African American Alliance for Homeownership

What African American Alliance for Homeownership does

African American Alliance for Homeownership (AAAH) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit housing counseling organization founded in 1997 and headquartered at 825 NE 20th Avenue, Suite 100, Portland, Oregon. The organization was founded by Cheryl Roberts, who continues to serve as Executive Director, and operates under a mission to help families in Portland's African American and broader BIPOC communities OBTAIN, RETAIN, MAINTAIN, and SUSTAIN homeownership. AAAH is a HUD-approved Housing Counseling Agency staffed by HUD-certified counselors and serves individual consumers — primarily first-time homebuyers, homeowners at risk of foreclosure, and income-qualified homeowners needing estate planning, energy efficiency upgrades, or home repairs.

AAAH's service portfolio is structured around five core product lines. The Homeownership Program delivers HUD-certified pre-purchase counseling; Foreclosure Prevention Counseling supports homeowners in mortgage delinquency, forbearance, and foreclosure avoidance; the Homeownership Asset Preservation Program (HAPP) provides no-cost estate planning (wills, trusts, power of attorney) through a partnership with The Commons Law Center; Power to the People PDX (P2P) is an in-house residential energy efficiency program offering weatherization, utility bill discounts, and solar preparation in partnership with PGE, NW Natural, and Pacific Power; and the Home Retention Program provides up to $1,000 in small emergency repairs and tax delinquency support for targeted East Portland zip codes. Ancillary programs include the Annual Homeownership Fair (26+ years running), the Day of Service community event, the Community Clean-Up Day, and First-Time Homebuyer Education Classes delivered in-person ($20) or online via eHome America ($30–$50).

The underlying technology stack is minimal and non-proprietary: the organization runs on a Wix-hosted website, uses Vista Share for client portal and intake forms, Eventbrite for event registration, and the eHome America platform for online HUD-approved education. Revenue is generated primarily through grants and contracts (City of Portland Housing Bureau, Meyer Memorial Trust, Oregon Community Foundation), event sponsorships (Banner Bank, US Bank, OnPoint, Columbia Bank, First Citizens, CCCU, NW Natural, PGE), individual/corporate donations, and nominal program fees. There are no disclosed venture funding rounds, no parent company, and no private equity ownership. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors with representation from State Farm Insurance, Heritage Bank, Prosper Portland, and Fairway Mortgage.

Name

African American Alliance for Homeownership

Legal name

African American Alliance for Homeownership

Website

https://aaah.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Short description

AAAH is a 501(c)(3) HUD-approved housing counseling nonprofit in Portland, Oregon that serves first-time homebuyers, homeowners facing foreclosure, and income-qualified homeowners with pre-purchase counseling, foreclosure prevention, estate planning, energy efficiency upgrades, and home retention services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Portland

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. Grant Funding: Primary revenue from government grants including City of Portland Housing Bureau contracts and Portland Housing Bureau funding for homeowner programs including estate planning, water leak mitigation, energy efficiency upgrades, home retention and repairs, and community engagement.
2. Donations: 501(c)(3) nonprofit supported by individual and corporate donations. Donations are 100% tax deductible and support annual homeownership fair, homebuyer classes, bus tours, counseling, credit repair, and home retention services.
3. Program Fees: Minimal program fees for homebuyer education: in-person class $20, online class $30 (single) or $50 (co-buyer). Most services including foreclosure prevention, estate planning, and home retention are provided free to qualifying residents.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

AAAH is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers HUD-certified housing counseling services to help families obtain, retain, maintain, and sustain their homes. Core offerings include one-on-one pre-purchase homeownership counseling, foreclosure prevention counseling, no-cost estate planning through the Homeownership Asset Preservation Program (HAPP), home retention services including emergency repairs, and the Power to the People PDX (P2P) energy efficiency program. Most services are provided free to income-qualified Portland-area residents, with minimal fees for homebuyer education classes.

Product overview

AAAH is a nonprofit housing counseling organization offering a suite of interconnected programs to help families Obtain, Retain, Maintain, and Sustain their homes. The core offerings include the Homeownership Program (pre-purchase counseling), Foreclosure Prevention Counseling, and the Homeownership Asset Preservation Program (HAPP) for estate planning. These are supplemented by the Power to the People PDX (P2P) energy efficiency division providing weatherization and solar services, the Home Retention Program for East Portland repairs, and community programs including the Day of Service and Annual Homeownership Fair. The organization also provides First-Time Homebuyer Education Classes through both in-person and eHome America online formats.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Power to the People PDX (P2P): AAAH's residential energy efficiency program providing free home energy assessments, weatherization upgrades, utility resources, and energy efficient retrofits for communities in the greater metro area.

Products and services

• Homeownership Program
• Foreclosure Prevention Counseling
• Homeownership Asset Preservation Program (HAPP)
• Power to the People PDX (P2P)
• Home Retention Program
• First-Time Homebuyer Education Classes

Quantifiable outcome

• $50,000 in down payment assistance awarded to two winners at 2025 Homeownership Fair
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 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

Integration6 records

Partnerships

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

• The Commons Law CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to develop estate plans and provide legal services for the Homeownership Asset Preservation Program (HAPP). The Commons Law Center develops wills, trusts, and power of attorney documents for income-qualified homeowners to preserve and protect family assets.
• ReBuilding CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual Day of Service partnership providing free home repairs, yard maintenance, and bulky waste removal for NxNE Portland neighbors. ReBuilding Center provides skilled volunteers and expertise for various repair projects including carpentry, plumbing, and electrical work.
• PGE (Portland General Electric)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Power to the People PDX energy efficiency program. PGE Drive Change Fund provided electric Volkswagen ID Buzz van for mobile housing and solar outreach services. Also offers bill discount programs for income-qualified customers.
• NW NaturalmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNatural gas utility partner offering bill discount programs for income-qualified customers as part of comprehensive energy efficiency services.
• Solar OregonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for annual Solar Wine Tour event highlighting sustainable wineries with solar installations. AAAH participates to learn about sustainable practices.
• Self Emhancement Inc (SEI)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner2025 Homeownership Fair sponsor and community partner for 'The Homecoming' outdoor celebration event at Unthank Park featuring live music, food, and community resources.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• NeighborWorks America: National network of HUD-approved housing counseling agencies and community development nonprofits. Directly comparable as a federally chartered intermediary supporting local housing counseling, foreclosure prevention, and homeownership education — the same core services AAAH delivers in Portland.
• National Urban League: Historic civil rights and community empowerment organization with local affiliates delivering housing counseling, financial empowerment, and homeownership programs to African American communities — directly aligned with AAAH's mission and target demographic.
• Enterprise Community Partners: National nonprofit that develops and preserves affordable housing while providing housing counseling and resident services. Overlaps with AAAH in mission to address homeownership gaps in underserved communities, though operates at much larger scale across multiple markets.
• Habitat for Humanity: Global nonprofit focused on affordable homeownership for low-income families, combining housing counseling with construction and direct home building. Comparable as a community-rooted homeownership nonprofit serving underrepresented populations with wraparound support.
• Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC): National CDFI and community development intermediary financing affordable housing, economic development, and resident services. Comparable as a grant-funded intermediary channeling public and private capital to local community-based homeownership and housing counseling initiatives.

Direct peers

• HomeFree-USA: National HUD-approved housing counseling agency with culturally responsive homeownership counseling, foreclosure prevention, and financial wellness programs targeting African American and minority homebuyers. The closest direct comparable in scope, regulatory status, and mission focus.
• NACA (Neighborhood Assistance Corporation of America): National HUD-certified counseling agency offering homebuyer education, foreclosure prevention, and advocacy for low- and moderate-income borrowers. Comparable in delivering HUD-approved counseling with strong focus on disadvantaged communities seeking homeownership.

Emerging players

• Prosperity Now: National nonprofit focused on financial security and asset-building for low-income households, including integrated homeownership and counseling programming. Comparable in wraparound approach to helping underserved families build and preserve housing wealth.
• GreenPath Financial Wellness: National HUD-approved housing counseling and financial wellness agency providing foreclosure prevention, homebuyer education, and debt counseling. Comparable as a multi-channel nonprofit delivering counseling services across the same client journey AAAH serves.
• National Fair Housing Alliance: National civil rights organization addressing housing discrimination and advancing equity in homeownership. Comparable as a federally connected intermediary focused on expanding fair and equitable homeownership access for underrepresented groups.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/AAAH.org

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 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 African American Alliance for Homeownership