Southwest Fair Housing Council

What Southwest Fair Housing Council does

Southwest Fair Housing Council (SWFHC) is an Arizona-based 501(c)(3) non-profit founded in 1986 and headquartered in Tucson that provides fair housing enforcement, education, and resource services statewide. Its core activities include investigating housing discrimination complaints, operating a Tester Program that uses trained individuals posing as prospective renters or buyers to identify discriminatory practices, and delivering free fair housing classes in both virtual and in-person formats. The organization is funded primarily through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Fair Housing Initiatives Program (FHIP), supplemented by individual donations.

SWFHC's service portfolio is organized around three pillars: enforcement (intake, investigation support, complaint filing, and coordination with the Arizona Attorney General's Office Civil Rights Division), education (free classes for tenants, housing providers, property managers, and advocates), and resources (educational materials on Fair Housing Act protections). Additional services include a Source of Income Protection program supporting Tucson, Phoenix, and Tempe residents facing voucher-based discrimination, and multilingual support across English and Spanish with disability accommodations.

SWFHC was granted authority under Arizona Supreme Court Administrative Order No. 2024-89 to represent aggrieved individuals in administrative proceedings. The organization maintains research partnerships with ARCHES and the UCLA Department of Urban Planning, and reported processing 795 calls, filing 11 complaints, and conducting 121 classes/trainings in FY2022-2023. Jay Young serves as Executive Director.

Name

Southwest Fair Housing Council

Legal name

Southwest Fair Housing Council

Website

https://swfhc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Southwest Fair Housing Council is a Tucson-based non-profit founded in 1986 that provides fair housing enforcement, education, and resources statewide in Arizona, serving tenants, housing providers, and people with disabilities facing housing discrimination.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fair Housing Advocacy Services

NAICS

Administration of Housing Programs (925110), Administration of Housing Programs, Urban Planning, and Community Development (925), Administration of Urban Planning and Community and Rural Development (92512)

SIC

Services-To Dwellings & Other Buildings (7340)

akta.pro primary industry

Fair Housing, Compliance & Housing Program Oversight (FSALAKAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Housing Policy, Standards & Fair Housing Enforcement (BPAIANAG), Affordable Housing & Community Development (Housing, Community Land Trusts) (BPAGALAC), Housing & Neighborhood Services (Local Housing Programs) (BPAIACAJ)

Keywords

• Fair housing enforcement
• Housing discrimination services
• Fair housing education
• Tenant advocacy programs
• Housing rights resources

Headquarters

HQ city

Tucson

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. FHIP Funding: Federal funding from HUD's Fair Housing Initiatives Program (FHIP) is the primary revenue source supporting enforcement, education, and outreach activities.
2. Donations: The organization accepts tax-deductible donations ranging from $10 to $40 or custom amounts, processed through their website.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Southwest Fair Housing Council is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides free fair housing enforcement, education, and resources across Arizona. Its core activities include processing discrimination complaints and coordinating with the Arizona Attorney General's Office, conducting fair housing classes for tenants and housing providers, and operating a Tester Program that uses trained individuals to systematically identify discriminatory housing practices. All services are provided statewide at no cost to the public.

Product overview

Southwest Fair Housing Council provides a suite of services to eliminate housing discrimination across Arizona. The organization operates three core programs: Enforcement Services (helping individuals report discrimination and navigate complaint processes), Education Classes (free virtual and in-person training on fair housing rights), and Resources (educational materials on Fair Housing Act protections). Additional services include a Tester Program that employs testers to identify discrimination, and Source of Income Protection Services for Tucson residents.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Fair Housing Enforcement Services Services to help individuals report housing discrimination and file complaints, including intake processing, investigation support, and coordination with the Arizona Attorney General's Office Civil Rights Division. Intended for Arizona residents who believe they have experienced housing discrimination.
• Fair Housing Education Classes Free classes for tenants, advocates, housing providers, property managers, and housing industry professionals covering fair housing rights and responsibilities, available in virtual and in-person formats throughout Arizona.
• Fair Housing Resources Educational materials and information explaining the protections offered by the Fair Housing Act, including guidance on protected classes and how to file complaints. Available to the public via the SWFHC website.
• Tester Program Program that employs testers to identify housing discrimination throughout Arizona through systematic testing of housing providers. Testers receive comprehensive training and $20 per hour compensation. Open to applicants from all backgrounds regardless of age, disabilities, race, criminal background, national origin, or gender/sexual identity.
• Source of Income (SOI) Protection Services Services to assist Tucson residents facing source of income discrimination, helping them understand their rights under the SOI Protection Ordinance and providing support in filing complaints.

Quantifiable outcome

• Processed 795 calls in 2022-2023 fiscal year
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 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

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, secondary and minor.

• Arizona Attorney General's Office Civil Rights DivisioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 June 2025SWFHC coordinates with the Arizona Attorney General's Office Civil Rights Division on fair housing enforcement cases. This partnership enables confidential settlements and legal actions against discriminatory housing practices. Joint efforts have resolved disability-based discrimination and retaliation cases.
• ARCHES (Arizona Research Center for Housing Equity and Sustainability)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSWFHC is a partner organization with ARCHES, which produces research and reports centered on housing equity, affordability, and sustainability to provide critical insights to policymakers and stakeholders for creating more equitable and affordable housing in Arizona.
• City of TucsoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSWFHC works with Tucson on Source of Income protection ordinances and housing policy initiatives. Tucson was the first local jurisdiction in Arizona to pass the SOI Protection ordinance, with SWFHC providing education and support for implementation.
• City of PhoenixsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerSWFHC partners with Phoenix on Source of Income protection ordinances and housing discrimination enforcement activities.
• City of TempesecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerSWFHC collaborates with Tempe on Source of Income protection ordinances and fair housing education initiatives.
• UCLA Department of Urban PlanningsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partnership on Colonias communities study. Funded by UCLA Department of Urban Planning and coordinated with SWFHC to analyze the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Set-Aside program for Colonias communities along the U.S.-Mexico border.
• CultureHubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for National Fair Housing Month community conversation event. CultureHub, Arizona's first Black-owned co-working space, hosted a fair housing education forum.
• Yuma Coalition to End HomelessnessminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Fair Housing & Homeless Resource Fair in Yuma, including fair housing training sessions and community resources for those experiencing homelessness.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• National Fair Housing Alliance: The National Fair Housing Alliance is the national umbrella organization for fair housing groups; SWFHC's Executive Director sits on its board. NFHA operates at the national policy and grant-coordination level, comparable in mission but broader in geographic scope.
• HUD Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity: HUD's Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity is the federal agency that funds SWFHC via FHIP and oversees national fair housing policy. Comparable as the federal counterpart that defines SWFHC's regulatory framework and funding environment.

Direct peers

• Housing Opportunities Made Equal of Virginia: HOME of Virginia is a regional fair housing nonprofit providing enforcement, education, and counseling services under similar FHIP-style funding. Directly comparable as a state/regional fair housing enforcement and education organization.
• Greater New Orleans Fair Housing Action Center: Greater New Orleans Fair Housing Action Center is a regional fair housing organization that conducts testing, investigations, and education in Louisiana. Directly comparable to SWFHC in mission, FHIP funding reliance, and service portfolio.
• Denver Metro Fair Housing Center: Denver Metro Fair Housing Center is a regional FHIP-funded fair housing enforcement and education organization. It is directly comparable to SWFHC in mission, service mix, and FHIP funding model, and was previously an employer of SWFHC's Manager of Operations and Investigations.
• Long Island Housing Services: Long Island Housing Services is a regional fair housing nonprofit providing investigation, testing, and education. Comparable to SWFHC in service model and FHIP-style grant dependence.
• Midwest Fair Housing Center: Midwest Fair Housing Center is a Chicago-area FHIP grantee providing fair housing enforcement, testing, and training. Directly comparable as a regional fair housing enforcement and education nonprofit.
• Connecticut Fair Housing Center: Connecticut Fair Housing Center is a regional FHIP-funded organization providing fair housing enforcement, education, and outreach. Comparable to SWFHC in operating model and service mix.
• Fair Housing Center of West Michigan: Fair Housing Center of West Michigan is an FHIP-funded regional fair housing organization offering investigation, education, and outreach. Highly comparable to SWFHC in operating model, scale, and service mix.
• Idaho Fair Housing Forum: Idaho Fair Housing Forum is a regional fair housing organization providing enforcement and education in Idaho. Comparable to SWFHC as a state-level fair housing enforcement nonprofit with federal grant funding.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/swfairhousing

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Southwest Fair Housing Council