Fort Smith Housing Authority

What Fort Smith Housing Authority does

Fort Smith Housing Authority (FSHA) is a public housing authority established under U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) programs, operating in Fort Smith, Arkansas, within Sebastian County. The authority is governed by a five-member Board of Commissioners appointed by the City of Fort Smith and delivers federal housing assistance through three principal programs: (1) the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program, providing tenant-based rental assistance that enables very low-income families to lease apartments, condominiums, or single-family homes from participating private-market landlords; (2) Nelson Hall Homes, a dedicated rental property for low-income elderly and/or disabled residents; and (3) North Pointe/Clayton Heights, a mixed-income single-family and duplex development offering 2-, 3-, and 4-bedroom units with income-based rents and amenities such as Energy Star appliances and in-unit washer/dryers. The authority also administers a homeownership assistance program providing down payment and closing cost support to eligible buyers.

FSHA's operating model is service-delivery rather than technology-product based. Tenant and applicant interactions are conducted through self-service online portals (Securecafe for Section 8, RentCafe for Nelson Hall Homes) and on-site offices, with eligibility determined by HUD's Area Median Income (AMI) thresholds at 30%, 50%, and 80% bands. Revenue is derived from two streams: HUD federal funding (the primary stream, covering operating subsidies and Housing Assistance Payments) and tenant rental income, with rents calculated as a percentage of adjusted gross income. With a headcount of 11–50 employees, the authority combines direct property management of owned units with third-party landlord partnerships for the Section 8 program, including a network of 55+ participating landlords across Sebastian County. The organization is in active operational transition as of 2025, with the expiration of a HUD Moderate Rehabilitation contract affecting 55 families at Boardwalk Apartments, who are being converted to tenant-based Housing Choice Vouchers by August 1, 2025.

Name

Fort Smith Housing Authority

Legal name

Fort Smith Housing Authority

Website

https://fortsmithhousing.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Fort Smith Housing Authority is a HUD-funded public housing authority in Fort Smith, Arkansas, administering Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers, senior/disabled rental housing, and mixed-income residential developments for low-income households in Sebastian County.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Housing Services

NAICS

Administration of Housing Programs (92511)

SIC

Real Estate Agents & Managers (For Others) (6531)

akta.pro primary industry

Public & Affordable Housing Programs (Subsidies, Vouchers, Public Housing) (BPAIANAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

State & Local Housing Finance Agencies (HFAs) (FSALAKAA), Affordable Housing & Community Development (Housing, Community Land Trusts) (BPAGALAC)

Keywords

• Public housing services
• Affordable housing programs
• Section 8 vouchers
• Rental assistance programs
• Housing authority services

Headquarters

HQ city

Fort Smith

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. HUD Federal Funding: Primary funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) through various housing assistance programs including Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers and public housing subsidies.
2. Tenant Rental Income: Rental income from tenants in public housing properties, with rents based on income eligibility thresholds ranging from extremely low income to 80% Area Median Income.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Fort Smith Housing Authority (FSHA) is a public housing authority that develops, rehabilitates, and manages affordable housing in Fort Smith, Arkansas. It administers the federal Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program enabling very low-income families to rent in the private market, manages public housing properties such as Nelson Hall Homes for elderly and disabled residents, and operates the mixed-income North Pointe/Clayton Heights development offering single-family and duplex rental homes.

Product overview

Fort Smith Housing Authority operates as a public housing authority providing affordable housing programs and services. The organization offers a portfolio of housing solutions including Section 8 tenant-based rental assistance, public housing developments (Nelson Hall Homes for elderly/disabled residents), mixed-income housing at North Pointe/Clayton Heights, homeownership assistance programs, and transition support services. These offerings work together to serve low-income households through rental assistance, affordable housing development, and economic self-sufficiency programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Section 8: Housing Choice Voucher program providing rental assistance to very low-income families
• Nelson Hall Homes
• North Pointe/Clayton Heights
• Boardwalk Apartments

Products and services

• Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program Federal rental assistance program that provides very low-income families with tenant-based vouchers to rent apartments, condominiums, or homes in the private market throughout Sebastian County, Arkansas. FSHA pays housing assistance payments directly to participating landlords on behalf of eligible families.
• Nelson Hall Homes Rental housing facility providing suitable and safe housing for eligible low-income elderly and/or disabled persons in Fort Smith, Arkansas. Property is managed on-site by FSHA staff and accessed through the RentCafe online application portal.
• North Pointe/Clayton Heights Mixed income development offering single-family and duplex homes with 2-, 3-, and 4-bedroom options, featuring Energy Star appliances, two-car garages, and in-unit washer/dryers. Rents range from $554 (2BR) to $850 (4BR), with both market-rate and income-based units available near schools, grocery, and retail shopping in a neighborhood environment.
• Homeownership Programs Programs providing eligible buyers with assistance for down payment and closing costs to support home purchase for income-qualified households.
• Boardwalk Apartments Transition Assistance Transition support service for Boardwalk Apartments residents, including tenant-based Housing Choice Vouchers, landlord lists, and individual counseling to assist families in relocating to new residences following the expiration of the HUD Moderate Rehabilitation contract.

Quantifiable outcome

• 55 families transitioned to more flexible tenant-based Housing Choice Vouchers

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)OthersFSHA operates under a Annual Contributions Contract with HUD to administer public housing and Section 8 programs. HUD provides federal funding and regulatory oversight for housing authority operations.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Little Rock Housing Authority: Another Arkansas-based public housing authority administering Section 8 vouchers, public housing, and mixed-income developments. Directly comparable in regulatory structure and program mix to FSHA, but operating at a larger scale in a larger city.
• Tulsa Housing Authority: Mid-sized municipal PHA administering Section 8 HCVs and public housing in a comparable mid-sized regional economy. Operates the same HUD-funded program portfolio as FSHA and faces similar regulatory and funding dynamics.
• Memphis Housing Authority: Mid-South PHA administering Section 8, public housing, and mixed-income developments, with a comparable mix of elderly/disabled and family housing. Directly comparable operating model and HUD program structure.

Broad incumbents

• Arkansas Development Finance Authority: State-level housing finance agency that administers federal housing tax credits, mortgage programs, and affordable housing financing across Arkansas. Broader mandate than FSHA but operates within the same state regulatory and federal-funding ecosystem.
• Housing Authority of the City of Fort Worth: Large municipal PHA operating a similar portfolio of Section 8, public housing, and mixed-income programs in a major Texas metro. Provides a scaled-up benchmark for FSHA's potential growth trajectory.
• Houston Housing Authority: Large municipal PHA administering tens of thousands of vouchers and public housing units. Useful as a broad incumbent benchmark for portfolio scale, though significantly larger than FSHA.
• Related Companies (Affordable Housing division): Large private developer of affordable and mixed-income housing using LIHTC and project-based subsidies. Operates a much larger portfolio but addresses the same resident populations and uses overlapping federal subsidy programs.

Emerging players

• Mercy Housing: National nonprofit affordable housing developer and operator with multifamily properties serving low-income families, seniors, and people with special needs. Comparable mission and resident populations to FSHA's portfolio, though structured as a private nonprofit rather than a PHA.

Others

• National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO): Membership organization representing PHAs and housing professionals nationwide. Functions as an industry body that advocates for HUD funding and provides training/standards directly relevant to FSHA's operating context.
• Volunteers of America National Services: National nonprofit operating affordable housing, supportive housing, and senior services including HUD-assisted properties. Operates an adjacent affordable housing model with similar resident populations to FSHA.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/fortsmithhousing
• Xx.com/ftsmithhousing
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fort-smith-housing-authority

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Fort Smith Housing Authority