Wilmington Housing Authority

What Wilmington Housing Authority does

Wilmington Housing Authority (WHA) is a public housing authority organized under North Carolina state law, established in 1938 as the first Housing Authority in the state. It directly owns and operates sixteen apartment and townhome communities across central Wilmington comprising over 1,500 units, including senior housing (Glover Plaza, Robert Taylor Senior), disabled housing (Jervay House, Pearce House), and family housing (Hillcrest, Houston Moore, Rankin Place Terrace, Dawson Lofts). WHA also administers the federally-funded Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCVP), connecting nearly 700 participants with private-market landlords and paying subsidies twice monthly up to HUD Payment Standards.

WHA funds its operations primarily through HUD federal allocations, public housing rental income (residents pay 30% of adjusted gross income), and HCVP administrative fees. Resident support programs include the Resident Opportunity and Self-Sufficiency (ROSS) program, Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) escrow program, and Jobs Plus employment services delivered in partnership with Cape Fear Community College and Step Up Wilmington. The non-profit subsidiary Housing and Economic Opportunities, Inc. (HEO), incorporated in 1998, serves as the development arm and has developed or redeveloped nine apartment communities since founding.

WHA's technology stack is limited to three transactional portals: Vendor Cafe (vendor invoicing and PO status), the HCVP Landlord Portal (landlord enrollment and property management), and the Resident Portal (maintenance requests, news, events, and job postings). GTM motion is direct-to-consumer through website applications and centralized waitlist management, supplemented by community-led engagement via resident councils, landlord informational meetings, and partnerships with local organizations. The organization serves low-income individuals and families in New Hanover County, NC, with eligibility set at 30% (public housing) or 50% (HCVP) of area median income.

Name

Wilmington Housing Authority

Legal name

Housing Authority of the City of Wilmington

Website

https://wha.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

1938

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Wilmington Housing Authority is a public housing authority, established in 1938, that owns 16 apartment and townhome communities across Wilmington, NC and administers the Housing Choice Voucher Program, serving low-income families, elderly residents, people with disabilities, and veterans through HUD-funded affordable housing and resident self-sufficiency programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Housing Services

NAICS

Administration of Housing Programs (925110), Residential Property Managers (531311), Lessors of Residential Buildings and Dwellings (531110)

SIC

Operators Of Apartment Buildings (6513), Real Estate Agents & Managers (For Others) (6531), Lessors Of Real Property, Nec (6519)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Housing & Neighborhood Services (Local Housing Programs) (BPAIACAJ), Affordable & Subsidized Housing Property Management (LIHTC, Section 8) (BPAJAFAD), Affordable & Public Housing Asset Management (BPAJAMAI), Affordable Housing & Community Development (Housing, Community Land Trusts) (BPAGALAC)

Keywords

• Public housing services
• Affordable housing programs
• Housing choice vouchers
• Affordable real estate development
• Resident self-sufficiency programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Wilmington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Personnel, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. HUD Federal Funding: Primary funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for public housing operations, capital improvements, and the Housing Choice Voucher Program.
2. Public Housing Rental Income: Residents pay rent calculated based on income (typically 30% of adjusted gross income). Revenue flows from sixteen apartment and townhome communities across central Wilmington.
3. Housing Choice Voucher Program Subsidies: WHA pays housing subsidies directly to landlords on behalf of HCVP participants. Families pay 30% of their income toward rent, with WHA subsidizing the difference up to HUD payment standards.
4. Housing and Economic Opportunities (HEO) Development: WHA's non-profit real estate development arm develops and operates new affordable housing communities and promotes economic development through partnerships with various funding sources.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Wilmington Housing Authority is a public housing authority that owns and operates sixteen apartment and townhome communities across central Wilmington, providing safe, secure, and affordable housing to low-income individuals and families, the elderly, and people with disabilities. It also administers the Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCVP), a federal rent subsidy program that connects nearly 700 participants with private-market landlords, paying the difference between 30% of tenant income and HUD payment standards directly to landlords twice monthly.

Product overview

Wilmington Housing Authority (WHA) operates as a housing assistance organization offering two core programs: WHA Communities (public housing across 16 properties serving low-income families, elderly, and people with disabilities) and the Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCVP, a federal rent subsidy enabling participants to rent in the private market). WHA's non-profit development arm, Housing and Economic Opportunities (HEO), develops and redevelops affordable housing. Resident support services include ROSS, Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS), and Jobs Plus employment programs. The portfolio spans apartment complexes, townhomes, and single-family homes across Wilmington, NC.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• WHA Communities (Public Housing) Public housing communities providing affordable, safe, and secure housing for low-income individuals and families across sixteen properties in central Wilmington, including mid-rise and high-rise apartment complexes, townhomes, and single-family residences. Special communities serve elderly residents and people living with disabilities.
• Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCVP) Federal government-funded rent subsidy program enabling eligible families, elderly, people with disabilities, and veterans to secure affordable housing in the private rental market. WHA pays housing subsidies directly to landlords on behalf of participants; families pay 30% of their income toward rent with WHA subsidizing the difference up to HUD payment standards.
• Housing and Economic Opportunities (HEO) WHA's non-profit real estate development arm incorporated in 1998, focused on developing and operating new affordable housing communities and promoting economic development through partnerships with various funding sources. HEO has developed or redeveloped nine apartment communities across Wilmington.
• Resident Opportunity and Self-Sufficiency (ROSS) Program
• Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) Program
• Jobs Plus Employment Program
• Resident Resources Portal

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 700 residents currently holding vouchers or on HCVP waitlist
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Feast Down EastminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal food security partnership dispatches a mobile market with locally grown produce to WHA communities, helping alleviate food insecurity among residents.
• UNCW School of NursingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlliance conducts health fairs at WHA communities, providing health screenings and wellness services to residents.
• Excite Credit UnionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMobile team provides financial consultations at WHA communities, offering credit counseling and banking services to residents.
• ElderhausminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerReferral partner for Pearce House supportive housing. Elderhaus serves disabled individuals referred to Pearce House's 8 one-bedroom supportive housing units.
• Cape Fear Community CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJobs Plus partnership provides certification program for medical receptionists, offering residents vocational training and career pathways.
• Step Up WilmingtoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJobs Plus partnership offers paid training for a range of occupations, helping residents gain employment skills and job placement.
• GLOW AcademyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerReferrals for children of WHA residents to after-school programs, summer camps, and GLOW Academy educational opportunities.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights2 records

Direct peers

• Greensboro Housing Authority: North Carolina housing authority providing federally subsidized public housing and rental assistance in Greensboro. Similar scale and service mix to WHA with comparable HCVP administration and family self-sufficiency programs.
• Charlotte Housing Authority: Another North Carolina public housing authority operating federally subsidized public housing and the HCVP in Charlotte-Mecklenburg. Comparable structure: HUD-funded, manages multiple communities, administers Section 8 vouchers, with a non-profit development arm.
• Durham Housing Authority: Public housing authority administering public housing units and HCVP subsidies in Durham, NC. Shares the same federal funding framework, mixed-income property portfolio, and resident services programming model as WHA.
• Raleigh Housing Authority: North Carolina peer housing authority providing public housing and Housing Choice Vouchers in Wake County. Operates with similar HUD funding structure, multiple residential communities, and self-sufficiency programming.

Broad incumbents

• Atlanta Housing Authority: Southeast U.S. public housing authority with comparable climate, regional exposure, and HUD-funded operations. Operates public housing communities and HCVP, with a non-profit development arm similar to WHA's HEO.
• Boston Housing Authority (BHA): Established municipal housing authority operating public housing developments and administering HCVP/Section 8. Comparable in regulatory framework and program mix, though serving a higher-cost Northeast market.
• Chicago Housing Authority (CHA): Major U.S. public housing authority operating tens of thousands of units under HUD oversight. Same regulatory structure as WHA but at much larger scale; useful comparable for federal funding mechanics and HCVP administration.
• New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA): The largest public housing authority in the U.S., providing public housing and Section 8 to NYC residents. Operates under the same HUD regulatory framework as WHA but at vastly greater scale, serving as a benchmark for federal housing program structure.
• Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (HACLA): Large municipal housing authority administering public housing and Section 8 across Los Angeles. Comparable in mission and federal funding model, with a substantial affordable housing development pipeline through affiliate non-profits.

Regional players

• Fayetteville Metropolitan Housing Authority: Regional North Carolina housing authority operating in Fayetteville/Cumberland County. Provides HUD-funded public housing and HCVP, comparable in scale and regulatory framework though serving a different regional market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/WilmingtonNCHousingAuthority

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles21 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Wilmington Housing Authority