HR&A Advisors
HR&A Advisors is an employee-owned, US-based consulting firm advising governments, utilities, universities, and corporations on housing, climate adaptation, economic development, broadband, and real-estate strategy, with digital products via its HR&A Labs division.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1976
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM type—
- Offering—
What HR&A Advisors does
HR&A Advisors (founded 1976; based in New York) is a privately held, employee-owned (ESOP) consulting firm advising government agencies, foundations, universities, utilities, corporations, and nonprofits on complex urban challenges spanning housing affordability, climate adaptation and resilience, economic development, broadband and digital equity, and real estate strategy. Service offerings cover the full advisory lifecycle — business planning, market and financial analysis, master planning, funding and financing, policy evaluation and design, program management, governance and organizational design, transactions, stakeholder engagement, and retained management — delivered through formal consulting engagements and government procurement processes.
The firm's technology footprint is anchored by HR&A Labs, the digital products and data solutions division, which has developed HousingWeaver (a data-driven housing insights platform encapsulating 50 years of housing policy expertise) and Unbanked America (a financial-inclusion data platform), along with custom spatial analytics built on Amazon Redshift Serverless. Core operational technology is therefore a mix of bespoke dashboards, mapping applications, and data visualization tools layered on top of cloud analytics infrastructure, rather than a unified software product.
HR&A generates revenue through professional consulting engagements priced on scope, duration, and team composition (no public pricing). GTM is sales-led and relationship-driven, anchored by direct enterprise/government sales and reinforced through thought leadership (HR&A 50 insights publication), industry-event presence (Urban Land Institute, Climate Mayors Board), and joint publications with strategic partners (Brookings Metro, Ford Foundation, ULI). The firm operates seven US offices (New York, Washington DC, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Raleigh, Dallas, and San Francisco) and serves international engagements via the World Bank.
HR&A Advisors firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- HR&A Advisors
- Legal name
- HR&A Advisors
- Website
- https://hraadvisors.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1976
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- HR&A Advisors is an employee-owned, US-based consulting firm advising governments, utilities, universities, and corporations on housing, climate adaptation, economic development, broadband, and real-estate strategy, with digital products via its HR&A Labs division.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
HR&A Advisors industry classification
Industry- NAICS
- Management Consulting Services (54161), Offices of Real Estate Agents and Brokers (5312), Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services (541611)
- SIC
- Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Real Estate Agents & Managers (For Others) (6531)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Real Estate Development & Feasibility Advisory (Highest-and-Best-Use, Entitlements Support) (BPAJANAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Real Estate M&A / Joint Venture Advisory (Platform Deals, Partnerships) (BPAJANAF)
Keywords
Where HR&A Advisors is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices7 records
Markets served
HR&A Advisors business model
Business modelRevenue model
- Advisory and Consulting Services: HR&A generates revenue through professional consulting engagements serving government agencies, nonprofits, foundations, universities, and corporations. Services include economic impact analysis, strategic planning, policy design, real estate advisory, and program management for urban development projects.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
HR&A Advisors product offering
Product offeringCore offering
HR&A Advisors is a professional consulting firm that delivers real estate, economic development, urban planning, and policy advisory services to government agencies, foundations, universities, and corporations. Core offerings include economic and fiscal impact analysis, market and financial analysis, master planning, funding and financing strategy, policy evaluation and design, program management, real estate transactions, and bespoke digital tools built through HR&A Labs (e.g., HousingWeaver, Unbanked America).
Product overview
HR&A Advisors is a consulting firm offering advisory services across urban development, not a unified software product. The core offering consists of professional consulting services spanning business planning, economic analysis, market/financial analysis, policy evaluation, real estate advisory, funding/financing, program management, and transactions. HR&A Labs, the firm's digital products division, develops custom digital tools including HousingWeaver (a data-driven housing insights platform) and Unbanked America (a financial inclusion data platform). These digital tools represent standalone web-based platforms rather than a modular software architecture. The consulting services are delivered through expert advisory engagements, while the digital products provide self-service analytical capabilities to clients.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- HR&A Labs: Digital products and data solutions division that creates custom tools including HousingWeaver and Unbanked America platforms.
- HousingWeaver
- Unbanked America
Quantifiable outcome
- $20.7 billion in annual economic output generated for Ameren per HR&A study
- +7 more outcomes
Companies that use HR&A Advisors
Customer profileNamed customers15 records
Segments6 records
HR&A Advisors technology and API
TechnologyAPI detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
HR&A Advisors partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
21 partnerships are on record, tiered key, supporting and minor.
- SPURkeyCollaboration with SPUR on the Downtown San Francisco Office-to-Residential Conversion Study, producing the first-ever study on economic feasibility of converting vacant downtown office buildings to residential use.
- Urban Land Institute (ULI)keyJoint publication of Local Law 97 Compliance Roadmap for NYC Co-Ops with NYC Mayor's Office of Climate & Environmental Justice; collaboration on office conversion studies; ULI Fall Meeting co-hosting in San Francisco.
- GenslerkeyCollaboration with Gensler on HUD Office-to-Residential Conversion Study across six U.S. cities, combining architectural expertise with economic analysis.
- Brookings MetrokeyCollaboration with Brookings Metro, Gensler, and Cara Eckholm Studio on HUD Office-to-Residential Conversion Study providing cities with actionable conversion strategies.
- Cara Eckholm StudiosupportingCollaboration partner in HUD Office-to-Residential Conversion Study across six U.S. cities.
- Rice Management CompanykeyStrategic advisory on The Ion Innovation District Master Plan and Development Strategy, transforming a historic Sears store in Houston into a 16-acre mixed-use innovation hub.
- NJ TRANSITkeyIn collaboration with Arup, supported NJ TRANSIT in developing The LAND Plan - Leveraging Assets for Non-Farebox Dollars strategy for generating sustainable revenue from real estate portfolio.
- ArupkeyCollaboration with Arup supporting NJ TRANSIT's The LAND Plan development for revenue generation from real estate assets.
- World BankkeyEngaged by World Bank to advance resilient infrastructure and renewable energy projects across seven South African cities including stormwater management and energy storage.
- SITELABminorCo-hosted happy hour event with SITELAB and BerlinRosen during Urban Land Institute's Fall Meeting to celebrate San Francisco Bay Area office launch.
- BerlinRosenminorCo-hosted happy hour event with SITELAB during ULI Fall Meeting to celebrate San Francisco Bay Area office launch.
- Rockefeller FoundationkeyListed as partner/clients for climate adaptation and resilience work including flood risk planning and community resilience initiatives.
- The Nature ConservancysupportingPartner in climate adaptation and resilience work, supporting ecosystem-based approaches to urban challenges.
- C40 CitiessupportingPartner network for climate initiatives, connecting urban climate action across global cities.
- Con EdisonkeyBuilding decarbonization incentive strategy and marketing engagement since 2020, supporting achievement of NY State Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act goals.
- AmazonkeySupporting program design and implementation of Amazon's $2 billion Housing Fund, including negotiation and underwriting for over 9,000 affordable homes.
- Amazon Web ServicessupportingUses Amazon Redshift spatial analytics on Amazon Redshift Serverless to measure digital equity across U.S. states for broadband and digital opportunity work.
- Ford FoundationkeyEngaged by Ford Foundation and Schmidt Futures to develop and launch the National Broadband Resource Hub supporting government and nonprofit leaders implementing broadband programs.
- Schmidt FutureskeyCo-developed National Broadband Resource Hub with Ford Foundation to support broadband implementation during federal investment period.
- NYSERDAsupportingPartner in NYC climate initiatives implementing recommendations in partnership with NYC Mayor's Office of Climate & Environmental Justice.
- Building Energy ExchangesupportingPartner in implementing Local Law 97 compliance roadmap recommendations for NYC co-ops alongside NYSERDA and REBNY.
Scale indicators11 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights7 records
HR&A Advisors competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- CBRE Group: World's largest commercial real estate services firm with deep advisory, economic incentives, and consulting capabilities overlapping HR&A's real estate advisory, transactions, and economic development practices.
- Cushman & Wakefield: Global real estate services firm with valuation, advisory, and consulting practices serving institutional, corporate, and public-sector real estate clients comparable to HR&A's institutional clientele.
- WSP: Global professional services firm with property, planning, and advisory capabilities that competes for the urban development, infrastructure, and economic development mandates HR&A serves.
- Stantec: International professional services firm with planning, real estate advisory, and economic development practices providing overlapping services to municipalities, transit agencies, and developers.
- AECOM: Global infrastructure consulting firm with a substantial urban planning, economics, and real estate advisory practice that competes for the same municipal, transit, and development mandates HR&A pursues.
- JLL: Global real estate services firm with dedicated advisory, public-sector, and urban strategy practices providing competing offerings for corporate and government real estate and economic development mandates.
Direct peers
- Buro Happold: International engineering and consulting practice with a strong urban development, sustainability, and master planning presence that overlaps with HR&A's master planning, climate, and adaptation work.
- Arup: Global engineering and consulting firm with deep urban planning, TOD, and infrastructure advisory practices; an actual teaming partner with HR&A on NJ TRANSIT and other engagements, serving very similar client missions.
- RCLCO (Robert Charles Lesser & Co.): Real estate economics and strategy advisory firm specializing in market analysis, feasibility studies, and economic impact studies for public- and private-sector clients—directly overlapping with HR&A's economic, market, and feasibility analysis practices.
Others
- Brookings Metro: Nonpartisan policy research program producing economic and urban policy analysis and an active co-development partner with HR&A on conversion studies—adjacent rather than directly competitive but tightly intertwined with the firm's policy work.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
HR&A Advisors social profiles
Digital presenceHR&A Advisors financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
HR&A Advisors leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
HR&A Advisors funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
HR&A Advisors M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about HR&A Advisors
What does HR&A Advisors do?
HR&A Advisors is a professional consulting firm that delivers real estate, economic development, urban planning, and policy advisory services to government agencies, foundations, universities, and corporations. Core offerings include economic and fiscal impact analysis, market and financial analysis, master planning, funding and financing strategy, policy evaluation and design, program management, real estate transactions, and bespoke digital tools built through HR&A Labs (e.g., HousingWeaver, Unbanked America).
Is HR&A Advisors a public or private company?
HR&A Advisors is a private company. It is currently operating.
When was HR&A Advisors founded?
HR&A Advisors was founded in 1976. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is HR&A Advisors based?
HR&A Advisors is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does HR&A Advisors make money?
One revenue line is on record: advisory and Consulting Services.
Who are HR&A Advisors's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are CBRE Group, Cushman & Wakefield, WSP, Stantec, AECOM and JLL. Direct peers are Buro Happold, Arup and RCLCO (Robert Charles Lesser & Co.). Brookings Metro is listed as an others.
Does HR&A Advisors have an API?
No public API is recorded for HR&A Advisors.
What industry is HR&A Advisors in?
Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAJANAC, Real Estate Development & Feasibility Advisory (Highest-and-Best-Use, Entitlements Support), with a secondary code of BPAJANAF, Real Estate M&A / Joint Venture Advisory (Platform Deals, Partnerships). Its NAICS code is 54161 and its SIC code is 8742.