St. Ambrose Housing Aid Center

What St. Ambrose Housing Aid Center does

St. Ambrose Housing Aid Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1968 in Baltimore, Maryland, that provides a comprehensive portfolio of affordable housing services to low- and moderate-income individuals and families in Baltimore City and County. The organization's service offerings span housing counseling, foreclosure prevention, in-house legal services, property management, real estate brokerage (Charm City Realty), homesharing, home repair programs, and transitional housing for youth (Journey of Hope) and returning citizens (180 Homeshare). Over its 50+ year history, St. Ambrose has impacted more than 130,000 families, manages over 300 affordable rental units across seven apartment communities and 135 single-family homes, and has sold 630 renovated homes to first-time buyers through its in-house brokerage.

The organization operates a unified service model with all programs integrated through a common intake system and coordinated case management rather than as discrete product lines. Revenue derives from five primary streams: donations and charitable contributions (eligible for 50% Maryland Community Investment Tax Credits on gifts of $500 or more), government grants and contracts from federal (HUD), state (Maryland DHCD, Governor's Office of Crime Prevention and Policy), and local (City of Baltimore, Baltimore County) sources, rental income from the owned portfolio, real estate sales through Charm City Realty, and tax credit programs. Many client-facing services are provided free of charge to income-eligible residents, with nominal fees for homesharing applications ($20-$50 interview fees plus match fees) and $99 for on-demand virtual homeownership workshops.

Distribution is direct and geography-concentrated: services are delivered at the 321 East 25th Street headquarters in Baltimore, via phone (410-366-8550), and virtually through Zoom. The organization holds HUD-approved housing counseling agency status, is a charter member of NeighborWorks America since 2006, and operates within an extensive referral network spanning social services agencies, courts, and community organizations. Its 30+ person staff supports 2,000+ clients annually, with current leadership under Executive Director Brian S. Lyght and a board drawing from Maryland banking, legal, and state government sectors.

Name

St. Ambrose Housing Aid Center

Legal name

St. Ambrose Housing Aid Center, Inc.

Website

https://stambros.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1968

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

St. Ambrose Housing Aid Center is a Baltimore-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded in 1968, that provides affordable housing services including rental housing, homesharing, foreclosure prevention, legal services, home repairs, and transitional housing to low- and moderate-income residents of Baltimore City and County.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Affordable Housing Services

NAICS

Community Housing Services (62422), Temporary Shelters (624221), Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Operators Of Apartment Buildings (6513)

akta.pro primary industry

Housing Assistance & Homeless Services (BPAGAEAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Affordable Housing & Community Development (Housing, Community Land Trusts) (BPAGALAC), Housing Counseling, Foreclosure Prevention & Loss Mitigation Programs (FSALAKAM), Community Centers & Neighborhood Support Services (BPAGAEAL)

Keywords

• Affordable housing services
• Housing counseling
• Foreclosure prevention
• Homesharing programs
• Community housing nonprofit

Headquarters

HQ city

Baltimore

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: The organization receives monetary donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations. Donations support operational costs, program services, and capital investments in affordable housing development.
2. Government Grants and Contracts: St. Ambrose receives funding from federal agencies (HUD), state agencies (Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development), and local government to support various housing programs including foreclosure prevention, home repairs, and transitional housing.
3. Rental Income: The organization manages over 300 affordable rental units throughout Baltimore City and County, generating rental income from tenants. Properties include seven apartment communities and 135 individual single-family homes.
4. Real Estate Sales: Through Charm City Realty (in-house brokerage), St. Ambrose sells renovated homes to qualified buyers, generating revenue from property sales while advancing affordable homeownership opportunities.
5. Community Investment Tax Credits: Donations of $500 or more are eligible for Maryland Community Investment Tax Credits equal to 50% of the donation value, incentivizing charitable giving.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

St. Ambrose Housing Aid Center is a nonprofit housing services organization that delivers affordable housing programs across Baltimore. Core offerings include a homesharing matching service, management of 300+ affordable rental units, sale of renovated homes through an in-house brokerage (Charm City Realty), HUD-certified homeownership and foreclosure prevention counseling, in-house legal services, home repair programs for seniors, and transitional housing for youth experiencing homelessness and returning citizens.

Product overview

St. Ambrose Housing Aid Center is a nonprofit housing services organization offering a comprehensive portfolio of housing-related programs. Core offerings include Homesharing (matching homeowners with renters), Affordable Rental Options (300+ managed units), Renovated Homes for Sale (through Charm City Realty), and Prepare for Homeownership counseling. Support services include Financial Coaching, Home Repairs and Upgrades (HUBS/Safe and Healthy Homes programs), Foreclosure Prevention, and Legal Services. Specialized transitional housing programs include Journey of Hope for homeless youth (18-24) and 180 Homeshare for Returning Citizens. The organization operates as a unified service model rather than a modular platform, with all programs integrated through a common intake system and coordinated case management.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Journey of Hope: Transitional housing program for young people ages 18-24 experiencing homelessness, providing safe temporary housing for up to five months with wrap-around case management services.
• 180 Homeshare
• Charm City Realty
• Safe and Healthy Homes

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 130,000 families impacted in over 50 years
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

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

• NeighborWorks AmericacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSt. Ambrose became a NeighborWorks charter member in 2006. This partnership provides access to cutting-edge trainings, certification programs, and professional development resources for staff serving people and communities. The NeighborWorks network represents best practices in community development.
• Enterprise Community PartnersmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational community development organization supporting affordable housing and community development initiatives through financing, expertise, and advocacy.
• Housing Partnership NetworkmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational network of housing organizations collaborating on affordable housing solutions and best practices sharing.
• National Fair Housing AlliancemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational organization working to eliminate housing discrimination and promote equal housing opportunity, aligned with St. Ambrose's mission.
• Point Source YouthmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational organization supporting youth homelessness solutions. Partners with St. Ambrose's Journey of Hope transitional housing program for youth ages 18-24.
• CivicWorkscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBaltimore-based community organization that administers the Housing Upgrades to Benefit Seniors (HUBS) program. St. Ambrose oversees repair services for specific zip codes within this initiative.
• Baltimore CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal government partnership for housing programs, including renovation of Winter's Lane historic homes and various affordable housing initiatives.
• Baltimore Division of Aging and CARE ServicesmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership supporting services for senior homeowners including home repairs and modifications to enable aging in place.
• Central Baltimore PartnershipmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal collaborative supporting neighborhood revitalization in Central Baltimore, including the Safe and Healthy Homes initiative.
• Jubilee BaltimoreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHistoric preservation organization supporting community development and neighborhood revitalization efforts.
• Neighborhood Housing ServicesmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity-based housing organization network supporting homeownership and neighborhood stabilization efforts.
• Springboard Community ServicesmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBaltimore nonprofit providing services including housing support and community development programs.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• AHC Inc. A Mid-Atlantic nonprofit affordable housing developer and operator managing thousands of apartment units across Virginia, Maryland, and DC. Comparable in owning/managing large affordable rental portfolios and providing resident services, though operating at significantly greater scale in adjacent geographies.
• Bon Secours Community Works: A Baltimore-based community development affiliate of Bon Secours Mercy Health that develops affordable housing and provides resident services in West Baltimore. Comparable as a Baltimore-focused housing nonprofit combining affordable real estate development with supportive services.

Broad incumbents

• NACA (Neighborhood Assistance Corporation of America): A national nonprofit providing homebuyer counseling, mortgage modification, and affordable home-purchase programs to low- and moderate-income borrowers. Comparable in the housing counseling, foreclosure prevention, and fair-housing advocacy verticals, though operating nationally rather than at the city level.
• Enterprise Community Partners: A national, large-scale nonprofit affordable housing developer and CDFI that finances, develops, and operates affordable rental and homeownership projects. Directly comparable as a strategic partner of St. Ambrose (Enterprise is a listed partner) and operates across the same affordable housing counseling, development, and community stabilization verticals at materially greater scale.
• Housing Partnership Network: A national network of 100+ high-performing nonprofit housing organizations. St. Ambrose is a listed partner; HPN provides shared services, peer learning, and capital access to comparable housing nonprofits — making it a direct peer-ecosystem comparable in operating model and scale.
• National Fair Housing Alliance: A national nonprofit focused on eliminating housing discrimination and enforcing fair housing laws. Listed as a strategic partner of St. Ambrose; comparable in mission alignment (founded to combat redlining and blockbusting) and overlapping policy/advocacy activities, though operating at the national level.

Direct peers

• Homes for America: A Maryland-based nonprofit that develops and manages affordable rental housing, provides supportive housing for special needs populations, and offers homeownership opportunities. Directly comparable in the affordable rental operations and supportive/transitional housing programming space.
• CivicWorks: A Baltimore nonprofit administering the Housing Upgrades to Benefit Seniors (HUBS) program — a direct operational partner of St. Ambrose. Comparable in delivering home repair and weatherization services to low-income Baltimore homeowners, and St. Ambrose specifically subcontracts HUBS repair services from CivicWorks.
• Neighborhood Housing Services of Baltimore: A Baltimore-based nonprofit providing homebuyer counseling, foreclosure prevention, and affordable housing development in the same neighborhoods St. Ambrose serves. Most directly comparable peer in terms of mission, geographic footprint, and core service offerings (counseling + foreclosure prevention + rehab).
• Habitat for Humanity (Baltimore affiliate): A regional Habitat affiliate serving Baltimore that builds, renovates, and sells affordable homes to low-income buyers, often paired with homebuyer counseling. Directly comparable to St. Ambrose's renovated homes-for-sale program and Charm City Realty brokerage, both targeting first-time low-income homebuyers in the Baltimore market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/stambrosebmore
• Facebookfacebook.com/SAHAC
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/st.-ambrose-housing-aid-center-inc.

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 records

Subsidiaries3 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 St. Ambrose Housing Aid Center