Stark Metropolitan Housing Authority

What Stark Metropolitan Housing Authority does

Stark Metropolitan Housing Authority (SMHA) is a political subdivision of the State of Ohio, founded in 1939 and headquartered in Canton, Ohio, that administers federally subsidized housing programs for eligible low- and moderate-income residents of Stark County. As a HUD-funded public housing authority, SMHA operates Public Housing units, the Housing Choice Voucher Program (Section 8), Special Programs for vulnerable populations, and Resident Services that deliver wraparound community support. The agency currently serves over 4,000 families and operates three locations in Canton (central office), Massillon, and Alliance, governed by a five-member Board of Commissioners under the Ohio Revised Code and federal regulations.

SMHA's revenue model is anchored in two streams: federal HUD operating and capital subsidies and tenant rent payments calculated as approximately 30% of adjusted gross income. Tenant rent is collected via the PayLease online payment platform, and housing applications are processed through the HousingCafe portal. SMHA's go-to-market is not commercial; rather, eligible residents apply during designated wait list opening periods and are served in accordance with Federal Fair Housing Law, with no discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, family status, handicap, or national origin.

The agency's technology stack is intentionally lean and consists of third-party SaaS integrations rather than proprietary platforms, specifically PayLease for rent processing, HousingCafe for application management, and Mailchimp for monthly resident newsletters. SMHA pursues strategic partnerships with organizations including CHN Housing Partners, Kent State University, Stark County Job and Family Services, the Early Childhood Resource Center, YWCA Canton, Help Me Grow, and the Stark County Hunger Task Force to deliver family self-sufficiency, food security, early childhood education, and job placement services alongside housing. The agency has also pursued operational excellence initiatives, including a $65,000 Ohio LGIF grant in 2015 for Lean Six Sigma process improvement and a 2018 partnership to convert the former Wells School into permanent supportive housing.

Name

Stark Metropolitan Housing Authority

Legal name

Stark Metropolitan Housing Authority

Website

https://starkmha.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1939

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Stark Metropolitan Housing Authority is a government housing authority founded in 1939 that administers HUD-funded Public Housing and Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) programs for over 4,000 eligible low- and moderate-income families in Stark County, Ohio.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Housing Services

NAICS

Other Community Housing Services (624229), Lessors of Residential Buildings and Dwellings (53111)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Real Estate Agents & Managers (For Others) (6531), Real Estate Operators (No Developers) & Lessors (6510)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Housing Voucher & Rental Assistance Programs (Tenant-Based/Project-Based) (FSALAKAI), Affordable & Subsidized Housing Property Management (LIHTC, Section 8) (BPAJAFAD), Housing Benefits & Rent Subsidy Administration (BPAIAKAG)

Keywords

• Public housing programs
• Housing choice vouchers
• Affordable housing services
• Resident support programs
• HUD-funded housing

Headquarters

HQ city

Canton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Federal Housing Funding: SMHA operates as a political subdivision of the state of Ohio funded in part by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The agency receives federal funding to provide subsidized housing and self-sufficiency opportunities for eligible citizens of Stark County.
2. Tenant Rent Payments: Residents pay rent for public housing units, with payment processing handled through PayLease online portal.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

SMHA provides subsidized public housing units and Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) rental assistance to eligible low- and moderate-income families in Stark County, Ohio. The agency also operates Special Programs for self-sufficiency and a Resident Services department offering community, family, senior, and educational support. As a political subdivision of Ohio partially funded by HUD, it administers these federal housing programs in accordance with the Ohio Revised Code and federal regulations.

Product overview

Stark Metropolitan Housing Authority (SMHA) operates as a single-platform government housing authority offering multiple interconnected programs centered on subsidized housing and resident support. The core offerings consist of Public Housing (directly managed subsidized units) and the Housing Choice Voucher Program (Section 8 rental assistance), supplemented by Special Programs for self-sufficiency initiatives and Resident Services for community support. SMHA also maintains departments for Finance, Procurement, Security, Legal, and Human Resources to support operations. The organization does not operate as a modular software platform but rather as a government agency providing housing assistance services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Public Housing Subsidized public housing units managed by SMHA for eligible low- and moderate-income families in Stark County, including property search, tenant information, and application processes.
• Housing Choice Voucher Program (Section 8) Federal rental assistance program providing vouchers to eligible residents to help cover housing costs in the private market, with separate resources for residents and landlords.
• Special Programs Additional housing and self-sufficiency programs offered by SMHA, including permanent supportive housing and the Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) program, to support eligible citizens beyond standard public housing and voucher programs.
• Resident Services Support services for SMHA residents including community programs, family initiatives, senior activities, educational workshops, and wellness resources.
• Procurement Services Department handling vendor registration, contractor workshops, and business opportunities for external parties seeking to work with SMHA on construction, service, and maintenance projects.

Quantifiable outcome

• Serves over 4,000 families in Stark County

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• CHN Housing PartnersmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Cleveland-based housing development partner for the Wells School conversion project. CHN Housing Partners serves 30,000 families annually through housing stability services and brings experience with low-income housing tax credits.
• HDS ArchitecturemajorTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2018Cleveland-based architectural partner collaborating with SMHA and CHN Housing Partners on the Wells School permanent supportive housing conversion project.
• Kent State University - Corporate and Professional Development CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015Collaboration for Lean Six Sigma and Kaizen training workshops through a $65,000 LGIF process improvement grant. Kent State trainers assist SMHA with improving intake and recertification processes in Public Housing and Section 8 departments.
• U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1939Primary federal funding partner. SMHA is funded in part by HUD to provide subsidized housing and self-sufficiency opportunities for eligible Stark County citizens. HUD regulations and statutes govern SMHA operations.
• Early Childhood Resource Center (ECRC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner for family programming, providing educational and developmental resources for children of SMHA residents through programs at Jackson Sherrick and Linwood Acres.
• Stark County Job and Family ServicesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner for family resource programs and services supporting SMHA residents with employment and family services.
• Stark County Hunger Task ForceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to address food insecurity among SMHA residents. SMHA is part of the Stark County Hunger Task Force addressing statistics showing 1 in 4 children, 1 in 6 residents, and 10% of seniors in Stark County experience hunger.
• YWCA CantonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership providing Early Head Start child development and family support services for low-income families with children from birth to age three in Stark County.
• Help Me GrowminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner providing free home visiting program for first-time and expectant parents, connecting families with trained home visitors and community resources.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority: Cleveland-based PHA administering public housing and Housing Choice Vouchers in Cuyahoga County, Ohio. Directly comparable as another large Ohio metropolitan housing authority with the same federal HUD funding model and program structure.
• Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority: Columbus-based PHA providing public housing and Section 8 vouchers in Franklin County, Ohio. Closely comparable in mission, program mix (public housing + HCV), and HUD oversight framework.
• Akron Metropolitan Housing Authority: Akron-based PHA serving Summit County with public housing and voucher programs. Comparable as a neighboring Northeast Ohio metropolitan housing authority with similar scale and resident demographics.
• Lucas Metropolitan Housing Authority: Toledo-based PHA administering public housing and Section 8 in Lucas County, Ohio. Comparable as a Rust Belt metropolitan housing authority serving similar low- and moderate-income populations.
• Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority: Cincinnati-based PHA operating public housing and Housing Choice Voucher programs in Hamilton County, Ohio. Directly comparable as a large Ohio PHA with overlapping federal funding and regulatory framework.
• Dayton Metropolitan Housing Authority: Dayton-based PHA serving Montgomery County, Ohio with public housing and voucher programs. Comparable as another mid-sized Ohio metropolitan housing authority with similar HUD oversight.
• Youngstown Metropolitan Housing Authority: Youngstown-based PHA serving Mahoning County, Ohio. Comparable as a smaller Ohio PHA serving a post-industrial city with overlapping population demographics and similar federal program structure.

Emerging players

• CHN Housing Partners: Cleveland-based affordable housing developer and service provider serving 30,000 families annually. Directly relevant as SMHA's partner on the Wells School conversion and as a comparable nonprofit affordable housing operator in Ohio with deep LIHTC expertise.

Regional players

• Portage Metropolitan Housing Authority: Kent-based PHA serving Portage County in Northeast Ohio. Comparable as a neighboring county-level housing authority with similar programmatic scope and federal funding model, though serving a different geography than Stark County.

Others

• National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials: National membership association representing PHAs and housing redevelopment agencies. Relevant as the trade body that sets professional standards, advocacy, and best practices that govern SMHA's operational framework.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/StarkMHA
• Facebookfacebook.com/StarkMHA
• Instagraminstagram.com/starkmha
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/stark-metropolitan-housing-authority

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

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 Stark Metropolitan Housing Authority