HomeStart

What HomeStart does

HomeStart is a Greater Boston-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, founded in 1994, that delivers integrated homelessness prevention and housing services across an end-to-end continuum: Prevention (eviction prevention with 7,000+ evictions prevented), Housing Search (permanent housing placement for 17,000+ individuals), Housing Stabilization (ongoing support for approximately 500 people per year), and the Renew Collaborative, a cost-benefit-driven eviction prevention program targeting subsidized families and the working poor in Massachusetts. The organization reports a 95% housing retention rate at 36 months among served clients, and serves a primary population of adults and families experiencing or at risk of homelessness, including those with mental health and substance use disorders, plus a secondary stakeholder group of Boston-area landlords seeking tenants.

Service delivery is human-led and channel-diverse: in-person consultations at the Boston office (105 Chauncy Street, Suite 502) on Tuesdays through Thursdays, field visits to partner organizations, an Eviction Prevention Hotline (857-415-2900), walk-in housing search consultations, and a self-serve Landlord Portal for property owners. The underlying technology stack is non-proprietary and minimal — a Wix-hosted website, a donor portal (DonorPerfect), and a basic landlord intake form — with no mobile app, no SaaS platform, and no disclosed API surface.

HomeStart's revenue model is donation-based and does not monetize clients. Funding streams include individual donations via the website, corporate partnerships (Bank of America Charitable Foundation, United Way, BlueHub Capital, Cambridge Savings Bank, Coldwell Banker Realty, Compass Real Estate, and dozens of other Greater Boston firms and foundations), and grants from charitable entities. Annual revenue is not publicly disclosed, and the organization operates from a single Boston office with 11–50 employees, with a service geography limited to Greater Boston and a Massachusetts-wide aspirational reach via the Renew Collaborative.

Name

HomeStart

Legal name

HomeStart

Website

https://homestart.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

HomeStart is a Greater Boston 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded in 1994, providing integrated eviction prevention, housing search, and housing stabilization services to individuals and families experiencing or at risk of homelessness, with 7,000+ evictions prevented and 95% housing retention at 36 months.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Homelessness Prevention and Housing Services

NAICS

Community Housing Services (62422)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Housing Assistance & Homeless Services (BPAGAEAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Homelessness Prevention, Shelter & Supportive Housing Services (BPAIANAC)

Keywords

• Homelessness prevention services
• Eviction prevention assistance
• Housing stabilization programs
• Affordable housing search
• Nonprofit housing services

Headquarters

HQ city

Boston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: HomeStart accepts individual donations through its website, with a 'Make a Donation' button prominently displayed. Donors can give through a donor portal.
2. Corporate Partnerships: Corporate engagement program including corporate donations, foundation grants, and employee giving programs. Multiple corporate partners and foundations are listed as supporters.
3. Grant Funding: Funding from foundations and charitable organizations including United Way, Bank of America Charitable Foundation, and various other philanthropic entities.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

HomeStart is a Boston-based nonprofit that delivers direct social services to prevent and end homelessness. Its core offerings include Prevention (eviction prevention assistance with 7,000+ evictions prevented), Housing Search (permanent housing placement serving 17,000+ individuals), and Housing Stabilization (ongoing support for ~500 people per year), supplemented by the Renew Collaborative program targeting subsidized families and the working poor in Massachusetts.

Product overview

HomeStart is a Boston-based nonprofit organization offering a unified suite of housing-related services focused on preventing homelessness and helping individuals experiencing homelessness find and maintain housing. The core service portfolio consists of three interconnected programs: Prevention (eviction prevention with over 7,000 evictions prevented), Housing Search (permanent housing placement for more than 17,000 individuals), and Housing Stabilization (ongoing support for approximately 500 people annually). These core services are supplemented by the Renew Collaborative, a cost-benefit-driven eviction prevention program targeting subsidized families and the working poor in Massachusetts. Additional offerings include an Eviction Prevention Hotline, a Landlord Portal for connecting property owners with clients, and community engagement programs such as ICYCLE and Boston Marathon fundraising. The organization does not offer a technology platform or SaaS product, but rather direct social services and a web-based landlord intake portal.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Prevention (Eviction Prevention) Eviction prevention services for individuals at risk of or in the process of being evicted in Greater Boston, with over 7,000 evictions prevented.
• Housing Search Housing placement assistance helping individuals experiencing homelessness find permanent housing in Greater Boston, with over 17,000 individuals served.
• Housing Stabilization Ongoing support services helping approximately 500 people per year manage their housing and remain housed long term.
• Renew Collaborative An economically sustainable and scalable eviction prevention program developed over the past decade, targeting homelessness due to non-payment eviction for families with subsidies and the working poor in Massachusetts.
• Landlord Portal Online portal for landlords in the Boston area to list vacancies, connect with HomeStart staff, and facilitate rental property matching with clients.
• Eviction Prevention Hotline Telephone hotline (857-415-2900) providing immediate assistance to individuals owing back rent and trying to stay in their apartment.
• Walk-In Brief Consultations One-time brief housing search consultations offered to anyone needing assistance with the affordable housing search process (currently suspended due to hybrid schedule).

Quantifiable outcome

• 7,000+ evictions prevented in Greater Boston
• +3 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Bridge Over Troubled Waters: Boston nonprofit serving homeless and at-risk youth with shelter, housing, education, and job training. Comparable Boston-based nonprofit model with shared donor ecosystem, though focused on youth rather than all adults/families.
• Metro Housing Boston: Greater Boston's largest regional housing agency, providing rental assistance, housing search, and homelessness prevention. Closely comparable mission and service mix (eviction prevention, housing placement) within the same geography.
• Heading Home: Massachusetts nonprofit providing emergency shelter, transitional housing, and permanent housing solutions for homeless individuals and families. Comparable as a regional housing/homelessness services operator with similar donor-funded model.
• Father Bill's & MainSpring: Massachusetts-based nonprofit operating shelter, housing placement, and homelessness prevention programs across southeastern MA. Comparable service model and target population with overlapping corporate/foundation funder base.
• St. Francis House: Boston's largest day shelter serving adults experiencing homelessness, with housing stabilization and case management services. Comparable Boston-based nonprofit serving overlapping clientele with similar funding streams.
• Pine Street Inn: Boston's largest nonprofit dedicated to ending homelessness, providing shelter, housing, and workforce services. Directly comparable as a Boston-area homelessness services nonprofit with overlapping donor base and government funding sources.

Broad incumbents

• Boston Housing Authority: The largest public housing authority in New England, administering public housing and Section 8 vouchers in Boston. Comparable end beneficiary population and broader housing-stability mission, though government-funded and significantly larger in scale.
• Massachusetts Housing Partnership: Statewide public nonprofit working to increase affordable housing production and preservation across Massachusetts. Broader housing-system focus with policy/financing tools, but overlapping goal of preventing housing instability.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/homestart_inc
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@homestartinc4774
• Facebookfacebook.com/homestartorg
• Instagraminstagram.com/homestart_inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

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 HomeStart