Reno Housing Authority

What Reno Housing Authority does

Reno Housing Authority (RHA) is a municipal housing authority established in October 1943 under Nevada Revised Statute 315, designated as the Public Housing Authority for Reno, Sparks, and Washoe County. RHA is one of 39 initial agencies nationally participating in the federal Moving to Work (MTW) program, which grants it flexibility to design and test locally tailored housing and self-sufficiency strategies. The organization provides affordable housing and rental assistance to more than 2,500 low-income families, including more than 400 veteran subsidies through HUD-VASH, 15 former foster youth subsidies, 130+ Emergency Housing Vouchers, and over 600 special purpose vouchers for vulnerable populations. RHA owns and manages approximately 750 public housing units across 8 complexes, 165+ Neighborhood Stabilization Program rental properties, and through its subsidiary Washoe Affordable Housing Corporation (WAHC), more than 1,400 below-market-rate rental properties countywide.

RHA's core product portfolio includes the Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) program, Public Housing, Project-Based Vouchers, Special Purpose Vouchers, and Emergency Housing Vouchers. Tenant rent is set at approximately 30% of adjusted household income, with the remainder covered by HUD Housing Assistance Payments. The technology layer is built on Yardi's Rent Café platform, providing online portals for applicants, residents, and landlords to manage recertifications, HAP payment history, and unit inspection records. Supporting the housing programs is a wraparound service stack including Workforce Development, Youth Start Smart (with up to $20,000 in participant incentives plus a $10,000 graduation scholarship), senior services, youth activities, and resident councils.

RHA's business model is a federally funded non-profit / quasi-governmental structure with revenue derived almost entirely from HUD appropriations (HAP, Capital Fund, operating subsidies, MTW flex authority) plus tenant rent contributions. Distribution occurs through direct ownership and management of public housing units, private-market vouchers via the 400+ landlord partner network, and project-based affordable housing complexes. RHA employs approximately 80 people and operates two offices in Reno (1525 East Ninth Street headquarters and a Resident Services office at 440 Reno Avenue). The organization is governed by a five-person Board of Commissioners appointed by the Mayor of Reno and is currently led by Executive Director Dr. Hilary Lopez, appointed in July 2022.

Name

Reno Housing Authority

Legal name

Housing Authority of the City of Reno

Website

https://renoha.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1943

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Reno Housing Authority is a municipal housing authority and one of 39 initial Moving to Work agencies, providing public housing, Housing Choice Vouchers, and supportive services to more than 2,500 low-income families across Reno, Sparks, and Washoe County.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Housing Services

NAICS

Administration of Housing Programs, Urban Planning, and Community Development (925), Residential Property Managers (531311), Administration of Housing Programs (92511)

SIC

Operators Of Apartment Buildings (6513)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAIANAA

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

Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/Housing, Urban Planning & Community Development

SECONDARYBPAJAFAD

Affordable & Subsidized Housing Property Management (LIHTC, Section 8)

Business & Public Services/Real Estate Services (Brokerage, Property Management)/Residential Property Management

SECONDARYFSALAKAI

Housing Voucher & Rental Assistance Programs (Tenant-Based/Project-Based)

Financial & Insurance/Mortgage & Housing Finance/Housing Finance Agencies & Government-Sponsored Housing Programs

SECONDARYBPAJAFAH

HOA / Condominium Association Management

Business & Public Services/Real Estate Services (Brokerage, Property Management)/Residential Property Management

Keywords

• Public housing assistance
• Housing choice vouchers
• Affordable rental housing
• Resident services programs
• Landlord partnership programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Reno

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. HUD Housing Assistance Payments (HAP): Federal HUD funds cover a portion of rent on behalf of qualified low-income families. RHA receives HUD funding to provide subsidized housing assistance through Housing Choice Voucher, Public Housing, Project Based Voucher and other programs. Tenant rent is set at 30% of household's adjusted income.
2. Public Housing Rental Income: RHA owns, manages and maintains public housing units leased to qualifying low-income households. Rents are based on tenant income rather than market rents. RHA owns about 750 units across 8 complexes in Washoe County.
3. Neighborhood Stabilization Program Properties: RHA owns and manages over 165 rental properties specifically targeted for low-income households acquired through federal Neighborhood Stabilization Programs. RHA also and its subsidiary WAHC owns, manages or contracts more than 1,400 below market rate rental properties in Washoe County.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Reno Housing Authority is a municipal housing authority that administers federal housing assistance programs on behalf of HUD for low-income families, seniors, veterans, and persons with disabilities. It directly manages Public Housing units and administers tenant-based and project-based Housing Choice Vouchers (Section 8), along with Special Purpose Vouchers, across Reno, Sparks, and Washoe County, Nevada. It is one of the original 39 Moving to Work (MTW) demonstration agencies, giving it regulatory flexibility to design and test local housing policies.

Product overview

Reno Housing Authority operates as a quasi-governmental housing authority providing affordable housing solutions through a portfolio of interconnected programs. The core offerings include the Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) program and Public Housing (approximately 750 owned units), supplemented by Project-Based and Special Purpose Voucher programs targeting veterans, foster youth, and homeless populations. Community Benefit Properties extend affordable housing options through multiple complexes throughout Washoe County. Supporting these housing programs are wraparound services including Workforce Development, Youth Start Smart, senior services, and youth activities—creating a comprehensive approach to resident self-sufficiency. An online Rent Cafe portal provides self-service access for applicants and residents to manage their housing accounts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Public Housing Program
• Housing Choice Voucher Program (Section 8)
• Project-Based Voucher Program
• Special Purpose Vouchers
• Family Self-Sufficiency Program
• Affordable Housing through Washoe Affordable Housing Corporation (WAHC)

Quantifiable outcome

• Above 90% voucher success rate compared to national average of 50-60%
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Brinshore DevelopmentcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 May 2025RHA partnered with Brinshore Development, a national firm focused on residential mixed-income developments, for the Hawk View Apartments redevelopment (199 units, $75M investment) and Silverada Manor redevelopment ($65M investment). Brinshore serves as co-developer on these major affordable housing projects.
• Catholic Charities of Northern NevadacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of four community partners that refer households to RHA for Emergency Housing Vouchers. Recipients must receive ongoing case management through Catholic Charities.
• Volunteers of AmericacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of four community partners that refer households to RHA for Emergency Housing Vouchers. Provides ongoing case management services to Emergency Housing Voucher recipients.
• Washoe County Housing and Homeless ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of four community partners that refer households to RHA for Emergency Housing Vouchers. Provides ongoing case management services to Emergency Housing Voucher recipients.
• Washoe County Human Services: Our PlacecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of four community partners that refer households to RHA for Emergency Housing Vouchers and provides case management for former foster youth housing subsidies.
• Eddy HousecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRHA provides more than $50,000 per year to Eddy House as part of a shallow subsidies program to help provide shelter and programs for the area's unhoused youth. Eddy House also provides supportive case management for 15 former foster youth receiving RHA housing subsidies.
• Department of Veterans AffairscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThrough the HUD-VASH initiative, RHA provides more than 400 housing subsidies for veterans. A condition of eligibility for a VASH voucher is mandatory participation in case management services provided locally by the Department of Veterans Affairs.
• Washoe Affordable Housing Corporation (WAHC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRHA's subsidiary WAHC owns, manages or contracts more than 1,400 below market rate rental properties in Washoe County. WAHC also previously administered the Homeless Prevention Program.
• Reno Bike ProjectminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRHA partners with Reno Bike Project each summer and Washoe County School District autumn break to host the Major Taylor Bike Camp for RHA youth ages 11-18. The camp teaches safe riding, commuting education, and bike repair.
• Sky Tavern and BOBOS SKI & BOARDminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRHA partners with Sky Tavern and BOBOS SKI & BOARD annually to offer the Junior Ski Program to RHA families, including children ages 4+. Transportation is provided. Scholarships and gear are provided for 150 RHA kiddos and parents.
• Sierra Nevada Journeys and The Nature ConservancyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRHA partners with Sierra Nevada Journeys and The Nature Conservancy to offer summer camp at Grizzly Creek Ranch near Portola, CA. Youth stay 6 days and 5 nights learning fishing, shelter building, archery, and environmental science at no cost to families.
• Girl Scouts of the Sierra NevadaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRHA provides locations in public housing communities for Girl Scouts meetings and events. RHA partners with GSSN to provide youth access to leadership development activities.
• Nevada Area Council (Boy Scouts of America)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRHA partners with the Nevada Area Council to provide locations in public housing communities for Boy Scouts meetings and events.
• Food Bank of Northern NevadaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRHA partners with the Food Bank of Northern Nevada to operate a Golden Groceries Food Pantry on-site at Tom Sawyer Village (2565 Tom Sawyer Drive). Open to all community members ages 55+ on the 1st and 3rd Thursday of each month.
• Salvation Army - Reno (Silver Angel Tree)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRHA participates in the Salvation Army Silver Angel Tree program. Low-income seniors at several RHA complexes receive holiday gifts through this program.
• SWAAG Foundation and Northern Nevada Barber AcademyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRHA partners with SWAAG Foundation and Northern Nevada Barber Academy each autumn to provide free haircuts and school supplies to RHA youth returning to school with confidence.

Scale indicators16 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Chicago Housing Authority (CHA): One of the largest PHAs in the U.S., operating tens of thousands of public housing units and a large HCV program. Comparable program architecture (Public Housing + HCV + PBV) but at materially greater scale.
• Los Angeles County Development Authority (LACDA): Large California county housing authority operating HCV, Public Housing, and redevelopment programs across LA County. Larger in scale than RHA but overlapping in mission, federal program administration, and special-purpose voucher focus.
• Atlanta Housing Authority: Large PHA operating Public Housing, HCV, and mixed-finance redevelopment programs. Comparable wraparound resident services model and emphasis on RAD-style redevelopment of aging public housing stock.

Direct peers

• Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency (SHRA): A combined housing authority and redevelopment agency in the Sacramento region operating Public Housing, HCV, and project-based programs. Highly comparable to RHA in scale, regional PHA structure, and reliance on HUD funding streams.
• King County Housing Authority: Washington-state PHA operating Public Housing, HCV, and project-based affordable housing in the Seattle metro. Comparable regional PHA scale, federal program mix, and landlord partnership focus.
• San Diego Housing Commission: Municipal housing commission administering HCV, Public Housing, and local rental assistance programs in San Diego. Similar mid-sized PHA model with a strong landlord-partnership program and waitlist-based admissions.
• San Francisco Housing Authority: Municipal PHA administering federal housing programs in a high-cost West Coast market. Comparable program mix (Public Housing, HCV, PBV) and similar emphasis on landlord recruitment in a tight rental market.
• Clark County (Las Vegas) Housing Authority: Nevada-based PHA serving the Las Vegas metro with Public Housing, HCV, and special purpose vouchers. Closest geographic peer to RHA and operates under similar HUD/Nevada regulatory framework and landlord market dynamics.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/RHAHousing
• Facebookfacebook.com/RenoHousing
• Instagraminstagram.com/reno_housing_authority
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/reno-housing-authority

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Reno Housing Authority