What Rochester Housing Authority does

Rochester Housing Authority (RHA) is a federally funded, quasi-governmental Public Housing Agency established in 1955 and governed by its own Board of Commissioners, operating independently of the City of Rochester. Headquartered at 675 West Main Street in Rochester, New York, RHA administers federal housing programs across a five-county jurisdiction covering Monroe, Orleans, Livingston, Ontario, and Wayne counties. Its core programs include Public Housing (RHA-owned high-rise towers, townhouses, and scattered-site properties), the Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) program with Project-Based Voucher variants, Permanent Supportive Housing, and Special Purpose Vouchers including HUD-VASH for homeless veterans, the Family Unification Program, Mainstream, and NED vouchers for disabled households.

RHA serves more than 27,000 people through approximately 214 employees organized across specialized departments—Application Processing, Leasing Operations (Section 8), Public Housing, Finance, Compliance, Procurement, Resident Services, Development and Capital Projects, IT, and Human Resources—supported by zone-based property offices across Rochester's five housing zones. Supporting services include the Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) five-year economic-independence program, a Home Ownership Program with credit counseling and down-payment assistance, and digital tools such as virtual apartment tours and an online application portal. Resident participation is formalized through elected Resident Councils validated by The Center for Dispute Settlement.

RHA's revenue model is managed-services style: it receives Housing Assistance Payments and operational funding from HUD (confirmed through January 2026) and passes subsidies through to eligible low-income households who pay 30-40% of adjusted gross income toward rent, with the agency retaining administrative fees. The agency partners with HUD, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Monroe County Department of Human Services, Partners Ending Homelessness, and other community organizations to coordinate referrals, supportive services, and Continuum of Care placements through the Coordinated Entry process. Current operating priorities include HUD HOTMA income-calculation compliance (effective July 1, 2025), RAD asset repositioning, and the upcoming selection of a new Executive Director following the June 3, 2026 Special Board Meeting.

Name

Rochester Housing Authority

Legal name

Rochester Housing Authority

Website

https://rochesterhousing.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1955

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Rochester Housing Authority is a federally funded Public Housing Agency, established in 1955, that administers Public Housing, Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers, and special-purpose voucher programs across a five-county greater Rochester, New York jurisdiction, serving more than 27,000 low-income families, seniors, disabled individuals, and homeless veterans through approximately 214 employees.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Affordable Housing Services

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412), Continuing Care Retirement Communities and Assisted Living Facilities for the Elderly (62331)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Nursing & Personal Care Facilities (8050)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Housing Voucher & Rental Assistance Programs (Tenant-Based/Project-Based) (FSALAKAI), State & Local Housing Finance Agencies (HFAs) (FSALAKAA)

Keywords

• Public housing assistance
• Rental subsidy vouchers
• Affordable housing services
• Low-income housing programs
• Section 8 housing

Headquarters

HQ city

Rochester

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. HUD Federal Funding: RHA is a federally funded agency receiving Housing Assistance Payments (HAP) and operational funding through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Funding confirmed through January 2026 for Public Housing operational expenditures and Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program.
2. Housing Choice Voucher Program: Rental assistance subsidy program where RHA subsidizes rents of eligible low-income households. RHA enters into Housing Assistance Payments (HAP) contracts with property owners.
3. Public Housing Operations: RHA owns and manages public housing properties including high rises, complexes, and scattered site public housing developments.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Rochester Housing Authority (RHA) is a federally-funded public housing agency that owns and manages affordable housing properties and administers Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) rental subsidies across a five-county region in greater Rochester, New York. RHA serves more than 27,000 low-income families, seniors 50+, persons with disabilities, homeless veterans, and families in the child welfare system through Public Housing, tenant-based and project-based vouchers, Permanent Supportive Housing, and special-purpose voucher programs. Supporting programs include Family Self-Sufficiency and Home Ownership initiatives to promote economic self-sufficiency.

Product overview

Rochester Housing Authority is a federally-funded public housing agency providing housing assistance to low-income families, seniors, and persons with disabilities in the greater Rochester, New York region. The agency operates a portfolio of housing programs including Public Housing (RHA-owned properties across multiple residential communities), the Housing Choice Voucher Program (Section 8), Project Based Vouchers, Permanent Supportive Housing, and Special Purpose Vouchers (VASH, Mainstream, NED, Family Unification). Supporting services include the Family Self-Sufficiency Program for economic independence and a Home Ownership Program. The agency serves approximately 27,000 people through these housing assistance programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Public Housing

Quantifiable outcome

• Serves more than 27,000 people across the greater Rochester area

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles6 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 and minor.

• Monroe County Department of Human Services (MCDHS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRHA partners with MCDHS for the Family Unification Program (FUP), which assists families whose lack of adequate housing is a primary reason for imminent placement of children in out-of-home care or delay in discharge from care.
• U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVA provides case management and clinical services for the HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) program, combining HCV rental assistance with supportive services for homeless veterans through VA medical centers and community-based outreach clinics.
• Partners Ending Homelessness (PEH)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPEH manages the prioritization list for Permanent Supportive Housing and coordinates with RHA and other housing agencies for placement of homeless individuals through Coordinated Entry process.
• Coordinated Care Services Inc. (CCSI)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCCSI operates a free one-stop shop for listing properties and identifying appropriate housing for people experiencing homelessness in the Greater Rochester area through the Front Door NY platform.
• The Housing Council at PathStoneminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity resource providing housing counseling, intervention services for tenants and homeowners, landlord education, and fair housing awareness. Recommended by RHA for additional housing assistance.
• The Center for Dispute SettlementminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndependent organization that monitors and validates resident council elections at RHA public housing properties.
• NeighborWorks RochesterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFull service housing agency serving City of Rochester and Monroe County, assisting families with first home purchases through loans and grants, and creating sustainable communities through lead paint inspections, home improvement loans, and Energy Services.
• LawNY (formerly MCLAC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLegal services organization providing assistance with Fair Housing, Housing, Employment Rights, Rights of Persons with Criminal Records, Public Benefits, and Seniors Legal Services.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Chicago Housing Authority (CHA): Large municipal PHA administering Public Housing, HCV, and RAD-converted properties across Chicago. Broad-incumbent peer to RHA — same federal program chassis and similar mix of senior, family, and supportive housing, but at much greater scale and with significantly more mixed-finance redevelopment activity.
• Philadelphia Housing Authority (PHA): Large PHA administering Public Housing, HCV, and special-purpose vouchers across Philadelphia. Broad-incumbent peer to RHA — same HUD program structure and similar senior/family/disabled segment mix, but operating at materially greater scale and with more active RAD/mixed-finance conversion activity.
• New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA): Largest PHA in the U.S., operating Public Housing and HCV across New York City. Direct functional peer to RHA — same federal HUD program chassis (Public Housing, Section 8 HCV, special-purpose vouchers), same tenant-based eligibility and rent structure, and same waitlist-driven delivery model, though at vastly greater scale.
• Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (HACLA): Very large PHA operating Section 8 HCV (including significant portable voucher absorption), Public Housing, and supportive housing across Los Angeles. Broad-incumbent peer — same federal program chassis as RHA, similar special-purpose voucher emphasis (veterans, families, homeless), but at far greater absolute scale.
• Atlanta Housing Authority: PHA administering Public Housing, HCV, and an extensive mixed-finance/RAD-converted portfolio in Atlanta. Broad-incumbent peer — same federal HUD program structure as RHA, comparable multi-program delivery (Public Housing, HCV, supportive housing), but with deeper mixed-finance and developer-partner activity.
• Boston Housing Authority (BHA): Large Northeast PHA operating Public Housing, HCV, and supportive housing programs in Boston. Broad-incumbent peer — same federal program framework as RHA, comparable climate and operating cost dynamics, but at substantially larger scale and with deeper mixed-finance development activity.

Direct peers

• Albany Housing Authority: PHA serving Albany, NY with Public Housing, Section 8 HCV, and resident-service programs. Direct peer to RHA within the same New York State PHA ecosystem — comparable scale (mid-sized city), same HUD programmatic framework, and similar portfolio of senior high-rises and family scattered-site housing.
• Buffalo Municipal Housing Authority: Upstate New York PHA administering Public Housing, Section 8 HCV, and special-purpose vouchers in the Buffalo region. Closest direct peer to RHA — same state regulatory environment (HCR/NY), same upstate Midwestern climate operating realities, similar mid-sized-city PHA scale, and overlapping 5-county-style service regions.
• Syracuse Housing Authority: Mid-sized PHA in Syracuse, NY operating Public Housing, HCV, and supportive housing programs. Direct peer to RHA — comparable agency size, same New York State oversight, same vulnerable-population program mix including veteran and family-unification vouchers, and similar upstate urban housing-market dynamics.

Others

• NeighborWorks Rochester: Local nonprofit housing counseling and lending agency serving the same Rochester/Monroe County footprint as RHA, offering first-home purchase loans/grants, lead-paint inspections, and home improvement loans. OTHERS peer — adjacent rather than competing, since NeighborWorks focuses on homebuyer/rehab pathways while RHA administers subsidized rental housing; they are formal community partners in RHA's referral network.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 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 Rochester Housing Authority