Buffalo Urban Renewal Agency

Name

Buffalo Urban Renewal Agency

Legal name

City of Buffalo Urban Renewal Agency

Website

https://buffalourbanrenewal.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1966

Operating status

Operating

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Urban Renewal / Community Development

NAICS

Administration of Housing Programs (925110), Administration of Housing Programs, Urban Planning, and Community Development (9251)

SIC

Federal & Federally-Sponsored Credit Agencies (6111)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAIANAA

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

Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/Housing, Urban Planning & Community Development

SECONDARYBPAIACAJ

Housing & Neighborhood Services (Local Housing Programs)

Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/Local/Municipal Government Administration

SECONDARYFSALAKAJ

Housing Rehabilitation, Weatherization & Home Repair Grant/Loan Programs

Financial & Insurance/Mortgage & Housing Finance/Housing Finance Agencies & Government-Sponsored Housing Programs

SECONDARYFSALAHAL

Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Construction Financing

Financial & Insurance/Mortgage & Housing Finance/Construction & Renovation Financing (Construction-to-Perm)

SECONDARYHSAPAMAG

ADU Permitting, Zoning & Code Compliance

Home & Personal Services/Residential Renovation Services/Garage Conversion & ADU Construction

Keywords

• Urban renewal programs
• Community development services
• Housing rehabilitation loans
• Affordable housing programs
• Federal grant administration

Headquarters

HQ city

Buffalo

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Federal Grant Administration: BURA receives and administers federal funding from HUD programs including Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME Investment Partnerships, Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG), and Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA). The agency also manages American Recovery Plan (ARP) funds. Revenue comes from administrative fees on grants and program income from loan repayments.
2. Housing Rehabilitation Loans: The agency offers ZERO to LOW-interest loans for housing repairs through the Rental and Owner Housing Rehab Program. Loan servicing generates ongoing revenue through interest payments and servicing fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Buffalo Urban Renewal Agency administers federal HUD-funded housing and community development programs within the City of Buffalo, including zero to low-interest housing rehabilitation loans, down payment and closing cost assistance for first-time homebuyers, the Vacant Rental Program for transforming vacant units into affordable housing, and the Plus One ADU Program for accessory dwelling unit construction. The agency also delivers Fair Housing Compliance services and MWBE/Section 3 compliance monitoring.

Product overview

The Buffalo Urban Renewal Agency (BURA) offers a portfolio of government housing and urban development programs rather than a unified software product. The core offerings include the Vacant Rental Program (VRP) for transforming vacant units into affordable housing, the Plus One ADU Program for Accessory Dwelling Unit development in partnership with New York State HCR, the Rental and Owner Housing Rehab Program providing low-interest repair loans, and the Down Payment Closing Cost Assistance Program for first-time homebuyers. Supporting services include Fair Housing Compliance, MWBE & Section 3 Compliance, and a Community Partners Look-Up Tool. These programs are delivered through downloadable applications and flyers, community partnerships, and informational resources rather than a software platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Vacant Rental Program (VRP) Program that helps rental property owners in the City of Buffalo transform vacant, uninhabitable units into safe, high-quality, and affordable long-term rental homes. Designed for owners of vacant or uninhabitable rental property seeking subsidized financing and technical assistance to bring units back to code-compliant affordable housing.
• Plus One ADU Program Program delivered in partnership with New York State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR) that helps eligible homeowners in Buffalo create or improve Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), including finished basements, units above garages, attic apartments, and carriage houses. Provides up to 100% construction or rehabilitation funding.
• Rental and Owner Housing Rehab Program Zero to low-interest loan program that helps eligible property owners in the City of Buffalo with home improvement costs through the Rental and Owner Housing Rehab Program. Income-based eligibility with subsidized pricing.
• Down Payment Closing Cost Assistance Program Program that helps eligible low-income first-time homebuyers in the City of Buffalo with costs associated with down payments and closing costs.
• Fair Housing Compliance Services Services delivered by the BURA Fair Housing Division including tenant rights education, housing discrimination complaint processing, and fair housing resources for Buffalo residents and tenants.
• MWBE & Section 3 Compliance Program Program that actively promotes programs and resources for the Minority and Women Owned Business Enterprise (MWBE) community and monitors Section 3 compliance on BURA-administered construction and development projects.

Quantifiable outcome

• Housing rehabilitation loans at ZERO to LOW interest rates for eligible homeowners
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and moderate.

• New York State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBURA partners with NYS HCR to deliver the Plus One ADU Program, which provides up to 100% construction or rehabilitation funding for accessory dwelling units. HCR provides funding and program framework while BURA administers local implementation in Buffalo.
• Mt. Olive Community Development CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFaith-based and community-based partnership for the Mt. Olive Senior Manor project at 703 E. Delavan Avenue, featuring 65 affordable senior apartments developed with People Inc.
• People Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNon-profit housing developer partner in Mt. Olive Senior Manor (65 affordable senior units) and Riverside Apartments (68 units from former school conversion).
• Community Services for Every1coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpearheaded conversion of St. John Kanty School into 37 affordable units at 97 Swinburne (Apartments at the Lyceum project).
• People United for Sustainable Housing (PUSH) with Buffalo Neighborhood Stabilization Corp (BNSC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for West Side Homes project at 176 Congress and 176 Hampshire featuring 49 affordable rental apartments on formerly vacant parcels.
• St. John Baptist Church and McCarley Master DevelopercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFaith-based partnership for McCarley Gardens Redevelopment - 150 units of affordable rental housing renovation in Fruitbelt adjacent to Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus.
• East Buffalo Development CorporationcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCommunity partner organization handling housing program intake for East Buffalo area. Contact: (716) 342-9674, 60 Clyde Ave Building 1, Buffalo, NY 14214.
• Heart of the City NeighborhoodscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCommunity partner for housing programs serving downtown Buffalo. Contact: (716) 882-7661, 135 Delaware Ave Suite 503.
• NeighborWorks Community Partners BuffalocoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerNational nonprofit community partner network for housing assistance programs. Contact: (716) 885-2344.
• Old First Ward Community AssociationcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCommunity partner for Old First Ward area housing programs. Contact: (716) 856-8613, 62 Republic St, Buffalo NY 14204.
• University District Community Development AssociationcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCommunity partner for University District housing programs. Contact: (716) 832-1010, 3242 Main St, Buffalo NY 14214.
• City of Buffalo Office of Strategic Planning (OSP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBURA collaborates with OSP and other city offices to create equitable housing, economic and quality of life opportunities. OSP leads the Envision Neighborhoods Initiative for underserved communities.
• NFTA (Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority)moderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Equitable Transit Oriented Development (ETOD) - redevelopment of six parcels encompassing the LaSalle Station Metro Rail station.
• City of Buffalo Division of Real EstatemoderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on vacant lot disposition strategy and Blighted Properties Plan for transforming city-owned vacant lots into productive community uses.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority: Municipal housing authority operating HUD-funded housing programs in Cincinnati. Comparable in addressing affordable housing gaps in a Midwest post-industrial city with similar demographic and economic profile to Buffalo.
• Baltimore Housing Authority: Municipal housing authority administering HUD-funded public and affordable housing programs in Baltimore. Comparable in program portfolio (rehabilitation loans, down payment assistance, vacant property) and federal funding concentration.
• Milwaukee Housing Authority: Municipal housing authority in a comparable post-industrial Midwest city, administering federal HUD programs for affordable housing, rehabilitation, and community development analogous to BURA's portfolio.
• Boston Planning & Development Agency: Municipal planning and urban renewal agency administering housing development programs in Boston. Comparable governance structure and HUD grant administration role, though in a higher-cost growth market.
• Pittsburgh Urban Redevelopment Authority: Municipal urban renewal authority administering HUD funding and housing development programs in Pittsburgh under similar state urban renewal legislation. Directly comparable in mission, program structure, and partnership model to BURA.
• Cleveland Land Bank: Cuyahoga County land bank and urban renewal entity addressing vacant and blighted property in a similar Rust Belt city. Comparable to BURA's Vacant Rental Program and disposition of city-owned vacant parcels.
• Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority: Municipal urban renewal authority administering housing and community development programs in Philadelphia with analogous HUD grant administration and affordable housing development focus.
• Detroit Housing and Revitalization Department: City department administering federal HUD funding and housing rehabilitation programs in Detroit. Directly comparable to BURA in serving a post-industrial Rust Belt city with significant vacant property challenges and similar federal funding streams.

Broad incumbents

• New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development: NYC's primary housing agency administering HUD funding and affordable housing development across all five boroughs. Operates the same fundamental program types as BURA but at vastly larger scale with broader mandate and portfolio.

Others

• New York State Homes and Community Renewal: New York State's primary housing finance agency, currently BURA's partner on the Plus One ADU Program. Functions as an upstream capital provider and program framework sponsor rather than a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/buffalorenewal
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Buffalo Urban Renewal Agency