Mid-Columbia Housing Authority

What Mid-Columbia Housing Authority does

Mid-Columbia Housing Authority (MCHA) is a government housing authority headquartered in The Dalles, Oregon, that administers federal housing assistance programs on behalf of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) across five counties in the Columbia Gorge region — Sherman, Wasco, and Hood River Counties in Oregon, and Klickitat and Skamania Counties in Washington. Its core programs include the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program, Project-Based Vouchers, Mainstream Vouchers (for non-elderly disabled individuals), Shelter Plus Care, and the Housing Access and Supports (HAS) program delivered in partnership with Mid-Columbia Center For Living for individuals with serious mental illness. MCHA also administers housing programs on behalf of the Columbia Gorge Housing Authority (CGHA) and provides staff support to Columbia Cascade Housing Corporation (CCHC), an affiliated non-profit that develops and preserves affordable housing properties such as Mariposa Village in Hood River, OR.

The organization serves low-income families, seniors, and non-elderly persons with disabilities through a structured process of eligibility verification, waiting list placement, certification briefings, and housing selection support. Participants in the HCV program typically pay 30–40% of their gross annual income toward rent and utilities, with MCHA covering the difference up to the voucher ceiling; the authority distributes approximately $7 million annually to private landlords participating in the program. Underlying technology is a conventional housing assistance program administration system — there is no proprietary software platform, API, or mobile application disclosed, and the public-facing website runs on Squarespace CMS. Supporting resident services include the Family Self-Sufficiency Program (coaching for financial independence), Bridges to Health, the Valley Individual Development Account matched-savings program, and home-buyer and financial education classes delivered through Columbia Gorge Community College.

MCHA's business model is fundamentally that of a federally funded administrative intermediary: revenue derives from HUD appropriations (with administrative fees scaled to voucher dollar volume), and the organization captures no subscription or commercial product revenue. Customer-facing delivery is direct-to-consumer across a defined five-county geographic footprint, supplemented by a referral network of community action agencies, social service providers, and county/state partners. The model is a closed regulatory franchise rather than a commercial enterprise — there is no equity ownership, no fundraising history, and no plan for expansion outside the HUD-conferred service area.

Name

Mid-Columbia Housing Authority

Legal name

Mid-Columbia Housing Authority

Website

https://mid-columbiahousingauthority.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Mid-Columbia Housing Authority is a government housing authority that administers federal HUD housing assistance programs — including Housing Choice Vouchers, Project-Based Vouchers, and Mainstream Vouchers — serving low-income families, seniors, and individuals with disabilities across five counties in the Columbia Gorge region of Oregon and Washington.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Housing Assistance

NAICS

Community Housing Services (62422), Other Community Housing Services (624229), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Housing Voucher & Rental Assistance Programs (Tenant-Based/Project-Based) (FSALAKAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public & Affordable Housing Programs (Subsidies, Vouchers, Public Housing) (BPAIANAA), Housing Assistance & Homeless Services (BPAGAEAB), Affordable Housing & Community Development (Housing, Community Land Trusts) (BPAGALAC)

Keywords

• Housing assistance programs
• Rental assistance vouchers
• Affordable housing administration
• Public housing authority
• Low-income housing services

Headquarters

HQ city

The Dalles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Federal Housing Assistance Funding: MCHA receives federal funding through HUD (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development) to administer housing choice vouchers and other rental assistance programs. The organization pays approximately $7 million annually to landlords on behalf of qualifying tenants.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

MCHA administers federal HUD rental assistance programs—including Housing Choice Vouchers, Project-Based Vouchers, Mainstream Vouchers, Shelter Plus Care, and Housing Access and Supports—for low-income families, seniors, and individuals with disabilities across a five-county region in Oregon and Washington. It also provides resident support services such as Family Self-Sufficiency coaching, Bridges to Health, and matched savings programs, and partners with private landlords who supply the rental units.

Product overview

Mid-Columbia Housing Authority (MCHA) operates as a government housing authority offering a portfolio of rental assistance and supportive services programs. The core offerings include the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program, Project-Based Vouchers, Mainstream Vouchers, and Shelter Plus Care, which provide rental assistance to low-income households. Supporting services include the Family Self Sufficiency Program, Bridges to Health, Housing Access and Supports (HAS) for individuals with mental illness, and the Valley Individual Development Account Program for asset building. MCHA also offers Home Buyer Classes and Financial Education Classes through partnerships with Columbia Gorge Community College. The organization serves Sherman, Wasco, and Hood River Counties in Oregon, and Klickitat and Skamania Counties in Washington, administering programs for both MCHA and the Columbia Gorge Housing Authority (CGHA).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Housing Access and Supports (HAS): Tenant-based rental assistance program for individuals with serious mental illness transitioning from institutional settings or experiencing homelessness.
• Family Self-Sufficiency Program
• Valley Individual Development Account Program

Products and services

• Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program Federal rental assistance program helping low-income families, seniors, and individuals with disabilities afford decent, safe housing in the private market by providing vouchers that participants use to choose their own housing.
• Project-Based Vouchers Rental assistance linked to specific housing units at designated sites, helping low-income households access affordable housing at particular properties including Mariposa Village in Hood River, OR.
• Mainstream Vouchers Rental assistance specifically for non-elderly persons (age 18-61) with disabilities who are homeless, at-risk of homelessness, or exiting institutional settings.
• Shelter Plus Care Housing assistance program providing rental support for homeless individuals with disabilities in conjunction with supportive services.
• Housing Access and Supports (HAS) Tenant-based rental assistance for very low and low-income individuals with serious mental illness who are transitioning from institutional settings or at risk of homelessness, offered in partnership with Mid-Columbia Center for Living.
• Family Self-Sufficiency Program Program helping Housing Choice Voucher participants achieve financial independence through one-on-one coaching for employment, education, homeownership, health, and other goals.
• Valley Individual Development Account Program Savings account program that helps low-income individuals build assets through matched savings for education, homeownership, or business development.
• Bridges to Health Resident services program providing health-related support and resources to housing residents.

Quantifiable outcome

• Approximately $7 million in annual rent payments distributed to local landlords

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 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 and supporting.

• Columbia Gorge Housing Authority (CGHA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMCHA and CGHA work together to promote affordable housing throughout the Columbia Gorge. MCHA administers housing programs for CGHA, providing all staff support and program coordination across both organizations' service areas.
• Columbia Cascade Housing Corporation (CCHC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAn affiliated non-profit organization for which MCHA provides all staff support. CCHC develops and preserves affordable housing properties including Mariposa Village in Hood River, OR.
• Mid-Columbia Center For LivingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for the Housing Access and Supports (HAS) program, which provides tenant-based rental assistance for individuals with serious mental illness transitioning from institutional settings or at risk of homelessness.
• Mid-Columbia Community Action CouncilsupportingOthersRegional community action agency providing social services and support to low-income residents in the Columbia Gorge region.
• Washington Gorge Action Programs (WAGAP)supportingOthersRegional community action agency serving the Washington side of the Columbia Gorge (Klickitat and Skamania Counties).
• Mid-Columbia Economic Development DistrictsupportingOthersRegional economic development organization serving the Mid-Columbia region.
• Mid-Columbia Council of GovernmentssupportingOthersRegional council of governments coordinating intergovernmental cooperation in the Mid-Columbia area.
• The Next Door Inc.supportingOthersRegional social services organization providing support services to families and individuals.
• HavensupportingOthersDomestic violence services organization serving the Columbia Gorge region.
• Helping HandssupportingOthersCommunity organization providing social services and support in Oregon.
• Oregon Department of Human Services (DHS)supportingOthersState government agency providing human services including housing-related support programs.
• People for PeoplesupportingOthersCommunity organization providing services to low-income residents in the region.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Columbia Gorge Housing Authority (CGHA): Sister housing authority serving the same Columbia Gorge region, with MCHA administering CGHA's programs under a shared staff model. Most directly overlapping peer in terms of geography, program mix, and administrative structure.
• Tacoma Housing Authority: Tacoma-area public housing authority administering HCV, project-based vouchers, and resident services for low-income families and seniors. Direct operational peer to MCHA, with comparable voucher administration and supportive services approach.
• Washington State Housing Finance Commission: State-level housing finance agency administering federal housing tax credits, bond financing, and rental assistance programs serving Washington residents, including Klickitat and Skamania counties within MCHA's footprint. Direct comparable for housing assistance delivery.
• Housing Authority of Portland (Home Forward): Portland-area HUD-authorized housing authority administering Housing Choice Vouchers, project-based programs, and supportive housing. Closely comparable in mission, program mix, and federal funding model to MCHA, though operating at larger urban scale.

Others

• USDA Rural Development: Federal agency administering rural housing loans, rental assistance, and multifamily programs that complement MCHA's services in the rural counties it serves. Highly relevant as upstream funder/peer for the rural housing assistance ecosystem.

Broad incumbents

• King County Housing Authority: Large regional public housing authority offering Section 8 vouchers, public housing, and supportive housing programs in King County, WA. Operates the same federal funding and program structure as MCHA but at significantly larger scale.
• Oregon Housing and Community Services: Oregon state housing finance and policy agency distributing federal housing funds, LIHTC credits, and rental assistance across the state, including counties MCHA serves. Comparable as a state-level operator of federally funded housing programs.

Regional players

• Vancouver Housing Authority: Public housing authority for Vancouver, WA, administering federal voucher programs. Operates a very similar HUD-funded model to MCHA but across an adjacent (lower Columbia) service area rather than overlapping it directly.
• Lane County Housing Authority: County-level public housing authority in Lane County, OR, administering HCV and project-based programs with comparable rural-Oregon operating profile and staff scale to MCHA.

Emerging players

• Mid-Columbia Community Action Council: Regional community action agency partnering with MCHA to serve low-income residents in the Columbia Gorge. Adjacent rather than directly competitive, but highly relevant as a co-referral and complementary services peer.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Mid-Columbia Housing Authority