Neighborhood Housing Services of Birmingham

What Neighborhood Housing Services of Birmingham does

Neighborhood Housing Services of Birmingham, Inc. (NHSB) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1970 and headquartered at 601 37th Street S in Birmingham, Alabama. It operates as a HUD-approved Housing Counseling Agency and charter member of NeighborWorks America, serving low- and moderate-income residents of the Birmingham metropolitan area. Its mission centers on making strategic investments in people and real estate to create communities of choice, executed through a balanced portfolio of people-centered services and real estate activity. Since 2010, NHSB has leveraged more than $60 million in private, philanthropic, and public investment, helped create or preserve more than 1,000 homeowners, and provided counseling and education to over 6,300 individuals.

NHSB's service portfolio spans the full housing lifecycle. The Home Ownership Center delivers first-time homebuyer education, individualized pre-purchase financial counseling, and foreclosure prevention. The Healthy Housing Initiative provides critical home repair grants and HomeWise workshops to existing owner-occupants. Free monthly in-person homebuyer classes are offered alongside self-paced online education through an eHome America partnership, with registration handled via Eventbrite. NHSB also owns and operates 30 affordable rental units across three Birmingham properties (Forest Park Terrace, Shadowbrook Village, and Fulton Avenue) managed through a partnership with Watts Realty, and is preparing to launch the North Star Infill Housing Initiative for single-family infill development. Operational technology is minimal; NHSB does not run a proprietary platform and depends on third-party tools (eHome America, Eventbrite, Watts Realty) for delivery.

NHSB's revenue model is that of a grant- and donation-funded nonprofit rather than a commercial enterprise. Funding sources include federal, state, and local government grants (notably HUD housing counseling allocations and an $800,000 ARPA award from the City of Birmingham in 2025), NeighborWorks America support, charitable contributions from individuals and foundations (United Way, Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham), corporate philanthropy from regional banks (Regions, Trustmark, First Horizon, Cadence, Synovus, Truist, PNC, Wells Fargo) and corporate sponsors (APCO, Spire, Publix, Freddie Mac), rental income from the three managed properties, and philanthropic support. Most services are provided free of charge to eligible residents. Distribution is single-country and concentrated in Birmingham, with go-to-market executed through community-led outreach, in-person education, the annual HomeWise Expo, media coverage, and an extensive referral network.

Name

Neighborhood Housing Services of Birmingham

Legal name

Neighborhood Housing Services of Birmingham, Inc.

Website

https://nhsbham.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Neighborhood Housing Services of Birmingham is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and HUD-approved housing counseling agency providing homebuyer education, foreclosure prevention, home repair grants, and affordable rentals to low- and moderate-income residents of Birmingham, Alabama.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Affordable Housing Services

NAICS

Other Community Housing Services (624229), Other Individual and Family Services (62419), Individual and Family Services (6241)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-To Dwellings & Other Buildings (7340)

akta.pro primary industry

Affordable Housing & Community Development (Housing, Community Land Trusts) (BPAGALAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public & Affordable Housing Programs (Subsidies, Vouchers, Public Housing) (BPAIANAA), Housing & Neighborhood Services (Local Housing Programs) (BPAIACAJ)

Keywords

• Housing counseling services
• Homebuyer education
• Foreclosure prevention
• Affordable rental housing
• Community development

Headquarters

HQ city

Birmingham

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Grants and Public Funding: NHSB receives federal, state, and local government grants including HUD housing counseling funding, ARPA funding ($800,000 awarded), and city funding for home renovation initiatives. The organization also receives funding through its charter membership with NeighborWorks America.
2. Charitable Donations: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, NHSB relies on charitable contributions from individuals, foundations, corporations, and community organizations. The organization maintains donor relationships and accepts donations through its website.
3. Rental Property Income: NHSB provides affordable rental housing at three Birmingham locations (Forest Park Terrace, Shadowbrook Village, Fulton Avenue), managed by Watts Realty. Rental income supports operational costs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Neighborhood Housing Services of Birmingham (NHSB) is a HUD-approved housing counseling agency and charter member of NeighborWorks America that delivers first-time homebuyer education, pre-purchase financial counseling, foreclosure prevention, critical home repair grants, and affordable rental housing. The organization supports low- and moderate-income working families in the Birmingham metropolitan area through the Home Ownership Center, Healthy Housing Initiative, Home Buyers Classes, and the annual HomeWise Expo, complemented by direct rental property management at three locations.

Product overview

Neighborhood Housing Services of Birmingham (NHSB) is a nonprofit housing organization offering a unified suite of community development services rather than a technology product platform. The core offerings include the Home Ownership Center (providing homebuyer education, pre-purchase counseling, and foreclosure prevention), the Healthy Housing Initiative (delivering home repair grants and HomeWise workshops), Home Buyers Classes (both in-person and online via eHome America), Down Payment Assistance, and the annual HomeWise Expo. NHSB also manages affordable rental properties across three Birmingham locations and is developing the North Star Infill Housing Initiative for single-family homes. These programs work together to support the full housing lifecycle: helping people buy, keep, and fix their homes through education, financial counseling, and direct housing resources.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Home Ownership Center NHSB's flagship program offering first-time homebuyer education, individualized pre-purchase financial counseling, and foreclosure prevention services, serving as the primary hub for housing counseling and financial empowerment for Birmingham residents.
• Healthy Housing Initiative (HHI) Program supporting owner-occupants through critical home repair grants and HomeWise workshops designed to help families remain safely housed and preserve assets for future generations.
• Home Buyers Classes Free monthly in-person home buyer education classes and online self-paced courses through the eHome America partnership, covering homebuyer readiness and financial preparedness.
• Down Payment Assistance Financial assistance program to help homebuyers with down payment costs, administered in partnership with the City of Birmingham's Community Development department.
• HomeWise Expo Annual community event connecting Birmingham homeowners with housing resources, expert workshops, live demonstrations, and exhibitors, featuring special guest speakers and home preservation support.
• Rental Properties Affordable rental housing at three Birmingham locations: Forest Park Terrace (10 units), Shadowbrook Village (20 units), and Fulton Avenue (4 units), managed by Watts Realty.
• North Star Infill Housing Initiative Coming soon single-family homes development initiative focused on infill housing in the Birmingham area, with 52 lots planned at 1430 Pratt Highway through the Growth by NCRC partnership.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $60 million in private, philanthropic, and public investment leveraged since 2010
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered major and core.

• Growth by NCRCmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2022NHSB affiliated organization Growth by NCRC (National Community Reinvestment Coalition) approved for $3 million in city funding to develop 52 lots at 1430 Pratt Highway for affordable, energy-efficient homes in Pratt City.
• NeighborWorks AmericacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1970NHSB is a charter member of NeighborWorks America, a congressionally chartered and funded nonprofit that creates opportunities for people to live in affordable homes, improve their lives and strengthen communities. This is NHSB's foundational partnership providing national network access, training, resources, and credibility as a HUD-approved housing counseling agency.
• eHome AmericacoreTechnology or IntegrationPartnership providing online homebuyer education platform allowing NHSB clients to complete education requirements online at their own pace, complementing in-person monthly classes.
• Watts RealtycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWatts Realty provides leasing and property management services for NHSB's three affordable rental housing properties: Forest Park Terrace (10 units), Shadowbrook Village (20 units), and Fulton Avenue (4 units).

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• NeighborWorks America: Federally chartered nonprofit that supports a national network of affordable housing and community development organizations — NHSB is itself a charter member of this network. NeighborWorks provides training, funding, and standards that shape NHSB's service delivery.
• Enterprise Community Partners: National nonprofit that develops and preserves affordable housing and partners with local intermediaries to deliver community development outcomes — comparable mission and structure to NHSB, but operating across multiple states with a larger real estate portfolio.
• Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC): National CDFI and community development intermediary that finances affordable housing, economic development, and capacity-building for local nonprofits — directly comparable to NHSB's mission of community-based housing investment, but operating at far greater national scale with a broader product set.

Direct peers

• Habitat for Humanity International: Nonprofit affordable housing organization that builds, rehabilitates, and finances homes for low-income families, with a network of local affiliates — directly comparable to NHSB's model of combining homebuyer education, counseling, and affordable home development in a defined metro market.
• Neighborhood Assistance Corporation of America (NACA): Nonprofit HUD-certified counseling agency that provides free homeownership counseling, down payment assistance, and advocacy for low- and moderate-income buyers — directly comparable to NHSB's Home Ownership Center and pre-purchase counseling services.
• CHN Housing Partners: Nonprofit housing counseling agency and developer that provides homebuyer education, foreclosure prevention, rental housing, and development services — directly comparable operating model to NHSB across the full housing lifecycle.
• Rebuilding Together: National nonprofit with local affiliates that provide critical home repair, accessibility modifications, and rehabilitation for low-income homeowners — directly comparable to NHSB's Healthy Housing Initiative and HomeWise home repair and preservation programming.
• Grounded Solutions Network: National nonprofit membership organization that supports community land trusts and shared-equity affordable housing models — closely aligned with NHSB's affordable housing stewardship and community land trust-adjacent work.

Others

• National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC): National coalition of community-based organizations (including Growth by NCRC, NHSB's affiliate partner on the Pratt City infill project) that advocates for fair lending and affordable housing — directly connected to NHSB through the North Star Infill partnership and aligned in mission.

Regional players

• Alabama Housing Finance Authority (AHFA): State housing finance agency that administers federal housing programs, mortgage revenue bonds, and down payment assistance in Alabama — comparable regional housing intermediary that NHSB interfaces with for down payment assistance and affordable lending programs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/NeighborhoodHousingBham
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/neighborhood-housing-services-of-birmingham-inc

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Neighborhood Housing Services of Birmingham