Denver Housing Authority
Denver Housing Authority is a quasi-municipal corporation founded in 1938 that provides affordable housing to over 26,000 low- and middle-income individuals in Denver through 13,000+ public housing units, Housing Choice Vouchers, and mixed-income development partnerships financed by HUD subsidies and municipal bonds.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1938
- HeadquartersDenver, United States
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Denver Housing Authority does
Denver Housing Authority (DHA) is a quasi-municipal corporation established in 1938 by Denver City Council and operating under U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) oversight as a federally funded Public Housing Authority. DHA owns and operates a portfolio of more than 13,000 units and Housing Choice Vouchers serving over 26,000 very low, low, and middle-income individuals across 12,000+ families in the City and County of Denver. The portfolio is composed of approximately 3,900 conventional public housing units, nearly 700 subsidized multi-family units, about 200 locally-funded units, and up to 6,900 Housing Choice Vouchers (HCV/Section 8) administered on behalf of HUD, with subsidy payments made directly to private landlords.
DHA's core product set spans the Housing Choice Voucher Program, Subsidized Housing, Affordable Housing, Market Rate Housing, and Project Based Vouchers, supported by the My Housing Portal for participant self-service and a Housing Provider Portal for landlord workflows. Resident services and social enterprises extend the value proposition beyond tenancy, including the Family Self-Sufficiency Program with escrow savings incentives, Homeownership Program with HUD-approved counseling, the Youth Employment Academy (Culinary Arts, Customer Service, Creative Industries), and social enterprises such as Arts Street, Decatur Fresh grocery market, and the Osage Cafe. Pricing is income-based: subsidized tenants pay 30-40% of income (minimum $50/month), flat-rent units are priced by bedroom size, and market-rate units are set via comparative market analysis.
DHA's revenue is generated from four primary streams: HUD federal subsidies for public housing operations, HCV administrative fees and Housing Assistance Payments passed through to landlords, rental income from public housing and subsidized units, and bond financing proceeds (notably the $130M D3 Program municipal bond and $85M Globeville revenue bonds). The authority is governed by a nine-member Board of Commissioners appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by City Council, with active development partnerships across Denver's nonprofit and private developer ecosystem (Evergreen Real Estate Group, Archway Communities, Urban Land Conservancy, Brikwell, Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, CHFA, and the City of Denver HOST department).
Denver Housing Authority firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Denver Housing Authority
- Legal name
- Denver Housing Authority
- Website
- https://denverhousing.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1938
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Denver Housing Authority is a quasi-municipal corporation founded in 1938 that provides affordable housing to over 26,000 low- and middle-income individuals in Denver through 13,000+ public housing units, Housing Choice Vouchers, and mixed-income development partnerships financed by HUD subsidies and municipal bonds.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Denver Housing Authority industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Public Housing Services
- NAICS
- Residential Property Managers (531311), Lessors of Residential Buildings and Dwellings (53111), Lessors of Real Estate (5311)
- SIC
- Operators Of Apartment Buildings (6513), Real Estate Agents & Managers (For Others) (6531), Real Estate Operators (No Developers) & Lessors (6510)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Public & Affordable Housing Programs (Subsidies, Vouchers, Public Housing) (BPAIANAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Affordable & Subsidized Housing Property Management (LIHTC, Section 8) (BPAJAFAD), Housing Voucher & Rental Assistance Programs (Tenant-Based/Project-Based) (FSALAKAI), Affordable Housing & Community Development (Housing, Community Land Trusts) (BPAGALAC), Housing & Neighborhood Services (Local Housing Programs) (BPAIACAJ)
Keywords
Where Denver Housing Authority is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Denver
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Denver Housing Authority business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- HUD Subsidies: Federal subsidies from U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to operate public housing units and administer housing programs.
- Housing Choice Voucher Administration: DHA acts as an agent for HUD in administering Housing Choice Vouchers, making subsidy payments to private landlords on behalf of low-income residents.
- Bond Financing: Issuance of revenue bonds for affordable housing development projects, such as the $85 million in revenue bonds issued for the Globeville development.
- Rental Income: Rent payments from residents in public housing and subsidized units, based on income levels.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Subsidized Housing - Rent based on income |
| Unit Pricing | Monthly | Affordable Housing - Flat rent by bedroom size |
| Unit Pricing | Monthly | Market Rate Housing |
| Subscription | Monthly | Project Based Voucher |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
Denver Housing Authority product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Denver Housing Authority provides affordable rental housing to very low-, low-, and middle-income residents of the City and County of Denver through direct ownership of public housing units, administration of Housing Choice Vouchers (Section 8) on behalf of HUD, and mixed-income real estate development. It also delivers resident services such as the Family Self-Sufficiency Program, Homeownership Program, and Youth Employment Academy, alongside large-scale neighborhood redevelopment initiatives like the D3 Program and Westridge Redevelopment.
Product overview
Denver Housing Authority is a quasi-municipal corporation providing affordable housing through multiple interconnected programs. The core offerings include the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV/Section 8) program, Subsidized Housing (~3,900 units), Affordable Housing, Market Rate Housing, and Project Based Vouchers. Supporting these housing programs are resident services including the Family Self-Sufficiency Program, Homeownership Program, and Youth Employment Academy with its social enterprises (Arts Street, Decatur Fresh, Osage Cafe). The authority also operates development initiatives like the D3 Program and Westridge Redevelopment, plus digital tools including My Housing Portal and the Housing Provider Portal. All programs are administered through the central office with online portals for participant and landlord self-service.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Youth Employment Academy (YEA): 501(c)(3) nonprofit providing employment training in Culinary Arts, Customer Service, and Creative Industries to youth ages 16-21
- Friends of DHA
- Arts Street
- Decatur Fresh
- Osage Cafe
- DHA Delivers for Denver Program (D3)
- Middle Income Housing Pilot Program
Products and services
- Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program Federal tenant-based housing subsidy program that assists very low-income families, elderly, and disabled individuals to afford decent, safe, and sanitary housing in the private market. DHA administers up to 6,900 HCVs on behalf of HUD, with residents paying 30-40% of income towards rent (minimum $50/month).
- Subsidized Housing Low-income rental housing where rent is based on the resident's income. DHA owns and manages approximately 3,900 conventional public housing units ranging from townhomes to high-rise communities throughout Denver, subsidized by HUD.
- Affordable Housing Rental housing with flat rent amounts per bedroom size for individuals or families within Area Median Income limits. Includes properties like Thomas Bean Towers (for elderly/disabled) and Globeville Townhomes.
- Market Rate Housing Rental housing where rents are based on comparative market analysis with no income limits. Properties include Benedict Park Place, Globeville Townhomes, and The Villages at Curtis Park.
- Project Based Voucher Program Housing assistance attached to specific units rather than individuals, where landlords receive government subsidies for renting to eligible tenants in designated properties.
- Homeownership Program HUD-approved counseling agency program helping participants prepare for homeownership through financial assessments, credit management, savings programs, and down payment assistance.
- Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) Program Five-year program designed to help participants achieve economic self-sufficiency through education, career building, and financial literacy, with escrow account savings incentives.
- Youth Employment Academy (YEA) Nonprofit program providing mentoring, education, employment and training services for low-income youth ages 16-21, with specialized academies in Culinary Arts, Customer Service, and Creative Industries.
- Arts Street Creative industry program under YEA using arts and technology to empower youth through graphic design, videography, marketing, and web design training with real-world client projects.
- Decatur Fresh Grocery market, workforce training program, and community space in Sun Valley addressing food insecurity while providing paid internships in grocery store management, serving nearly 5,000 residents.
- Osage Cafe Social enterprise cafe and culinary training program offering ServSafe certification and 120-hour internships for underserved youth interested in culinary careers at 1099 Osage Street.
- DHA Delivers for Denver (D3) Program $130 million municipal bond program in partnership with City and County of Denver to expedite affordable housing projects, targeting a pipeline of 2,500+ units (1,300 direct development + 1,200 through partners, including 600 supportive housing units).
- Westridge & Mulroy Redevelopment Major redevelopment project transforming 250-unit public housing site into 500+ homes with phased rebuild planned from 2028-2030.
- SF+ ADU Program Single Family Plus Accessory Dwelling Unit program helping homeowners add ADUs to their properties, expanded to include modular housing options in October 2025.
Companies that use Denver Housing Authority
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Denver Housing Authority technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration5 records
Denver Housing Authority partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
23 partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.
- BrikwellcoreDHA and Brikwell purchased 3.6 acres of land from Denver Health at 5000 Tower Road for Green Valley Vistas affordable housing development.
- Denver HealthsupportingSold 3.6 acres of land at 5000 Tower Road to DHA and Brikwell for Green Valley Vistas affordable housing development.
- Colorado Coalition for the HomelesscorePartnership to develop up to 135 units of income-restricted, supportive family housing at 4745 Federal Boulevard in Denver's Berkeley/Sunnyside neighborhood.
- Evergreen Real Estate GroupcoreJoint venture partner with Globeville Redevelopment Partners LLC for $132 million, 170-unit mixed-use development at 4965 Washington Street in Globeville. Development includes affordable housing, first permanent public library branch, and community café.
- Globeville Redevelopment Partners LLCcoreJoint venture partner with Evergreen Real Estate Group for $132 million mixed-use development in Globeville neighborhood.
- City and County of DenvercorePartnership with city and county of Denver for the Globeville development, including $12 million from RISE Denver General Obligation Bond.
- Denver Public LibrarycorePartnership to include the neighborhood's first permanent public library branch in the Globeville mixed-use development.
- Tierra ColectivasupportingWill operate the community café in the Globeville mixed-use development.
- Archway CommunitiescoreArchway Communities is converting former Johnson & Wales University dormitories into 58 income-restricted apartments as part of Mosaic Community Campus redevelopment led by Denver Housing Authority and Urban Land Conservancy.
- Urban Land ConservancycoreULC leads the Mosaic Community Campus redevelopment together with DHA, having purchased the 25-acre former Johnson & Wales campus for $62 million in 2021.
- Denver Public SchoolssupportingPartnership for Mosaic Community Campus redevelopment including educational components on the former Johnson & Wales campus.
- City and County of Denver Department of Housing Stability (HOST)coreIntergovernmental agreement (IGA) through D3 Program; HOST underwrites proposals to ensure financial viability for middle-income housing pilot program launched July 2025.
- AffordableHousing.comsupportingOnline rental search service partnership for HCV participants seeking to lease units in the private market.
- ColoradoHousingSearch.comsupportingPartnership for listing rental properties available to Housing Choice Voucher tenants seeking apartments, duplexes, single-family homes or townhomes.
- GoSection8supportingOnline platform for housing providers to list properties for Section 8/HCV participants.
- Socialserve.comsupportingUsed to determine rent reasonableness for HCV program and lists available units for participants.
- Catholic CharitiessupportingProvides Head Start early childhood education program at Quigg Newton, Sun Valley, Mariposa, and Westwood housing developments.
- Metropolitan State University of DenversupportingPartnership for Denver's Family Literacy Program on-site at Quigg Newton and Mariposa housing developments.
- Colorado I Have a Dream FoundationsupportingProvides youth and family programming in Denver's Westwood community with tutoring and social-emotional skills development.
- Mile High 360supportingServes teens and young adults from 6th grade through college prep, providing academic support, health and wellness programming, and life skills.
- Lifelong Inc.supportingProvides mental health, behavioral, assessment, evaluation, substance treatment, and academic support services.
- Centura HealthsupportingOperates community health center at Vida at Sloan's Lake mixed-use building.
- Friends of DHAcoreRegistered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization supporting DHA residents and programs through board leadership, fundraising, and volunteerism. Raised $115,000 in 2025.
Scale indicators14 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights9 records
Denver Housing Authority competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Boston Housing Authority: Public housing authority serving Boston with publicly-owned units, HCV administration, and mixed-income redevelopment. Closely comparable to DHA in mid-sized urban portfolio, mixed-income strategy, and strong resident services focus.
- San Francisco Housing Authority: Operates public housing and voucher programs in San Francisco with a portfolio of several thousand units. Directly comparable to DHA in high-cost coastal market dynamics, RAD conversions, and mixed-income redevelopment.
- Seattle Housing Authority: Public housing authority operating similar public housing + HCV + affordable housing model in a high-cost West Coast city. Comparable to DHA in need for bond financing, public-private partnerships, and mixed-income development strategy.
- New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA): The largest public housing authority in the U.S., managing over 160,000 apartments and administering HCVs. Directly comparable to DHA in fundamental operating model of public housing + HCV administration, though at much larger scale.
- Chicago Housing Authority: One of the largest public housing authorities in the U.S., operating tens of thousands of public housing units and administering Housing Choice Vouchers in Chicago. Directly comparable to DHA in mission, federal funding model, and large urban portfolio.
- Los Angeles Housing Authority (HACLA): Major public housing authority operating conventional public housing units and a large HCV/Section 8 program in Los Angeles. Comparable to DHA in federal funding dependency, mixed-income redevelopment approach, and scale of program administration.
Regional players
- Colorado Housing and Finance Authority (CHFA): State housing finance agency providing LIHTC and financing for affordable housing in Colorado. A DHA partner (DHA treasurer Charles Knight is former CHFA General Counsel), comparable in mission to finance affordable housing but operates at state level rather than as a municipal PHA.
Others
- Urban Land Conservancy: Denver-based nonprofit that acquires and preserves real estate for community benefit. Joint venture partner with DHA on the Mosaic Community Campus redevelopment, providing property acquisition and community development services that complement DHA's operating role.
- Brikwell: Real estate development firm partnering with DHA on affordable housing developments including Green Valley Vistas at 5000 Tower Road. Comparable as a co-development partner in DHA's mixed-income, affordable housing pipeline.
Emerging players
- Colorado Coalition for the Homeless: Denver-based nonprofit providing supportive housing and services for homeless individuals. Partnering with DHA on 135 units of income-restricted supportive family housing at 4745 Federal Boulevard, comparable in serving vulnerable populations with housing + services model.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Denver Housing Authority social profiles
Digital presenceDenver Housing Authority compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Denver Housing Authority financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Denver Housing Authority leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles22 records
Denver Housing Authority subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
Denver Housing Authority funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Denver Housing Authority 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 Denver Housing Authority
What does Denver Housing Authority do?
Denver Housing Authority provides affordable rental housing to very low-, low-, and middle-income residents of the City and County of Denver through direct ownership of public housing units, administration of Housing Choice Vouchers (Section 8) on behalf of HUD, and mixed-income real estate development. It also delivers resident services such as the Family Self-Sufficiency Program, Homeownership Program, and Youth Employment Academy, alongside large-scale neighborhood redevelopment initiatives like the D3 Program and Westridge Redevelopment.
Is Denver Housing Authority a public or private company?
Denver Housing Authority is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Denver Housing Authority founded?
Denver Housing Authority was founded in 1938. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Denver Housing Authority based?
Denver Housing Authority is headquartered in Denver, United States, in the North America region.
How does Denver Housing Authority make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. HUD Subsidies are the primary driver. The others are housing Choice Voucher Administration, bond Financing and rental Income.
Who are Denver Housing Authority's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Boston Housing Authority, San Francisco Housing Authority, Seattle Housing Authority, New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), Chicago Housing Authority and Los Angeles Housing Authority (HACLA). Colorado Housing and Finance Authority (CHFA) is listed as a regional player. Others are Urban Land Conservancy and Brikwell. Colorado Coalition for the Homeless is listed as an emerging player.
Does Denver Housing Authority have an API?
No public API is recorded for Denver Housing Authority.
What industry is Denver Housing Authority in?
Denver Housing Authority's product category is Public Housing Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAIANAA, Public & Affordable Housing Programs (Subsidies, Vouchers, Public Housing), with a secondary code of BPAJAFAD, Affordable & Subsidized Housing Property Management (LIHTC, Section 8). Its NAICS code is 531311 and its SIC code is 6513.