Center for Housing and Community Studies

What Center for Housing and Community Studies does

The Center for Housing and Community Studies (CHCS) is a university-based, non-profit applied social science research center housed at the University of North Carolina Greensboro. It conducts geospatial research, multi-modal data collection (surveys, focus groups, key informant interviews, secondary data analysis), and mixed-method analysis focused on housing conditions, community health, and equitable development in North Carolina and selectively across the Southeast. Core technical capabilities include GIS cartography and web mapping, a proprietary 18-point Housing Quality Index scoring system, remote visual property assessment using tailored Loveland Technologies Site Control surveys, market segmentation modeling for housing intervention, and an Intersectional Health Model linking housing conditions to health outcomes.

CHCS serves local governments (City of Greensboro, Guilford County, Town of Knightdale, City of Gastonia, New Hanover County, Build Baton Rouge), nonprofit organizations (Goodwill Industries of Northwest North Carolina, Greensboro Housing Coalition), foundations (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, United Way of Greensboro, Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro, Foundation for a Healthy High Point), and institutions of higher education. Its service portfolio spans commissioned research studies, consulting engagements, technical assistance, program evaluation, GIS dashboards, and three direct-service programs: the Eviction Mediation Program (launched December 2020), Tenant Leadership Academy, and Health Impact Team.

Revenue is generated entirely through grants (federal, state, and philanthropic), contracted research and consulting engagements with government agencies and nonprofits, and institutional support from UNCG. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is negotiated on a project basis. Engagement originates through RFPs from municipal and county governments, foundation commissions, and strategic co-development partnerships — a hybrid sales-led and community-led go-to-market motion typical of university-affiliated applied research centers.

Name

Center for Housing and Community Studies

Legal name

Center for Housing and Community Studies

Website

https://chcs.uncg.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1891

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Center for Housing and Community Studies is a UNCG-based nonprofit research center that delivers geospatial housing research, mixed-method community analysis, and direct-service programs (eviction mediation, tenant training, health outreach) to local governments, nonprofits, and foundations in North Carolina and the Southeast.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Housing and Community Research & Consulting

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Housing & Neighborhood Services (Local Housing Programs) (BPAIACAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Community Centers & Neighborhood Support Services (BPAGAEAL)

Keywords

• Applied social research
• Housing policy research
• Community development consulting
• GIS mapping services
• Eviction mediation services

Headquarters

HQ city

Greensboro

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Research and Consulting Services: CHCS generates revenue through commissioned research projects, consulting engagements, and technical assistance contracts with government agencies, nonprofit organizations, foundations, and educational institutions. Projects are typically initiated through requests for proposals or direct service requests.
2. Grant Funding: The center receives grant funding from foundations and government agencies for specific research initiatives and community programs such as the Eviction Mediation Program, which was launched with funding from United Way of Greensboro, Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro, Guilford County Government, and Foundation for a Healthy High Point.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Center for Housing and Community Studies is a university-based applied social science research center offering consulting, technical assistance, program development, data and analysis, and research and evaluation services to local governments, nonprofit organizations, foundations, and institutions of higher education. Its work centers on housing, community development, and health equity, delivered through integrated geospatial research, multi-modal data collection, mixed-method analysis, GIS cartography and dashboards, and community-engaged programs such as eviction mediation, tenant leadership training, and the Health Impact Team.

Product overview

The Center for Housing and Community Studies offers a portfolio of programs and services focused on housing and community research. Core programs include the Eviction Mediation Program (providing landlord-tenant dispute resolution), Tenant Leadership Academy (tenant organizer training), and Health Impact Team (community outreach addressing housing-related health determinants). GIS Services provide cartography, web maps, surveys, and dashboards. Applied Research & Consulting delivers housing studies, health equity assessments, legal needs assessments, and community development consulting services for government agencies, nonprofits, foundations, and educational institutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Eviction Mediation Program: A mediation service for Guilford County tenants or landlords involved in eviction cases, launched December 2020 with funding from United Way, Community Foundation, Guilford County Government, and Foundation for a Healthy High Point.
• Tenant Leadership Academy
• Health Impact Team (HIT)

Products and services

• Eviction Mediation Program A mediation service available to Guilford County tenants or landlords involved in eviction cases, providing a structured platform for collaborative resolution without litigation. Targeted at tenants and landlords in Guilford County facing eviction filings.
• Tenant Leadership Academy (TLA) A training program for tenant organizers recruited from low-income apartment communities, covering tenant rights, leadership skills, and tenant association development across twelve to eighteen workshops held over twelve weeks. Targeted at tenant organizers in low-income apartment communities in Greensboro.
• Health Impact Team (HIT) A community outreach team that builds partnerships with community residents and organizations to address housing conditions contributing to environmental and social determinants of health, including asthma triggers, lead hazards, and substandard housing. Targeted at community residents and partner organizations in Greensboro and Guilford County.
• GIS Services Geographic Information Systems services including cartography and web maps, surveys and dashboards, and stories, reports and websites for community research and planning. Targeted at government agencies, nonprofits, foundations, and community organizations requiring spatial analysis and visualization.
• Applied Research & Consulting Scientific and systematic inquiry undertaken to solve practical problems and generate knowledge for direct application, including housing studies, health equity assessments, legal needs assessments, and community development consulting. Delivered for government agencies, nonprofits, foundations, and institutions of higher education.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 75,000 properties assessed through remote visual inspection methodology
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• City of GreensborocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014CHCS partners with the City of Greensboro on multiple housing and health initiatives including the Housing Our Greensboro Community Study, Invest Health asthma program, and Lead Safe Housing Program. The partnership involves data analysis, property assessments, and community health interventions.
• Guilford CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGuilford County collaborates with CHCS on substance use impact assessments, COVID-19 vaccine messaging research, and community health initiatives. The county provides data and funding while CHCS provides research and analysis.
• Reinvestment FundflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Invest Health initiative, a collaboration with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to transform how mid-size American cities address health and housing. Greensboro was one of 50 cities selected from 180 proposals to participate.
• Goodwill Industries of Northwest North CarolinacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCHCS conducted a comprehensive community needs assessment across Goodwill's 31-county service area to learn about obstacles and opportunities for low- and moderate-income residents seeking employment.
• Health CollaborativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCHCS partnered with the Health Collaborative to conduct a health equity assessment for the Dan River Region, building upon previous 2017 assessments. The collaborative includes cross-sector residents working to improve health outcomes.
• Equal Justice AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCHCS worked with the Equal Justice Alliance on the NC Legal Needs Assessment, the first comprehensive legal needs assessment in nearly two decades for North Carolina, funded by the NC Equal Access to Justice Commission.
• South Carolina Access to Justice CommissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCHCS partnered with SC Access to Justice Commission, SC Bar, and NMRS Center on Professionalism at USC School of Law to conduct the first-ever statewide civil legal needs assessment for South Carolina.
• Cone HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare system partner in the Invest Health initiative, contributing data on asthma hospitalizations and ED visits, and participating in cross-sector team addressing pediatric asthma through housing interventions.
• Greensboro Housing CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit housing advocacy organization collaborating with CHCS on housing research, policy advocacy, and community engagement initiatives including the Housing Our Greensboro Community Study.
• Build Baton RougecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLead partner in East Baton Rouge Parish housing assessment, working with CHCS, City of Baton Rouge, Healthy BR, and Mid-City Redevelopment Alliance to address affordable housing needs through the Housing 1st Alliance.
• Guilford County Cooperative Extension OfficecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Kitchen Connects GSO initiative along with Greensboro Farmers Market and Out of the Garden Project, addressing food security and local food business development.
• Hinton Rural Life CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Enhancing Quality of Life in Southern Appalachia project, providing technical assistance, data analysis, and community development planning for Clay, Cherokee, and Towns counties in North Carolina.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• NYU Furman Center for Real Estate and Urban Policy: University-based research center producing housing and urban policy research, data tools (e.g., State of New York City's Housing and Neighborhoods) and consulting for public-sector clients — closely parallel to CHCS's applied research model.
• PolicyLink: National research and action institute advancing racial and economic equity via applied research, including housing and community development — closely comparable mission and consulting/research service mix.
• UNC Carolina Population Center: UNC-system interdisciplinary research hub producing applied demographic, health, and social data products; a sister-institution model demonstrating how university research centers scale up applied work.

Others

• Reinvestment Fund: Community development financial institution that applies data analytics (PolicyMap) to housing and community investment; comparable applied-research posture and an existing CHCS partner via Invest Health.
• Build Baton Rouge: An actual CHCS client, this Louisiana redevelopment entity commissions housing assessments and market segmentation analyses — represents the municipal redevelopment counterpart that consumes CHCS-style research.

Broad incumbents

• Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University: Premier housing research center producing the annual 'State of the Nation's Housing' report and large-scale housing market analyses; broader scale but analogous university-anchored housing research mission.
• Urban Institute: Large nonprofit research organization with significant housing policy practice producing national datasets and evaluations for governments and foundations — overlaps in customer base (governments, foundations) and offer type (evidence-based research).
• Enterprise Community Partners: National community development organization combining research, capital, and program delivery on affordable housing and health — overlapping customer base and subject-matter expertise.
• Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC): Large community development support organization funding and evaluating local housing/CD programs across the U.S.; comparable evaluation/research function for government and nonprofit clients.

Emerging players

• National Low Income Housing Coalition: Research and advocacy organization focused on affordable housing data (e.g., 'Out of Reach' report); smaller scope but overlapping applied-housing-research niche.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/uncgchcs
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@CenterforHousing
• Facebookfacebook.com/HousingResearchers
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/uncg-center-for-housing-and-community-studies
• Instagraminstagram.com/chcs_uncg/?hl=en

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 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 Center for Housing and Community Studies