B&B Urban

What B&B Urban does

B&B Urban (also doing business as Bell Urban) is a privately held, New York-based real estate development firm that develops affordable and market-rate multifamily housing and revitalizes distressed urban neighborhoods. The firm was formed by Alan Bell — also a founding principal of The Hudson Companies — and is led by a small team of three principals (Alan Bell, Sam Bell, and attorney Elisa Barnes). Its portfolio includes ground-up supportive and affordable housing projects across the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens, plus an adaptive-reuse expansion into Baltimore, MD (Crook Horner Lofts).

Projects are typically financed through stacked public subsidy programs including Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (4% and 9%), New Markets Tax Credits, and direct allocations from NYC HPD, NYS HFA, NYS HCR, NYC HDC, NYSERDA, OTDA, and FHLB, paired with construction and permanent loans from major banks (Wells Fargo, Bank of America, Citibank, Goldman Sachs, Raymond James, Peoples Bank) and tax-credit equity from syndicators such as The Richman Group and RJTCF. The firm co-develops with established partners including L+M Development Partners and Cheever Development, and contracts specialized supportive services through nonprofit organizations (Jericho Project, CUCS, HousingPlus, Concern for Independent Living) for veterans, formerly homeless, and mentally ill residents.

Buildings typically incorporate NYSERDA and Enterprise Green Communities standards, with notable features including rooftop photovoltaic solar arrays (Williamsbridge Gardens), Track 1 brownfield cleanup, and energy-efficient appliances. The firm generates revenue through developer fees on affordable housing projects, the development and sale/rental of market-rate units, and ground-floor retail leases in mixed-use buildings. Pricing for affordable units is set by AMI tiers (30%-90%), while pricing for market-rate and commercial product is not publicly disclosed. Marketing and origination are relationship-driven, relying on government RFPs, institutional referrals, and project-by-project partnerships rather than consumer marketing.

Name

B&B Urban

Legal name

B&B Urban / Bell Urban

Website

https://bandburban.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

B&B Urban is a New York-based real estate developer of affordable and supportive multifamily housing in NYC and Baltimore, financed via LIHTC, NMTC, and government agency allocations, with projects targeting low-income, veteran, and formerly homeless households.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Residential Real Estate Development

NAICS

New Housing For-Sale Builders (236117), New Multifamily Housing Construction (except For-Sale Builders) (236116), Residential Building Construction (2361)

SIC

General Bldg Contractors - Residential Bldgs (1520), Land Subdividers & Developers (No Cemeteries) (6552), Operators Of Apartment Buildings (6513)

akta.pro primary industry

Residential Affordable Housing Development & Construction (IMAFABAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Residential Green / High-Performance Home Construction (Net-Zero, Passive House) (IMAFABAH), Urban Renewal, Brownfield Redevelopment & Land Reuse (BPAIANAI), Affordable Housing & Community Development (Housing, Community Land Trusts) (BPAGALAC), Residential Design-Build & Renovation-Integrated Builders (IMAFABAE)

Keywords

• Affordable housing development
• Market rate housing
• Urban revitalization
• Supportive housing
• Green building development

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Affordable Housing Development: Development of affordable rental housing for low-income households earning under 30-90% of Area Median Income (AMI), with financing from government agencies and tax credits
2. Market Rate Housing: Development and sale/rental of market-rate residential units including condominiums and cooperative apartments
3. Retail Space Lease: Lease of ground floor retail spaces in mixed-use developments

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

B&B Urban is a real estate development firm that develops new affordable and market-rate residential housing and revitalizes distressed urban neighborhoods. The company partners with government agencies (HPD, HFA, HCR), financial institutions, and non-profit organizations to develop mixed-income, supportive, and historic-rehabilitation projects, often incorporating green building features such as photovoltaic solar arrays and Enterprise Green Communities/NYSERDA compliance. Its portfolio includes ground-up multi-family developments, live/work lofts, and mixed-use projects in New York City and Baltimore.

Product overview

B&B Urban is a real estate development company focused on developing affordable and market-rate housing, as well as revitalizing distressed urban neighborhoods. The company operates as a collection of residential real estate development projects rather than a unified software product. Key offerings include the Crook Horner Lofts live/work loft buildings in Baltimore, Williamsbridge Gardens and other affordable housing developments in the Bronx, Linwood Park Apartments in Brooklyn, and commercial retail spaces. These developments typically serve low-income households, formerly homeless individuals and families, and veterans, often incorporating green features such as photovoltaic solar arrays and energy-efficient appliances. The company's portfolio spans multiple states including New York and Maryland, with projects ranging from 15 units to over 170 units.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Crook Horner Lofts

Quantifiable outcome

• Built over 6,900 units in 52 separate developments
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• L&M Development PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDevelopment partner for Utica Place project - 87-unit affordable rental building at Utica Avenue and Lincoln Place in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. Also partnered on Walton House and other projects.
• Jericho ProjectcoreOthersNon-profit supportive services partner providing services to veterans at Utica Place - 26 units reserved for veterans with supportive services.
• Concern for Independent LivingcoreOthersSupportive services provider for Norwood Terrace - 58 studio apartments reserved for individuals with mental illness receiving on-site supportive services.
• CUCScoreOthersNon-profit supportive services partner providing on-site services for formerly homeless families and individuals at Kingsbridge Heights and Williamsbridge Gardens.
• HousingPluscoreOthersSupportive Service Partner for Linwood Park Apartments providing services to formerly homeless families and low-income residents.
• The Hudson CompaniescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlan Bell is a founding principal of The Hudson Companies, one of New York's leading affordable and market rate housing development companies. HCI and B&B Urban work together on development projects.
• L+M Builders Group LLCmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerGeneral contractor for multiple projects including Utica Place and Kingsbridge Heights.
• SUSmajorOthersSupportive services partner for East 162nd Street Court project.
• Dattner ArchitectsmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerArchitecture firm for East 162nd Street Court project.
• MHG ArchitectsmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerArchitecture firm for Utica Place project.
• Cheever Development Corp.majorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerDevelopment partner for Walton House project.
• HLS Builders CorporationmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerGeneral contractor for Norwood Terrace project.
• J.Cole BuildersmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerGeneral contractor for Crook Horner Lofts project in Baltimore.
• The Civic GroupmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerDevelopment consultant/advisor for Crook Horner Lofts project.
• SM+P ArchitectsmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerArchitecture firm for Crook Horner Lofts historic renovation project in Baltimore.
• MD NBW (Maryland National Register of Historic Places)minorOthersHistoric preservation partnership for Crook Horner Lofts project in Baltimore.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• National Housing Trust: National Housing Trust is a national nonprofit developer and preservation acquirer of affordable multifamily housing using LIHTC, comparable to B&B Urban's affordable housing development model though broader geographically.
• Lettire Construction: Lettire is a NYC general contractor and affordable housing developer specializing in LIHTC and HPD-financed multifamily projects in the Bronx and upper Manhattan, directly comparable to B&B Urban in product type and NYC borough focus.
• The Hudson Companies: The Hudson Companies is a closely affiliated NYC affordable and market-rate housing developer where Alan Bell serves as a founding principal. It is essentially the parent platform that shares principals, lender relationships, and co-develops projects with B&B Urban, making it the most directly comparable peer in scale, geography, and product mix.
• The Arker Companies: The Arker Companies is a NYC-based developer of affordable and market-rate multifamily housing using LIHTC and HPD/HFA financing, with active development across the Bronx and Brooklyn, directly overlapping B&B Urban's geographic and product footprint.
• L+M Development Partners: L+M is a leading NYC affordable and mixed-income housing developer that co-develops projects with B&B Urban (e.g., Utica Place, Walton House) and serves as general contractor via L+M Builders Group. It is directly comparable in product type (LIHTC-financed multifamily), geography, and supportive housing specialization.
• Phipps Houses: Phipps Houses is one of NYC's largest nonprofit affordable and supportive housing developers, with a similar LIHTC-funded, supportive-services-oriented model serving low-income and formerly homeless populations. It is directly comparable in financing mechanisms, geography, and tenant mix.
• BRP Companies: BRP Companies is a NYC affordable and mixed-income multifamily developer active in the Bronx and other boroughs, using similar HPD/HFA/LIHTC financing structures and serving low-income households, making it a comparable peer in product and financing model.
• Monadnock Development: Monadnock is a NYC affordable and mixed-income developer active in the Bronx and Brooklyn that uses LIHTC, HPD/HFA financing and brownfield remediation, directly comparable to B&B Urban's product, financing stack, and geographic focus.

Emerging players

• The Richman Group: The Richman Group is a LIHTC syndicator and affordable housing developer/investor that provides 4% LIHTC equity for B&B Urban projects. It is comparable as an active affordable housing sponsor with overlapping financing relationships and project involvement, though larger and more syndication-focused.

Broad incumbents

• Community Preservation Corporation (CPC): CPC is a NYC-based affordable housing CDFI and developer that provides construction and permanent financing plus development services across LIHTC and HPD programs. It is comparable as both a financing partner and a broader-affordable-housing player with overlapping relationships.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/b-b-urban

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 B&B Urban