Avenue
Avenue (Avenue CDC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1991 that develops and operates affordable housing, delivers HUD-certified homeownership education, and provides wraparound resident services for low- to moderate-income households in Houston's Greater Northside and Northline neighborhoods.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1991
- HeadquartersHouston, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Avenue does
Avenue (also known as Avenue CDC) is a Houston-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit community development corporation founded in 1991 that operates a vertically integrated affordable housing and family asset-building platform serving low- to moderate-income households (under 80% of Area Median Income) in Houston's Greater Northside and Northline neighborhoods. The organization runs four interconnected business lines: affordable rental housing operations across its multi-family portfolio; affordable for-sale home development through Avenue Park and related projects; HUD-certified homeownership education and counseling delivered through its NeighborWorks America-affiliated HomeOwnership Center; and on-site resident/community services including food security, youth enrichment, foreclosure prevention counseling, and civic participation programming. Avenue operates two wholly-owned subsidiaries — Realty by Avenue, LLC (an NMLS-licensed brokerage, #1834683) and Avenue Development, LLC — to facilitate property transactions and development activity. Day-to-day operations run from Avenue Center, a 2021-completed headquarters at 3517 Irvington Boulevard that co-locates the HomeOwnership Center, Legacy Community Health, and YMCA Children's Academy. Major developments include Avenue Place, Avenue Terraces, Avenue Station, Avenue Villas, Fulton Gardens, Fulton + James, and Avenue Park.
The organization's revenue model is a hybrid nonprofit construct with five streams: recurring rental income from owned multi-family properties, one-time home sale proceeds from new construction (Avenue Park homes priced $234,000-$320,000), transaction fees from the in-house Realty by Avenue brokerage, $100-per-household self-paced online homebuyer education fees (eHome America) and grants/free live classes supported by sponsorships, and — most significantly — recurring grants and donations from foundations, banks, corporations, and government entities. Headcount is in the 11-50 band led by long-tenured CEO Mary Lawler (3+ decades). Marketing is community-led: events (Art on the Avenue, HomeFest, Build Up Bash), HUD-certified homebuyer classes (in-person, virtual, self-paced), resident referrals, and bank/neighborhood partnerships generate demand. Notable operational signals include $99 million in projects/programs supported over 10+ years, $18 million+ in cumulative NeighborWorks America investment over 20+ years, 1,000+ rental units developed since 1991, 133 single-family homes sold to date, 9,328 homebuyer education attendees (2012-2023), and a reported 90¢-on-the-$1 program-spend efficiency ratio.
Pricing for housing inventory is income-restricted and unit-priced; counseling and most homebuyer classes are free, funded by grants; Fulton + James rental homes target households at 30-80% AMI; Avenue Park for-sale homes target buyers at or below 80% AMI. Distribution channels include direct in-house sales via Realty by Avenue, third-party property management via Q10 Property Advisors, on-site resident services at multi-family properties, and partnership referrals to/from Legacy Community Health, YMCA, Houston Food Bank, Houston Public Library, and similar service providers.
Avenue firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Avenue
- Legal name
- Avenue CDC
- Website
- https://avenuecdc.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1991
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Avenue (Avenue CDC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1991 that develops and operates affordable housing, delivers HUD-certified homeownership education, and provides wraparound resident services for low- to moderate-income households in Houston's Greater Northside and Northline neighborhoods.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Avenue industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Affordable Housing & Community Development Services
- NAICS
- Residential Building Construction (2361), Residential Property Managers (531311), Other Community Housing Services (624229)
- SIC
- Operators Of Apartment Buildings (6513), Real Estate (6500)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Residential Affordable Housing Development & Construction (IMAFABAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Affordable Housing Property Management (BPAJAGAJ), Public & Affordable Housing Programs (Subsidies, Vouchers, Public Housing) (BPAIANAA)
Keywords
Where Avenue is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Houston
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Avenue business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Affordable Housing Development & Sales: Avenue develops and sells affordable single-family homes to income-eligible buyers through Avenue Park and other developments. Revenue comes from home sales to qualifying purchasers.
- Rental Housing Operations: Avenue owns and operates multi-family affordable rental properties across Houston. Revenue is generated through monthly rents from residents in these income-restricted communities.
- Donations and Grants: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Avenue relies on charitable donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations, as well as government and private grants to fund operations, programs, and housing development.
- Realty Services: Realty by Avenue provides real estate services for home purchases, operating as a licensed real estate broker (NMLS#1834683) to facilitate transactions for their affordable housing developments.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Affordable Single-Family Homes |
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | HUD-Certified Homebuyer Education |
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Homebuyer & Foreclosure Counseling |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Avenue product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Avenue is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community development corporation that develops and operates affordable rental housing and for-sale homes, delivers HUD-certified homebuyer education and foreclosure prevention counseling, and provides on-site resident services and community development programs targeted at low-to-moderate income households in Houston's Greater Northside and Northline neighborhoods.
Product overview
Avenue is a nonprofit affordable housing and community development organization (501(c)(3)) that operates as a multi-service housing platform rather than a single product. The organization provides affordable rental housing through multiple apartment communities, paired with comprehensive on-site resident services. Its Homeownership Center (a NeighborWorks America affiliate) delivers HUD-certified homebuyer education, one-on-one counseling, and foreclosure prevention services. Avenue develops single-family homes for sale (Avenue Park) and rent (Fulton + James), manages in-house realty services, and operates community development initiatives including food security programs, youth enrichment, and health equity work. The portfolio also includes signature annual events (HomeFest, Art on the Avenue, Build Up Bash) that serve as fundraising vehicles. All services are free or low-cost, targeting low-to-moderate income Houstonians, with the physical hub at Avenue Center housing multiple partner services.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Affordable Rental Homes
- Avenue Park
- Fulton + James
- Realty by Avenue
- NeighborWorks HomeOwnership Center
- First-Time Homebuyers Education Class
- Homebuyer Counseling
- Homeowner Workshops
- Foreclosure Prevention Counseling
- Resident Services
- Food Security Programs
- Kids Club & Camp Avenue
- Community Development
Quantifiable outcome
- 445 households became homeowners through PNC partnership support
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Avenue
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Avenue technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Avenue partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- BoxPrefabcoreBoxPrefab partnered with Avenue to construct modular homes for the Fulton + James development. Each section of the homes was pre-constructed in BoxPrefab's warehouse, trucked in and put in place by cranes.
- Q10 Property AdvisorscoreQ10 Property Advisors manages all of Avenue's rental portfolio, including the Fulton + James homes. They handle property management, tenant relations, and leasing for Avenue's rental properties.
- Cole Klein BuilderscoreCole Klein Builders is the builder for Avenue Park single-family homes development. They constructed 17 homes in the 46-home development in the Greater Northside/Northline area.
- Legacy Community HealthcoreLegacy Community Health operates a health clinic at Avenue Center, providing primary, behavioral, and maternal health services to residents and community members. This partnership brings essential healthcare access to the Near Northside.
- YMCA Children's AcademycoreYMCA Children's Academy provides early childhood education for ages 6 months to five years at Avenue Center, serving working families in the community.
- Houston Food Bank / Second Servings of HoustonminorPartnership to provide food distribution and nutrition programs for residents in Avenue's multi-family communities, helping address food insecurity.
- Houston Public LibraryminorPartners to provide educational resources, computer training, and literacy programs for residents.
- Children's Museum of HoustonminorProvides kit-based programs including math, science, and cultural activities for youth in Avenue's resident programs, with free family passes.
- Books Between KidsminorProvides books for children in Avenue's multi-family communities to support literacy and educational outcomes.
- Common ThreadsminorProvides cooking and nutrition education programs for families in Avenue's communities.
- With Helping HandsminorProvides meal programs and food assistance for resident youth and families.
- RDLR ArchitectsminorArchitecture firm partner that has participated in events and corporate partnerships with Avenue.
- TellepsenminorCorporate partner that has participated in events benefiting Avenue.
- Houston In ActioncoreAvenue partners with Houston In Action to increase equitable voter participation across Greater Houston. Avenue participates in the Latinx Voter Engagement Table and the Grow the Circle Voter Engagement Campaign, building civic power and inclusive democracy for neighborhoods.
- Memorial HermanncorePartnership through TACHI (Texas Accountable Communities for Health Initiative). Memorial Hermann Community Benefit Corporation collaborates with Avenue on health equity initiatives in the Greater Northside.
- M.D. Anderson YMCAcorePartner through TACHI initiative, working alongside Avenue on community health and wellness programs.
- Wesley Community CentercorePartner through TACHI initiative for health equity work in Greater Northside, providing community services and health programming.
- Habitat for HumanityminorAffordable housing nonprofit partner with shared mission goals in Houston.
Scale indicators16 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Avenue competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- The NHP Foundation: Nonprofit affordable housing owner/operator focused on multifamily rental and service-enriched housing. Comparable resident services plus housing model to Avenue's multi-family operations, though primarily serving Northeast/Mid-Atlantic markets.
Direct peers
- LISC Houston: Local Initiatives Support Corporation's Houston office provides capital, grants, and technical assistance to community developers. Operates overlapping affordable housing and community development programs with comparable target population and funding partners.
- BakerRipley (formerly Neighborhood Centers Inc.): Houston-based community development nonprofit combining affordable housing with immigrant services, education, and financial capability. Similar integrated social-services-plus-housing model serving the same target demographic in Greater Houston.
- Habitat for Humanity Houston: Houston-based nonprofit that builds affordable single-family homes for low-income buyers, closely mirroring Avenue's Avenue Park for-sale development model. Operates with similar volunteer-driven, HUD-aligned construction and homebuyer education approach in overlapping Houston submarkets.
- Neighborhood Housing Services of Greater Houston: NeighborWorks-affiliated nonprofit delivering HUD-certified homebuyer education, foreclosure counseling, and affordable housing development in Houston. Directly competes with Avenue's HomeOwnership Center for counseling clients and grant funding.
Broad incumbents
- Mercy Housing: National nonprofit affordable housing developer and operator combining rental housing with resident services. Comparable in mission to Avenue's affordable rental operations, though operating at significantly larger scale across multiple states.
- Houston Housing Authority: Government entity administering public housing, Section 8 vouchers, and affordable housing programs for Houston. As a major local funder/regulator of affordable housing, it shapes the operating environment in which Avenue develops and serves residents.
- NeighborWorks America: National network funder of which Avenue is an affiliate. Provides grants, training, and capital to 250+ local housing nonprofits; sets many operational standards Avenue follows as a network member.
- Enterprise Community Partners: National nonprofit affordable housing developer and CDFI deploying capital and policy advocacy for affordable rental and for-sale housing. Operates at greater scale than Avenue with overlapping LIHTC and community development focus.
Others
- Grounded Solutions Network: National membership organization promoting community land trusts and shared-equity homeownership models. Relevant as an ecosystem enabler shaping shared-equity practices Avenue could adopt for Avenue Park and future for-sale developments.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Avenue social profiles
Digital presenceAvenue financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Avenue leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Avenue subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
Avenue funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Avenue 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 Avenue
What does Avenue do?
Avenue is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community development corporation that develops and operates affordable rental housing and for-sale homes, delivers HUD-certified homebuyer education and foreclosure prevention counseling, and provides on-site resident services and community development programs targeted at low-to-moderate income households in Houston's Greater Northside and Northline neighborhoods.
Is Avenue a public or private company?
Avenue is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Avenue founded?
Avenue was founded in 1991. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Avenue based?
Avenue is headquartered in Houston, United States, in the North America region.
How does Avenue make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Affordable Housing Development & Sales are the primary driver. The others are rental Housing Operations, donations and Grants and realty Services.
Who are Avenue's main competitors?
The NHP Foundation is listed as a regional player. Direct peers are LISC Houston, BakerRipley (formerly Neighborhood Centers Inc.), Habitat for Humanity Houston and Neighborhood Housing Services of Greater Houston. Broad incumbents are Mercy Housing, Houston Housing Authority, NeighborWorks America and Enterprise Community Partners. Grounded Solutions Network is listed as an others.
Does Avenue have an API?
No public API is recorded for Avenue.
What industry is Avenue in?
Avenue's product category is Affordable Housing & Community Development Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAFABAI, Residential Affordable Housing Development & Construction, with a secondary code of BPAJAGAJ, Affordable Housing Property Management. Its NAICS code is 2361 and its SIC code is 6513.