South Portland Housing Authority

What South Portland Housing Authority does

South Portland Housing Authority (SPHA) is a public housing authority established in 1943 and chartered under Maine state law, operating as a quasi-governmental entity governed by a Board of Commissioners appointed by the South Portland City Council. SPHA's mission is to provide quality housing for low- to moderate-income households, elderly persons, individuals with disabilities, and families in need across South Portland, Maine and adjacent Scarborough. The organization manages 12 distinct housing properties totaling over 760 units (700+ in South Portland and 60 in Scarborough) and administers 739 tenant-based and Project-Based Housing Choice Vouchers across a nine-municipality region that includes South Portland, Scarborough, Cape Elizabeth, Old Orchard Beach, Westbrook, Portland, Gorham, Falmouth, and Windham.

The portfolio is heavily weighted toward senior (55+/62+) and disabled housing through properties such as Betsy Ross House, Ridgeland Estates, Ridgeland Gardens, Betsy Ross Crossing (newly opened 2025), Jocelyn Place, and Landry Woods (under construction, 2025), with additional family and scattered-site housing through St. Cyr Court, Hazard Towers, Landry Village, Mill Cove, Adam Court, Thornton Heights Commons, and RAD/PBV scattered-site units. SPHA operates standard PHA administrative technology — a PHA-Web Landlord Portal for Section 8 payment and inspection access, a centralized Maine waiting list via AffordableHousing.com, work order management, and direct debit rent collection — with no proprietary technology stack.

Revenue is generated primarily through HUD federal operating subsidies and capital funds covering both public housing and Section 8 voucher programs, with secondary income from tenant rent (capped at 30% of adjusted income for PH/PBV units) and limited market-rate rents at senior properties. Applications flow through the centralized Maine waiting list, paper applications, and limited in-person intake; marketing is minimal and limited to spha.net and local newspaper notices. Recent strategic activity centers on new senior housing construction (Betsy Ross Crossing, Landry Woods), an active 2026 RFP for additional public housing units, and prior conversions of 108 scattered-site units to RAD/PBV funding mechanisms in 2022.

Name

South Portland Housing Authority

Legal name

South Portland Housing Authority

Website

https://spha.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

1943

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

South Portland Housing Authority is a public housing authority managing 760+ affordable housing units and 739 Section 8 vouchers in South Portland and Scarborough, Maine, serving low-income, elderly, and disabled households under HUD-funded programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public & Affordable Housing Services

NAICS

Lessors of Residential Buildings and Dwellings (53111), Other Community Housing Services (624229), Continuing Care Retirement Communities and Assisted Living Facilities for the Elderly (6233)

SIC

Operators Of Apartment Buildings (6513), Services-Social Services (8300), Real Estate Operators (No Developers) & Lessors (6510)

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

SECONDARYBPAJAFAD

Affordable & Subsidized Housing Property Management (LIHTC, Section 8)

Business & Public Services/Real Estate Services (Brokerage, Property Management)/Residential Property Management

SECONDARYFSALAKAI

Housing Voucher & Rental Assistance Programs (Tenant-Based/Project-Based)

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

SECONDARYHLADAAAB

Affordable/Subsidized Independent Living (HUD/LIHTC) Communities

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Elder Care & Long-Term Care/Independent Living Communities

SECONDARYHLADAAAE

Independent Living with Supportive Services (Light ADL/IADL Support)

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Elder Care & Long-Term Care/Independent Living Communities

Keywords

• Public housing authority
• Affordable rental housing
• Section 8 vouchers
• Senior housing services
• Subsidized housing programs

Headquarters

HQ city

South Portland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. HUD Federal Funding: Primary funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to administer public housing and Section 8 HCV programs. Funds cover housing assistance payments to landlords and property operations.
2. Tenant Rent Payments: Residents pay rent based on 30% of adjusted household income for public housing and PBV units. Market rate units charge fixed rents. Section 8 participants pay the difference between the voucher payment standard and the market rent.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

South Portland Housing Authority is a municipal public housing authority that owns, manages, and allocates affordable rental housing for low- and moderate-income households. It administers the federal Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program (739 vouchers), operates 12+ public housing properties (over 700 units) in South Portland and Scarborough, Maine, and provides project-based voucher units, scattered-site units, RAD-converted units, and senior housing communities for residents 55+ and 62+.

Product overview

South Portland Housing Authority operates as a public housing authority providing affordable housing through multiple programs and properties. The core offerings include the Section 8/Housing Choice Voucher Program (739 vouchers) and public housing at 14 distinct properties totaling over 700 units in South Portland and Scarborough, Maine. Properties include senior communities (Betsy Ross House, Betsy Ross Crossing, Ridgeland Estates, Ridgeland Gardens, Jocelyn Place), mixed-income properties (Thornton Heights Commons, Mill Cove, St. Cyr Court, Hazard Towers, Landry Village), and scattered site units. Additional services include educational scholarships (Laurie Carr, MAPHD, PHADA), landlord and tenant portals, work order management, and direct debit payment options. The portfolio serves elderly, disabled, and family households with income-based rent structures.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Section 8 / Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program Federal rental assistance program providing vouchers to very low-income families to rent housing from private landlords. SPHA administers 739 tenant-based and project-based vouchers.
• St. Cyr Court

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• AffordableHousing.comcoreOthersMaine housing authorities use a centralized Section 8/HCV waiting list through AffordableHousing.com. Applicants apply once through this platform to be placed on waiting lists for all participating housing authorities throughout Maine.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• The Related Companies: One of the largest private affordable housing developers and operators in the U.S., managing tens of thousands of LIHTC and subsidized units. Comparable mission of affordable housing provision at much larger scale.
• Boston Housing Authority: Larger, established PHA in the same New England region administering thousands of public housing units and vouchers. Broader portfolio and budget but structurally comparable HUD-funded PHA.
• L+M Development Partners: Major private affordable housing developer and property manager active in the Northeast. Comparable in developing and operating subsidized and mixed-income housing but with a private capital structure rather than public PHA governance.

Direct peers

• Maine State Housing Authority: State-level housing finance agency that administers federal housing programs statewide in Maine, including Section 8 and LIHTC allocations. Operates in the same regulatory and funding ecosystem as SPHA.
• Bangor Housing Authority: Another Maine municipal housing authority administering public housing and Section 8 in Bangor. Directly comparable in scale, mission, and HUD funding structure to SPHA.
• Portland Housing Authority: Adjacent Maine municipal housing authority administering public housing and Section 8 vouchers in Portland. Directly comparable HUD-funded PHA serving the same regional affordable housing market and overlapping landlord network.
• Lewiston Housing Authority: Maine municipal PHA providing public housing and Housing Choice Vouchers in Lewiston-Auburn. Comparable scope, tenant base, and federal funding model.
• Westbrook Housing Authority: Neighboring Maine PHA in Westbrook, which is part of SPHA's HCV jurisdiction. Operates public housing units with similar program structure and tenant demographics.

Emerging players

• Preservation of Affordable Housing (POAH): Nonprofit affordable housing owner/operator focused on preserving and operating subsidized rental housing across multiple states. Comparable in operating HUD-assisted and LIHTC multifamily properties.

Others

• National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO): National membership association representing PHAs and housing redevelopment agencies. SPHA participates through PHADA/MAPHD scholarship programs and the central industry body governing PHA best practices.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/south-portland-housing-auth

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 South Portland Housing Authority