DCARR COMMUNITY SOLUTIONS Inc.

What DCARR COMMUNITY SOLUTIONS Inc. does

DCarr Community Solutions Inc. is a privately-held, independent Canadian consultancy headquartered in Ottawa, Ontario, that specializes in feasibility and planning for affordable housing and social-purpose real estate. The firm serves three primary client segments: non-profit organizations seeking to create or renew affordable housing and social facilities, housing cooperatives requiring development and planning support, and municipalities needing strategic plans, social development plans, and affordable housing strategies. Its service catalog comprises six integrated lines: affordable housing and social-purpose real estate development, business case development, mentoring, housing and social policy, municipal social development, and housing and social issues research.

The company operates on a fee-for-service professional services model, with project-based engagements scoped to individual client requirements. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. The team consists of three principals: Dennis Carr (founder and Principal; LEED Accredited Professional; former Manager of Development and Construction at CCOC/Cahdco for 19 years and Assistant Director Social Infrastructure for the City of Vancouver from 2009 to 2014); Janet Kreda (Research Director; 25+ years across CMHC and Metro Vancouver); and Julie Glaser (Associate; 25+ years in culture, community, and municipal government). Distribution is direct, relationship-based, and concentrated in Ottawa with active projects in Saskatchewan and historical work in British Columbia; new business comes from referrals, professional networks, and industry reputation rather than active digital marketing.

Notable project work includes the 250-unit Beaver Barracks mixed-income development (LEED Silver; 2012 Brownie Award; 2013 World Habitat Awards Finalist), the Dream LeBreton Flats 601-unit mixed-use project (247 affordable units; partnership with Multi-faith Housing Initiative and Dream Asset Management Corporation, RFP response led by DCarr), an 80-unit Namerind affordable housing project in Regina, the Ottawa Community Land Trust business plan (with Dennis Carr as founding Board member), and a rent-subsidy and volunteer initiative with Daybreak Non-Profit Housing. The firm carries no proprietary technology platform, no patents, no API, and no external investment.

Name

DCARR COMMUNITY SOLUTIONS Inc.

Legal name

DCarr Community Solutions

Website

https://denniscarr.ca

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

DCarr Community Solutions Inc. is a privately-held Ottawa-based consultancy that provides feasibility, planning, business-case, policy, and research services for affordable housing and social-purpose real estate to non-profits, housing co-operatives, and municipalities across Canada.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Affordable Housing Consulting

NAICS

Services to Buildings and Dwellings (5617)

SIC

Services-To Dwellings & Other Buildings (7340)

akta.pro primary industry

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

Keywords

• Affordable housing consulting
• Social purpose real estate
• Housing policy development
• Community development planning
• Nonprofit housing advisory

Headquarters

HQ city

Ottawa

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Consulting Services: Fee-for-service consulting engagements for affordable housing development, social purpose real estate feasibility, strategic business planning, program and policy development, and mentorship services.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

DCarr Community Solutions is an independent consultancy providing strategic planning, program, policy, and project development services for affordable housing and social-purpose real estate. The firm works with non-profit organizations, housing cooperatives, and municipalities across Canada, covering feasibility analysis, business case development, funding applications, RFP responses, and mentorship for community-based housing and social facility projects.

Product overview

DCarr Community Solutions is an independent consultancy offering a unified suite of consulting services for affordable housing and social purpose real estate development. The company provides end-to-end support including project development and design, business case development, funding and financing assistance, policy development, municipal social development support, and housing research. The core offering consists of six interconnected service areas that work together to help non-profit organizations, cooperatives, and municipalities translate their visions for affordable housing and community facilities into achievable projects.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Affordable Housing and Social Purpose Real Estate Development Comprehensive consulting services covering project development and design, costs and financial viability analysis, funding and financing assistance, and legal agreements and risk assessment for affordable housing projects. Targeted at non-profit organizations, cooperatives, and municipalities.
• Business Case Development Strategic consulting to help clients define project objectives, conduct research and analysis, and develop compelling business cases and funding applications for affordable housing and social facility projects.
• Mentoring Expert advice, coaching, and mentoring for organizational leaders, non-profit or co-op board members, and staff embarking on housing or social development projects.
• Housing and Social Policy Policy development services including researching existing approaches, comparing options, recommending preferred approaches, and developing implementation strategies for affordable housing or social policy issues.
• Municipal Social Development Support for municipal strategic plans, economic development plans, affordable housing plans, and social plans through surveys, interviews, facilitation, and strategic recommendations. Targeted at municipal governments.
• Housing and Social Issues Research Research services including literature reviews, data collection through surveys and interviews, data analysis, and recommendations for translating research into actionable outcomes for affordable housing and social policy.

Quantifiable outcome

• Created approximately 550 affordable housing units through federal/provincial program delivery in Ottawa
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ottawa Community Land Trust (OCLT)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2021DCarr Community Solutions was instrumental in bringing the Ottawa Community Land Trust into being. Dennis Carr was a founding Board member. Services included completing the business plan to launch the Land Trust and seed funding applications. OCLT acquires existing rental properties and turns them into non-profit affordable housing, secures vacant land for future development, and works with local groups committed to keeping housing affordable.
• National Capital Commission (NCC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on the Dream LeBreton Flats project. The National Capital Commission owns the LeBreton Flats site and issued the RFP that led to the development proposal. DCarr assisted MHI in developing the successful response to NCC's RFP for LeBreton Flats.
• Dream Asset Management CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on Dream LeBreton Flats project. Dream Asset Management Corporation is a socially and environmentally focused real estate company. Together with Multi-faith Housing Initiative, they formed a partnership for the 601-unit mixed-use development at LeBreton Flats.
• Daybreak Non-Profit HousingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDCarr is working with Daybreak Non-Profit Housing and an advisory committee of local agencies to develop a rent subsidy initiative for families experiencing homelessness or at risk in Ottawa. DCarr developed the concept, built community partnerships, and obtained a grant from Ottawa Community Foundation for the business plan.
• Multi-faith Housing Initiative (MHI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDCarr was the development consultant for the Dream LeBreton Flats project, assisting MHI in negotiations, developing the successful RFP response, conducting project feasibility analyses, and preparing funding applications. MHI is a non-profit supportive housing provider.
• Namerind Housing CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDCarr is providing support to Namerind Housing Corporation for partnership development, feasibility analyses, and funding applications for their proposed 80-unit mixed-use affordable rental housing and retail project in downtown Regina, Saskatchewan.
• Centretown Citizens Ottawa Corporation (CCOC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHistorical partnership - Dennis Carr worked for 19 years at CCOC/Cahdco managing development and construction of rental, home ownership and mixed-use projects. Dennis helped establish Cahdco as development consultant and construction project manager to other non-profit groups.
• Alterna Community Alliance Housing FundminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDCarr conceived and facilitated the creation of this fund, which provided financing and financial intermediary services to affordable housing projects.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Artscape: Toronto-based non-profit that develops and manages social purpose real estate, including affordable space for cultural and community organizations. Comparable on social purpose real estate development and Julie Glaser's community/culture sector background.
• SHS Consulting: Canadian affordable housing consultancy offering market studies, feasibility analyses, and development advisory to non-profits, co-ops, and municipalities. Directly competes with DCarr's core feasibility and business planning services.
• Centretown Citizens Ottawa Corporation (CCOC): Large Ottawa-based non-profit housing provider and Dennis Carr's former employer. Operates affordable housing stock and provides development expertise to other non-profits, overlapping with DCarr's client base and service offering.
• Cahdco (Centretown Affordable Housing Development Corporation): Non-profit affordable housing development corporation in Ottawa where Dennis Carr worked for 19 years. Provides development consulting, project management, and construction services to non-profit housing providers, making it the most directly comparable peer on both services and customer base.

Broad incumbents

• Habitat for Humanity Canada: Large national non-profit affordable housing organization with affiliated local Habitat operations providing affordable homeownership. Operates in the same client ecosystem and serves similar end beneficiaries, though much larger in scale.
• Toronto Community Housing Corporation (TCHC): Canada's largest social housing provider, operating over 2,000 buildings in Toronto. While primarily an operator rather than consultant, TCHC's development planning and policy work overlaps with DCarr's municipal affordable housing planning services.

Others

• Reos Partners: International social-change consultancy that facilitates complex multi-stakeholder processes on social issues. Comparable to DCarr's facilitation, community engagement, and stakeholder partnership development work, particularly on housing and social infrastructure projects.
• Maytree Foundation: Toronto-based foundation focused on poverty reduction and housing policy in Canada. Comparable on the policy development and systems-change side of DCarr's practice, though not a direct competitor for project consulting.

Regional players

• BC Non-Profit Housing Association (BCNPHA): Provincial non-profit housing association supporting the development and operation of affordable housing in BC. Janet Kreda previously worked at Metro Vancouver, and the regional association model mirrors DCarr's work with housing co-ops and non-profits in Ontario.

Emerging players

• NVision Insight Group: Indigenous-led consultancy providing strategy, evaluation, and Indigenous housing policy work across Canada. Comparable to DCarr's affordable housing and policy development services, with overlap to Janet Kreda's CMHC Indigenous housing research experience.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

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 DCARR COMMUNITY SOLUTIONS Inc.