PHA-Web

What PHA-Web does

Management Computer Services, Inc. (MCS), a Florida-incorporated, family-owned company founded in 1968, develops and licenses PHA-Web, a web-based vertical SaaS platform that provides comprehensive tenant, property, and financial management software exclusively to U.S. public housing authorities (PHAs). MCS began serving PHAs exclusively by 1970 and pioneered the web-based PHA software category in 2003; PHA-Web is now used by over 800 agencies — more than 25% of the U.S. Housing Authority industry — and is licensed solely within the United States. The company is a fully remote small business with 11–50 employees and a mailing address in Sparta, Wisconsin, operating as a private, family/founder-owned firm with no disclosed institutional investors or parent entity.

PHA-Web is a modular, browser-accessible suite organized into four core components — Tenant Management (Waiting List, 50058 Certification, General Certification, TRACS, Vacated Tenant, Family Manager), Property Management (Rent Reasonableness, Inspection, Program, Work Order), Financial Management (General Ledger, HAP, Public Housing, Portability, Vendor Accounting), and Administration (Letter Manager, User Manager) — with layered feature add-ons (Agility Mobile Suite for mobile inspections, work orders, and signature capture; Document Imaging with unlimited encrypted storage; an Executive Dashboard tracking 14 key metrics) and cross-functional Applicant, Tenant, and Landlord Portals. Technically, the platform is cloud-hosted, accessible from Windows/macOS and Android/iOS devices, secured with two-factor authentication, daily 14-day backups, and encryption, and integrates compliance with HUD 50058, TRACS 50059, VMS, and PIC reporting for 30+ program types including HCV/Section 8, Public Housing, LIHTC, Multifamily/TRACS, and Rural Development.

PHA-Web's business model is primarily recurring subscription revenue from per-application annual licensing to PHAs under a non-exclusive, non-transferable Software License and Services Agreement, supplemented by one-time data conversion services, pay-as-you-go training (onsite and via Zoom), recurring PIC submission managed services, and web design/hosting delivered through a sister brand (pha-websites.com). GTM is sales-led, with prospects funnelled through a "Request A Demo" CTA on pha-web.com, high-touch remote account management, and the annual ELEVATE User Conference; there is no public API, SDK, or developer portal, and pricing is not disclosed.

Name

PHA-Web

Legal name

Management Computer Services, Inc.

Website

https://pha-web.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1968

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Management Computer Services, Inc. (PHA-Web) is a family-owned vertical SaaS provider that delivers web-based tenant, property, and financial management software to over 800 U.S. public housing authorities — more than 25% of the U.S. Housing Authority industry — under a per-application annual subscription model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Housing Authority Management Software

NAICS

Software Publishers (5132)

SIC

Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)

akta.pro primary industry

Data App Builders (Forms, Portals & Internal Tools) (HDAEAKAK)

Keywords

• Housing authority software
• Public housing management
• Tenant management software
• Property management software
• Affordable housing technology

Headquarters

HQ city

Sparta

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. PHA-Web Software Subscription: Primary recurring revenue stream from licensing the PHA-Web software to public housing authorities. Licensees must "specifically register and subscribe for each function, application and service used" and pay "all subscription fees and other amounts set forth on the PHA-Website." MCS retains the right to change fees or introduce new fees with reasonable notice.
2. Software License: Non-exclusive, non-transferable license granted to Licensee (public housing authority) and its Authorized Employees and Agents; license and service fees charged by MCS.
3. Data Conversion Services: One-time professional services revenue from converting data from other housing authority software vendors into PHA-Web, including multiple years of historical data.
4. Training Services: Revenue from onsite and online (Zoom) training delivered by PHA-Web trainers, plus ad-hoc training for new employees or additional needs at a flat fee.
5. PIC Submission Services: Recurring managed service in which MCS transmits files to PIC on a monthly basis, follows up with submission results, assists in correcting errors, and resubmits corrected forms. No contract required.
6. Web Design & Hosting: Related service line for housing authority websites, operated under the sister brand pha-websites.com.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

PHA-Web is a web-based, fully integrated housing authority management platform that delivers tenant, property, financial, and administration functionality as a single cloud-hosted suite for U.S. Public Housing Authorities. The platform bundles modular components (e.g., Waiting List, 50058/TRACS/General Certification, Inspection/Work Order, General Ledger, HAP/PH/Portability/Vendor Accounting) with Applicant/Tenant/Landlord portals, mobile capabilities, document imaging, and an executive dashboard. The offering is sold on a per-application subscription, accompanied by Data Conversion, Training, and managed PIC Submission services to support implementation and ongoing operations.

Product overview

PHA-Web is a single unified, cloud-hosted, web-based housing authority management platform (developed and licensed by Management Computer Services, Inc.) that is sold under one subscription and delivered as a platform-plus-modules architecture. The core PHA-Web platform bundles four Core Components: Tenant Management (Waiting List Manager, 50058 Certification Manager, General Certification Manager, TRACS Manager, Vacated Tenant Manager, Family Manager), Property Management (Rent Reasonableness Manager, Inspection Manager, Program Manager, Work Order Manager), Financial Management (General Ledger Manager, HAP Accounting, Public Housing Accounting Manager, Portability Manager, Vendor Accounting Manager), and Administration (Letter Manager, User Manager). Layered on top are three feature add-ons (the Agility Mobile Suite of Mobile Inspections/Mobile Work Orders/Signature Collection, Document Imaging, and the Executive Dashboard) and a Cross-Functional Products suite comprising the Applicant Portal, Tenant Portal, and Landlord Portal, which are seamlessly integrated into the underlying modules. PHA-Web rounds out its offering with professional services — Data Conversion, Training, PIC Submission Services, and Web Design & Hosting — covering the full lifecycle from implementation through ongoing operation for over 800 U.S. Public Housing Authorities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PHA-Web: Web-based housing authority software providing tenant, property and financial management solutions; the flagship product brand of Management Computer Services, Inc.

Products and services

• PHA-Web Platform Affordable, fully integrated, web-based housing authority management platform used by over 25% of U.S. Housing Authorities; delivered as a single cloud-hosted application bundling tenant, property, financial, and administration modules with cross-functional portals.
• Waiting List Manager Tenant Management module that lets housing authorities define and manage unlimited waiting lists with income qualification, integrating with the Applicant Portal for end-to-end applicant-to-tenant workflow.
• 50058 Certification Manager Completes HUD 50058 forms for new admissions, recertifications, and end of participations; calculates tenant rent and HAP payments and supports self-submission and self-management of PIC files.
• General Certification Manager Handles rent calculations for Connecticut and Massachusetts state programs, Tax Credit, USDA Rural Development, and other privately-owned/managed programs, with LIHTC monitoring and 85 comprehensive reports.
• TRACS Manager Completes HUD 50059 forms (initial certifications, annual recertifications, move-ins/move-outs, terminations, gross rent changes) with automated iMAX submissions, mass gross rent changes, and one-click voucher generation.
• Vacated Tenant Manager Screens applicants against a nationwide database to identify prior evictions, damages, or owed balances at other housing authorities, with comprehensive vacated-tenant reporting.
• Family Manager Central database of family information including contact, banking, vehicles, pets, community service, public safety incidents, and stored family files, with an advanced search tool across the family network.
• Rent Reasonableness Manager Determines whether contract rent for subsidized units is reasonable compared with non-subsidized comparables, with custom area definitions and detailed comparisons by location, features, and amenities.
• Inspection Manager Creates custom inspection forms for Public Housing and Section 8 (REAC and HUD 52580 sample forms included), with mobile inspection support and automated work order generation.
• Program Manager Adds and edits programs, projects, buildings, and units with support for 30+ program types, unit vacancy tracking, and Document Imaging integration.
• Work Order Manager Produces work orders and tracks fixed assets, materials, inventory, and maintenance labor with recurring scheduling and unit turnover tracking, mobile-responsive via the Agility features.
• General Ledger Manager Central repository for all financial transactions from HAP, Public Housing, Portability, and Vendor Accounting sub-ledgers, with comprehensive financial reporting, account reconciliation, and automated revolving fund management.
• HAP Accounting Manager Produces HAP payments to landlords, utility reimbursements, and FSS escrow payments for HCV/Section 8 and rental assistance programs via a 3-step guided workflow with VMS reporting and accrual-based accounting.
• Public Housing Accounting Manager Manages accounts receivable for Federal/State Public Housing, LIHTC, Multifamily/TRACS, Rural Development, and other programs with interactive A/R dashboards, detailed account balances, and extensive reporting.
• Portability Manager Manages port-in and port-out tenants for the HCV/Section 8 program with dedicated portability accounting, form-to-financial integration, and effortless port-out updates.
• Vendor Accounting Manager Produces payments to vendors, maintains vendor information, and generates purchase requisitions and purchase orders with laser check or direct deposit, online approvals, and vendor contract management.
• Letter Manager Creates custom letters and correspondence with drag-and-drop merge fields, pictures, graphics, custom letterheads, and 45+ predefined sample letters; no additional word-processing software required.
• User Manager Administers software user access and permissions with customized user configuration, enhanced account security, and automated signature stamping.
• Agility Mobile Suite (Mobile Inspections, Mobile Work Orders, Signature Collection) Browser-agnostic mobile capabilities enabling real-time inspections, work order completion, and electronic signature capture on Android, iOS, and other devices, with results uploading directly to PHA-Web.
• Document Imaging Fully configurable digital filing system that stores any file type with unlimited capacity and secure encryption, providing centralized access to tenant, landlord, vendor, and other documents from any location.
• Executive Dashboard Centralized high-level view of 14 key operational metrics and reports across Occupancy, Facilities, Finance, and Statistics with drill-down supporting detail for executive staff.
• Applicant Portal Customizable portal letting applicants submit online applications, view waiting list status and position, update applications, direct message case workers, configure notification preferences, and exchange documents via Secure Document Exchange.
• Tenant Portal Customizable portal enabling tenants to view account balances, make online payments, perform online recertifications, electronically sign documents, submit online work order requests, send/receive secure documents, and update contact and bank information.
• Landlord Portal Customizable portal letting landlords view occupied unit information, view payment history, reprint 1099s, send/receive documents, view upcoming inspections, reprint inspection results, and update contact and bank account information.
• Data Conversion Service Managed end-to-end data migration service that converts tenant form history, account balances and deposits, and family contact information from nearly all housing authority software vendors into PHA-Web in multiple formats and across multiple years.
• Training Services Tailored onsite and online (Zoom) training delivered by qualified PHA-Web trainers combining lecture, hands-on exercises, and Q&A, with ad-hoc training available at an affordable flat fee for new staff.
• PIC Submission Services Outsourced monthly PIC submission service that transmits files, reports results to the agency's point of contact, assists with error correction, and resubmits corrected forms; no contract required.
• Web Design & Hosting Companion web design and hosting service for housing authorities, delivered through the separate pha-websites.com property and offered as part of PHA-Web's full-service approach.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 800 agencies nationwide served
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature10 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered flagship (platinum sponsor of elevate 2025), supporting sponsor of elevate 2025, operational / contractual, operational vendor and adjacent business line.

• AffordableHousing.comflagship (platinum sponsor of elevate 2025)GTM or Marketing PartnerPlatinum sponsor of the 2025 ELEVATE User Conference. AffordableHousing.com is an affordable housing comparison platform. Featured prominently on the PHA-Web Thank You Sponsors page.
• File Visionsupporting sponsor of elevate 2025GTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of the 2025 ELEVATE User Conference. File Vision is described as a collaborative information management platform.
• Online Rental Exchangesupporting sponsor of elevate 2025GTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of the 2025 ELEVATE User Conference. Provides tenant screening, credit risk, and bad-debt management solutions — relevant to PHA-Web's Vacated Tenant Manager and tenant onboarding workflows.
• Scanopticssupporting sponsor of elevate 2025Technology or IntegrationSponsor of the 2025 ELEVATE User Conference. Scanoptics provides intelligent data management solutions, complementary to PHA-Web's Document Imaging feature.
• Paymentussupporting sponsor of elevate 2025Technology or IntegrationSponsor of the 2025 ELEVATE User Conference. Paymentus is a next-generation online bill payment service — relevant to the Tenant Portal's online payment capability.
• CBIZsupporting sponsor of elevate 2025Implementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSponsor of the 2025 ELEVATE User Conference. CBIZ is a nationwide full-service accounting and advisory firm, aligned with PHA-Web's financial management focus.
• Third Party Merchant Partnersoperational / contractualTechnology or IntegrationThe PHA-Web Software License and Services Agreement reserves the right for MCS to share information with third parties for the exclusive purpose of creating online tenant portals and accounts. Specific third-party merchant partners are not named in the public-facing pages.
• Paylocityoperational vendorTechnology or IntegrationPaylocity is used by Management Computer Services, Inc. as its recruiting / applicant tracking platform, with the PHA-Web careers page linking out to Paylocity's recruiting portal for open positions.
• pha-websites.comadjacent business lineOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerRelated web design and hosting brand referenced from the PHA-Web Services menu. Operates as a sister offering to PHA-Web for housing authority websites.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Tenmast Software: Tenmast is a long-standing vendor of software purpose-built for U.S. Public Housing Authorities, including modules for tenant certification, HAP payments, and inspections. It is the most direct head-to-head competitor to PHA-Web's suite.

Broad incumbents

• Tyler Technologies (Emphasys): Tyler Technologies acquired Emphasys, whose Elite Public Housing product competes directly with PHA-Web for U.S. PHA deployments. Tyler is a much larger government-software platform with a broader suite beyond housing.
• Yardi Systems: Yardi offers affordable housing software (including Yardi Breeze Affordable Housing and modules for HCV/Section 8) as part of a broader multifamily and commercial real estate platform. It serves many of the same U.S. PHA customers but competes as part of a much wider enterprise portfolio.
• MRI Software: MRI Software (now part of the MRI/RealPage group historically) provides property management software with affordable housing and public housing capabilities. It targets a broader multifamily and commercial real estate audience, with PHA as one vertical.
• RealPage: RealPage offers a comprehensive property management platform with affordable housing modules (including OneSite Affordable) serving PHAs and LIHTC operators. It is a broader incumbent that overlaps with PHA-Web on tenant and unit management.

Emerging players

• AppFolio: AppFolio is a modern, cloud-first property management platform focused primarily on conventional multifamily and student housing, with limited but growing affordable housing capabilities. It represents a competitive threat on usability and mobile experience rather than vertical depth.
• Buildium: Buildium targets small-to-mid residential property managers with a SaaS platform. It does not specialize in PHAs but represents the kind of modern, lower-cost alternative that smaller agencies may consider when standardizing.
• ResMan: ResMan is a cloud-based multifamily property management platform with select affordable housing capabilities. It overlaps with PHA-Web on tenant and ledger workflows but does not match the depth of PHA-specific certification and PIC submission functionality.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/management-computer-services

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 PHA-Web