Housing Finance Strategies

What Housing Finance Strategies does

Housing Finance Strategies (HFS) is a Washington, DC-based professional services and advisory firm founded in 2016 by Faith Schwartz. The firm provides strategic advisory, government and agency relations, climate risk/ESG, and sustainable homeownership consulting to mortgage lenders, servicers, fintechs, and federal housing regulators and policymakers. Its client base spans enterprises such as HUD, Fannie Mae, and Freddie Mac, and its leadership includes veterans from HOPE NOW Alliance, Mr. Cooper, and Big 4 housing policy practices.

HFS monetizes through three primary streams: (1) bespoke advisory engagements on policy, regulatory, and government relations matters; (2) a subscription-based Weekly Washington Report delivering regulatory and legislative analysis to housing finance executives; and (3) event sponsorships across its conference franchise, with publicly listed tiers of $25,000 (Platinum), $15,000 (Gold), and $10,000 (Silver). The firm's flagship events include the #HousingDC series and #ZillowHousing24, co-produced with partners such as NEXT Mortgage Events and Zillow. The #HousingDC21 virtual conference exceeded attendance projections by 25%, drawing 1,600+ participants from 500+ organizations across 30+ states.

The firm operates with 11–50 employees across Washington, DC and Austin, is bootstrapped with no disclosed institutional or venture capital backing, and is led by founder and CEO Faith Schwartz. Key strategic differentiators include Schwartz's appointment to the CFPB Consumer Advisory Board, repeat anchor sponsorships from FormFree and RiskSpan, and partnerships with Women in Housing & Finance, the Mortgage Bankers Association, and the Urban Institute. The firm has no proprietary technology platform; its offering is fundamentally relationship-based advisory, content, and convening services.

Name

Housing Finance Strategies

Legal name

Housing Finance Strategies, LLC

Website

https://housingfinancestrategies.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Housing Finance Strategies is a Washington, DC-based advisory firm founded in 2016 by Faith Schwartz, providing government relations, policy advisory, and ESG consulting to mortgage lenders, servicers, fintechs, and federal housing regulators. It also produces the #HousingDC conference series and a subscription policy newsletter.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Housing Policy Advisory Services

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers (522310)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282), Mortgage Bankers & Loan Correspondents (6162)

akta.pro primary industry

National Housing Finance Agencies & Ministries (FSALAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Affordable & Public Housing Asset Management (BPAJAMAI), Homeownership & Housing Finance (Renting, Mortgages, Refinancing) (EDAAAJAJ)

Keywords

• Housing policy advisory
• Mortgage consulting services
• Government relations advisory
• Housing finance research
• Financial regulatory consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Advisory Services: Provides strategic advisory services to mortgage industry participants including consulting on government relations, policy matters, ESG/climate risk, and sustainable homeownership solutions.
2. Weekly Washington Report Subscription: Weekly subscription-based analysis of regulatory and legislative developments shaping the housing industry. Available by subscription as essential reading for fintech leaders and housing finance executives.
3. Event Sponsorships: Events like #HousingDC26, #HousingDC25 feature sponsorship tiers (Platinum $25,000, Gold $15,000, Silver $10,000) providing brand visibility and access to senior mortgage executives and policymakers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Housing Finance Strategies is a professional services and advisory firm that provides strategic advisory, government and agency relations, climate risk/ESG, sustainable homeownership, and event management services to mortgage lenders, servicers, fintech companies, regulators, and policymakers. The firm also publishes a subscription-based Weekly Washington Report analyzing regulatory and legislative developments in housing finance.

Product overview

Housing Finance Strategies is a professional services and advisory firm founded in 2016 by Faith Schwartz. The company provides a portfolio of consulting services including Government & Agency Relations, Strategic Advisory Services, Climate Risk & ESG, Sustainable Homeownership Solutions, Roundtable & Event Management, Weekly Washington Reporting (a subscription newsletter), and Philanthropy. The firm specializes in mortgage modernization, housing policy, and legislative and regulatory affairs, serving mortgage lending and servicing executives, fintechs, regulators, and policymakers. Housing Finance Strategies also produces industry conferences including the #HousingDC series (HousingDC21, HousingDC22, HousingDC25, HousingDC26) and #ZillowHousing24.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Government & Agency Relations Advisory service that helps mortgage industry clients boost their government relations IQ and navigate interactions with federal agencies and regulatory bodies.
• Strategic Advisory Services Strategic guidance and consulting engagements for mortgage executives on business decisions, policy implementation, and industry challenges.
• Climate Risk & ESG Advisory services addressing the impacts of climate change on housing finance and ESG considerations for mortgage industry participants.
• Sustainable Homeownership Solutions Advisory services focused on helping struggling homeowners maintain homeownership through policy guidance and strategic advice for industry participants.
• Roundtable & Event Management Event production and management services that bring credibility and crispness to policy-focused events for the housing finance industry, including the #HousingDC conference series.
• Weekly Washington Report Subscription-based weekly analysis of regulatory and legislative developments shaping the housing industry, positioned as essential reading for fintech leaders and housing finance executives.

Quantifiable outcome

• #HousingDC21 exceeded attendance projections by 25%, drawing over 1,600 participants from 500+ organizations
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers7 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

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

• FormFreecoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 14 January 2020FormFree serves as anchor sponsor for NEXT events and Housing Finance Strategies conferences. Partnership includes year-long sponsorship supporting all three NEXT events plus policy-focused #NEXTDC series.
• NEXT Mortgage EventscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 April 2019Strategic alliance with NEXT Mortgage Events to bring together Washington policy makers, fintech luminaries, and mortgage lending executives. The partnership produces the #NEXTDC/#HousingDC series of events focused on housing policy and fintech.
• Women in Housing & FinancecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerWomen in Housing & Finance (WHF) serves as a key sponsor and co-branding partner for Housing Finance Strategies events, supporting the company's mission to promote women executives in housing finance.
• Women in Housing & Finance FoundationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThe Women in Housing & Finance Foundation (WHFF), a 501(c)(3) charity, serves as a benefactor for Housing Finance Strategies events, with company being largest philanthropic contributor in 2021.
• ZillowcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerZillow partnered with Housing Finance Strategies to produce #ZillowHousing24, bringing together influential decision-makers, industry leaders, and policymakers on housing affordability.
• Urban InstitutemoderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerLaurie Goodman, Institute Fellow at Urban Institute, participates as speaker at Housing Finance Strategies events. Urban Institute's Housing Finance Policy Center provides research collaboration.
• Mortgage Bankers AssociationmoderateGTM or Marketing PartnerMBA and Housing Finance Strategies collaborate on events and initiatives including MBA Servicing Solutions Conference participation and policy discussions.
• RiskSpancoreGTM or Marketing PartnerRiskSpan serves as repeat sponsor of Housing Finance Strategies events. Bernadette Kogler, Co-founder & CEO of RiskSpan, is featured prominently as a sponsor speaker and supporter.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA): National trade association representing the real estate finance industry. Directly comparable as a convener of mortgage executives, policymakers, and regulators — and a sponsor/partner for HFS-led events like #HousingDC and MBA Servicing Solutions.
• Deloitte (US Mortgage & Housing Finance practice): Big Four consulting firm with a dedicated mortgage and housing finance practice serving large lenders, servicers, and GSEs. Comparable as a larger, broader competitor offering housing-finance advisory and risk services to the same enterprise buyers.
• Zillow Group: Housing market data and consumer platform that partnered with HFS on #ZillowHousing24. Comparable as a housing-finance ecosystem participant that co-produces policy events and engages the same lender/servicer/policy audience.
• Oliver Wyman: Global management consulting firm with a strong financial services and housing practice. Comparable as a larger-scale consulting competitor serving mortgage lenders, servicers, and regulators on strategic and policy matters.

Direct peers

• The Collingwood Group: Boutique housing finance and capital markets advisory firm focused on GSEs, regulators, and mortgage industry participants. Closely aligned business model of housing policy advisory to the same client segments HFS serves.
• NEXT Mortgage Events: Producer of mortgage industry events including the #NEXTDC series co-produced with HFS. Directly comparable as a housing/mortgage event producer serving the same audience and overlapping partnership ecosystem.
• STRATMOR Group: Mortgage industry strategy and M&A advisory firm serving lenders, servicers, and fintechs. Directly comparable as a housing-finance-focused consultancy serving the same enterprise buyer base.
• RiskSpan: Housing finance data, analytics, and advisory firm serving GSEs, lenders, and investors. Comparable as a repeat event sponsor and housing-finance analytics provider operating in the same regulatory and policy ecosystem.
• HousingWire (HW Media): Housing industry media, events, and data company that produces HousingWire Vanguard and similar recognition programs. Comparable as a housing-finance content, events, and community platform with overlapping audience of mortgage executives.
• Urban Institute Housing Finance Policy Center: Non-partisan policy research center producing housing finance research for federal agencies, GSEs, and the mortgage industry. Comparable as a housing policy thought-leadership venue whose research feeds into the same regulatory and policy discussions HFS advises on.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/housingfinance2
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/housing-finance-strategies

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Housing Finance Strategies