District of Columbia Housing Authority
The District of Columbia Housing Authority (DCHA) is a DC government public housing authority that manages public housing properties and administers the Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCVP) serving extremely low to moderate income households across Washington, D.C., funded primarily by HUD and DC appropriations.
- Company typePublic
- Founded1990
- HeadquartersWashington, United States
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What District of Columbia Housing Authority does
The District of Columbia Housing Authority (DCHA) is a statutorily created public housing authority of the District of Columbia, established in 1990 and headquartered at 625 D Street SW in Washington. DCHA administers the District's portfolio of affordable housing programs, including the direct management of public housing properties across the city and the federally funded Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCVP), through which 3,400+ private landlords rent to low-income households. As a Moving to Work (MTW) agency since 2003, DCHA holds HUD-approved flexibility to design local programs and policies tailored to Washington's high-cost rental market. Its service portfolio also includes the Family Self-Sufficiency Program, workforce development and apprenticeship training, a $40,000 annual Commitment to Excellence Scholarship Program, the Healthcare Initiative Program delivered via Community Concierge Care (C3 CARES), and resident services across multiple customer service centers.
DCHA operates its housing administration on a conventional government technology stack rather than proprietary software: the Yardi Housing Management System handles property management, tenant records, rent determination, and housing assistance payment tracking; RentCafe provides a self-service online portal for applicants, residents, voucher participants, and landlords; an agency-wide Enterprise Resource Planning application manages operations, finances, and administration; a Board of Commissioner BI dashboard supports governance; and a Project Management Information System (PMIS) tracks development and modernization projects. The agency's wholly owned nonprofit subsidiary, D.C. Housing Enterprises (DCHE), is a Community Development Entity certified by the CDFI Fund and has received $128 million in New Markets Tax Credit allocations since 2009, deploying hundreds of millions of dollars into community-oriented real estate and business developments.
DCHA's business model is that of a government agency rather than a commercial enterprise. Funding flows primarily from federal HUD subsidies and District of Columbia appropriations; services are not sold on commercial terms and revenue figures are not publicly disclosed. Major capital partners include HUD, KeyBank (providing a $70 million line of credit and a $15 million renovation project facility), the DC Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (co-developing the Barry Farm redevelopment), and various professional service firms. DCHA is governed by a Board of Commissioners under a two-year temporary Stabilization and Reform Board structure and has experienced recent leadership turnover, including the April 2026 appointment of an Interim Executive Director. The agency is currently managing the aftermath of a cybersecurity incident discovered on June 28, 2026.
District of Columbia Housing Authority firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- District of Columbia Housing Authority
- Legal name
- District of Columbia Housing Authority
- Website
- https://dchousing.org
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 1990
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- The District of Columbia Housing Authority (DCHA) is a DC government public housing authority that manages public housing properties and administers the Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCVP) serving extremely low to moderate income households across Washington, D.C., funded primarily by HUD and DC appropriations.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
District of Columbia Housing Authority industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Public Housing Services
- NAICS
- Administration of Housing Programs (925110), Lessors of Residential Buildings and Dwellings (53111)
- SIC
- Real Estate Operators (No Developers) & Lessors (6510), Real Estate Agents & Managers (For Others) (6531)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Public & Affordable Housing Programs (Subsidies, Vouchers, Public Housing) (BPAIANAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Affordable & Subsidized Housing Property Management (LIHTC, Section 8) (BPAJAFAD), Affordable Housing & Community Development (Housing, Community Land Trusts) (BPAGALAC)
Keywords
Where District of Columbia Housing Authority is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Washington
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
District of Columbia Housing Authority business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
District of Columbia Housing Authority product offering
Product offeringCore offering
DCHA is a government housing authority that administers federal and local affordable housing programs in the District of Columbia. It directly manages public housing rental units and administers the Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCVP), distributing rental assistance to more than 3,400 participating private-market landlords. It also delivers resident self-sufficiency services including workforce development, apprenticeship training, family self-sufficiency programming, scholarships, and youth services under its Moving to Work designation.
Product overview
The District of Columbia Housing Authority (DCHA) is a government housing authority that provides a portfolio of affordable housing programs and services. It operates as a unified service delivery organization rather than a product company with modular software offerings. DCHA's core services include public housing units management, the Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCVP) for tenant-based and project-based vouchers, the Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) Program, workforce development initiatives, scholarship programs, and resident services. The organization also administers the Moving to Work (MTW) program, provides housing vouchers, manages landlord partnerships, and operates customer service centers. These are government program services rather than commercial software products.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Public Housing Program Direct management of DCHA-owned affordable rental housing units across the District of Columbia, providing subsidized housing to eligible extremely low to moderate income households.
- Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCVP) Federal voucher program administered by DCHA that enables low-income families to rent privately-owned housing in the DC market, with rental assistance payments made directly to participating landlords (3,400+ property owners).
- Moving to Work (MTW) Program
Quantifiable outcome
- 3,400+ landlords participate in the HCVP, expanding safe quality homes for low-income residents
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use District of Columbia Housing Authority
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
District of Columbia Housing Authority technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
District of Columbia Housing Authority partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- D.C. Housing Enterprises (DCHE)coreDCHE is a non-profit subsidiary of DCHA and is one of the few Public Housing Authorities certified as a Community Development Entity (CDE) by the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund. DCHE originates New Markets Tax Credits by providing tax credits to investors in return for equity investments in businesses serving low-income communities. From 2009 to date, DCHE has received $128 million in NMTC allocations and has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in community developments.
- Polsinelli PCminorProvides bond advisor and counsel services to DCHA. Contract amount increases have been authorized through board resolutions.
- BDO USA, P.C.minorProvides fee accounting and balance sheet account reconciliation services to DCHA. Contract extension and increase authorized through Resolution 26-01.
- Community Concierge Care (C3 CARES)minorProvides the Healthcare Initiative Program for DCHA residents. Contract continuation authorized through Resolution 26-02 for the Healthcare Initiative Program.
- Nix Development Company, LLCminorProvides relocation planning and move management services for DCHA development projects. Cooperative agreement increase authorized through Resolution 26-09.
- District of Columbia Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED)coreDMPED partners with DCHA on infrastructure projects including the Barry Farm redevelopment. A 2026 Infrastructure Memorandum of Understanding between DCHA and DMPED was authorized through Resolution 26-06 for the Barry Farm project.
- DC Housing SolutionsminorDCHA authorized a funding agreement supporting DC Housing Solutions' entering into a revolving line of credit up to $15,000,000 to support the Bond-Funded Renovation Project (Resolution 25-41).
- Residential One, LLCminorDCHA entered into an exclusive right to negotiate a contract for property management services with Residential One, LLC to manage the Judiciary House RAD-PBV and LIHTC Converted Property (Resolution 25-24).
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
District of Columbia Housing Authority competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA): Largest public housing authority in the U.S., operating public housing and administering HCVP in New York City. Directly comparable as a municipal housing authority serving an expensive urban market with similar federal funding and MTW-adjacent regulatory exposure.
- Philadelphia Housing Authority (PHA): City of Philadelphia's public housing authority, operating public housing units and the HCVP. Comparable in scale, governance structure, and federal funding model; operates under similar HUD oversight and addresses a high-cost urban rental market.
- Chicago Housing Authority (CHA): Chicago's public housing authority operating public housing and HCVP, with significant redevelopment activity (Plan for Transformation). Comparable to DCHA in administering a large urban public housing portfolio and voucher program.
- Boston Housing Authority (BHA): Boston's public housing authority providing public housing and Section 8 vouchers in a high-cost urban market. Comparable to DCHA as a smaller, urban, Northeast PHAs with redevelopment priorities and similar HUD funding structure.
- Los Angeles County Development Authority (LACDA): Los Angeles County's housing authority providing Section 8 vouchers and affordable housing. Directly comparable as a large municipal housing authority administering federal housing assistance in a high-cost urban market.
- San Francisco Housing Authority (SFHA): San Francisco's public housing authority operating public housing and Section 8 vouchers in one of the nation's most expensive rental markets. Comparable to DCHA in scale, urban high-cost environment, and HUD regulatory exposure.
- Atlanta Housing Authority (AHA): Atlanta's public housing authority with significant mixed-income redevelopment experience (e.g., Centennial Place). Comparable in operating public housing, administering vouchers, and pursuing large-scale redevelopment projects.
Broad incumbents
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD): Federal agency that funds and oversees DCHA's public housing and voucher programs. Functions as DCHA's primary regulator and funding source, providing the regulatory framework and capital that shape DCHA's operating model.
Others
- Enterprise Community Partners: National nonprofit developer and CDFI focused on affordable housing and community development. Comparable to DCHA's mission and to the work of DCHE in deploying community development capital, though operates as a private nonprofit rather than a public agency.
- Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC): National nonprofit CDFI that finances affordable housing and community development. Comparable to DCHE's CDFI/CDE activities and to DCHA's affordable housing mission, though operates as a private intermediary rather than a public housing authority.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
District of Columbia Housing Authority social profiles
Digital presenceDistrict of Columbia Housing Authority financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
District of Columbia Housing Authority leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
District of Columbia Housing Authority subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
District of Columbia Housing Authority funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
District of Columbia Housing Authority 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 District of Columbia Housing Authority
What does District of Columbia Housing Authority do?
DCHA is a government housing authority that administers federal and local affordable housing programs in the District of Columbia. It directly manages public housing rental units and administers the Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCVP), distributing rental assistance to more than 3,400 participating private-market landlords. It also delivers resident self-sufficiency services including workforce development, apprenticeship training, family self-sufficiency programming, scholarships, and youth services under its Moving to Work designation.
Is District of Columbia Housing Authority a public or private company?
District of Columbia Housing Authority is a public company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was District of Columbia Housing Authority founded?
District of Columbia Housing Authority was founded in 1990. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is District of Columbia Housing Authority based?
District of Columbia Housing Authority is headquartered in Washington, United States, in the North America region.
Who are District of Columbia Housing Authority's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), Philadelphia Housing Authority (PHA), Chicago Housing Authority (CHA), Boston Housing Authority (BHA), Los Angeles County Development Authority (LACDA), San Francisco Housing Authority (SFHA) and Atlanta Housing Authority (AHA). U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is listed as a broad incumbent. Others are Enterprise Community Partners and Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC).
Does District of Columbia Housing Authority have an API?
No public API is recorded for District of Columbia Housing Authority.
What industry is District of Columbia Housing Authority in?
District of Columbia Housing Authority's product category is Public Housing Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAIANAA, Public & Affordable Housing Programs (Subsidies, Vouchers, Public Housing), with a secondary code of BPAJAFAD, Affordable & Subsidized Housing Property Management (LIHTC, Section 8). Its NAICS code is 925110 and its SIC code is 6510.