part of the national NeighborWorks network, receiving organizational support, training, and grant funding. NeighborWorks America is a congressionally chartered nonprofit that provides capacity building, technical assistance, and public-private partnership facilitation to its network members.
• Connecticut Institute for Refugees & Immigrants (CIRI)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCIRI's Senior Refugee Services Case Manager, Hewad J. Hemat, serves as Chair of NWNH's Board of Directors, creating a direct partnership link for serving refugee populations in NWNH housing.
• Puerto Rico Neighborhood Housing ServicesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNWNH partnered with this sister NeighborWorks organization to help rebuild Puerto Rico following Hurricane Maria, demonstrating inter-organizational collaboration within the NeighborWorks network.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• The Community Builders: National nonprofit affordable housing developer and operator with a large multifamily portfolio and integrated resident services model. Closely comparable in combining real estate development, property management, and resident programming under one organization.
• Beacon Communities: Boston-based affordable housing developer and property manager with thousands of units across the Northeast. Comparable in developing, owning, and operating LIHTC-financed affordable rental housing with supportive resident services.
• Habitat for Humanity of Greater New Haven: Local Habitat for Humanity affiliate that develops affordable homeownership and rental housing in the same Greater New Haven market. Comparable nonprofit model, regulatory designations, and target demographic of low-moderate income families pursuing housing stability.
• Mutual Housing Association of Greater Hartford: Connecticut-based nonprofit affordable housing developer and operator serving Hartford-area low- and moderate-income families. Comparable nonprofit model, LIHTC-financed portfolio, and integration of resident services and community development programs.
• New Neighborhoods Inc. Stamford, CT-based nonprofit that develops and manages affordable rental housing for low- and moderate-income families in Fairfield County. Operates with a similar CHDO-style model across overlapping Connecticut geography and serves comparable tenant demographics.
• The Housing Collective: Connecticut-focused nonprofit affordable housing developer and owner with a portfolio of multifamily and supportive housing units. Comparable CHDO-style mission, Connecticut geographic footprint, and integration of resident services alongside housing.

Broad incumbents

• WinnCompanies: One of the largest multifamily housing owners and managers in the U.S., with a substantial affordable housing portfolio. Comparable in operating large-scale affordable rental portfolios, though structured as a private for-profit entity rather than a nonprofit.
• Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC): Major national CDFI that finances and supports local affordable housing and community development nonprofits, including NeighborWorks affiliates. Comparable mission of channeling capital to community-based developers, though operating as an intermediary rather than a direct owner/operator.
• Enterprise Community Partners: National nonprofit that develops and preserves affordable housing, provides financing, and advocates for housing policy. Operates at much larger scale and broader geographic scope than NWNH, but shares the affordable housing development and resident services mission.

Others

• Connecticut Housing Finance Authority (CHFA): State-level housing finance agency that allocates LIHTC, administers homebuyer counseling certifications, and co-funds NWNH developments. Functions as a regulator, capital provider, and program partner rather than a direct peer operator.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/NWNewHorizons
• Facebookfacebook.com/neighborworksnewhorizons
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/neighborworks-new-horizons

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 NeighborWorks New Horizons