Lakeland Housing Authority

What Lakeland Housing Authority does

Lakeland Housing Authority (LHA) is a Public Housing Authority (PHA) operating under Florida state law as a municipal corporation and governed by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Its mission is to provide quality, affordable housing and self-sufficiency opportunities for eligible households across Lakeland and Polk County, Florida. LHA's core programs consist of Public Housing (directly managed rental units at 12+ properties including John Wright Homes, Cecil Gober Villas, Micro Cottages at Williamstown, and senior properties such as Twin Lakes Estates and Renaissance at Washington Ridge) and the Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) program, which administered over $16.5 million in rental assistance to 1,746 families in 2025 through a network of 1,200+ landlord partners at a 98% on-time HAP payment rate.

The organization is technology-enabled through conventional, third-party platforms: Yardi RentCafe for property management, a resident portal (myportal.lakelandhousing.org), an agency applicant portal, HUD Enterprise Income Verification (EIV) for income checks, and Housing Quality Standards (HQS) inspection protocols. There is no indication of proprietary AI/ML, model, or data products; the platform footprint is operational rather than productized.

LHA's economic model is government-grant- and fee-driven: HUD provides federal rental assistance and operating subsidies, with additional funding from the U.S. Department of Labor ($1.3M YouthBuild grant), RAD conversions, and tax-credit equity underwriting a $211 million active and planned development pipeline (Twin Lakes Estates Phase III, 10th Street, Combee Road) that will add 292+ new units. Wraparound programs — YouthBuild Lakeland (52 graduates in 2025), Family Self-Sufficiency, West Lake Realty homeownership (5 first-time buyers in 2025), Job Search/ACCESS Florida Center, and Office and Maintenance Skills Training — generate no direct commercial revenue but support mission outcomes. The agency earned a 12th consecutive HUD High Performer designation and a perfect 100% SEMAP score in FY 2025, with 99% average occupancy and zero audit findings. LHA is led by President and CEO Benjamin Stevenson and governed by a Board of Commissioners chaired by David Samples.

Name

Lakeland Housing Authority

Legal name

LAKELAND HOUSING AUTHORITY

Website

https://lakelandhousing.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Lakeland Housing Authority is a federally-funded Public Housing Authority administering affordable Public Housing and Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers for low-income families, seniors, veterans, and individuals with disabilities across Lakeland and Polk County, Florida.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Housing Administration

NAICS

Administration of Housing Programs (925110), Administration of Housing Programs, Urban Planning, and Community Development (925), Residential Property Managers (531311)

SIC

Real Estate Agents & Managers (For Others) (6531), Services-To Dwellings & Other Buildings (7340)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Affordable & Subsidized Housing Property Management (LIHTC, Section 8) (BPAJAFAD), Housing Voucher & Rental Assistance Programs (Tenant-Based/Project-Based) (FSALAKAI), Housing & Neighborhood Services (Local Housing Programs) (BPAIACAJ), Affordable Housing Property Management (BPAJAGAJ)

Keywords

• Public housing administration
• Section 8 vouchers
• Affordable rental housing
• Housing choice voucher
• Family self-sufficiency programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Lakeland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices13 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. HUD Federal Rental Assistance: Federal rental assistance payments administered on behalf of HUD to provide Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher rental assistance to eligible families. In 2025, LHA administered over $16.5 million in rental assistance to 1,746 families.
2. Public Housing Operations: Revenue from public housing operations including rental income from public housing units, maintaining 99% average occupancy rate across housing portfolio.
3. Development Grants and RAD Conversions: Federal grants and RAD (Rental Assistance Demonstration) program conversions for affordable housing development. $211 million in active and planned development projects.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Lakeland Housing Authority administers federal affordable housing programs including Public Housing and Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) rental assistance for eligible low-income families, seniors, veterans, and individuals with disabilities in Lakeland and Polk County, Florida. The organization supplements its housing programs with resident support services such as Family Self-Sufficiency, YouthBuild Lakeland job training, and homeownership pathways through West Lake Realty. Technology platforms include a RentCafe-powered resident portal and an agency portal for online applications.

Product overview

Lakeland Housing Authority (LHA) operates as a housing authority providing affordable housing and self-sufficiency programs in Lakeland and Polk County, Florida. The organization administers two core programs: Public Housing (direct rental housing for low-income families, seniors, and persons with disabilities) and Housing Choice Voucher/Section 8 (rental assistance for participants to rent in the private market). Supporting these core programs are multiple service offerings including Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) for economic independence, YouthBuild Lakeland for youth development, Job Search/ACCESS Florida Center for employment support, Office Skills Training, and Maintenance Skills Training programs. LHA also operates the HCV Homeownership Program through West Lake Realty to help families transition to homeownership. Technology platforms include a Resident Portal (powered by RentCafe) for maintenance requests and rent payments, and an Agency Portal for applicant registration and program applications. The organization maintains development projects including Twin Lakes Estates, 10th Street Development, and Combee Road Development totaling approximately $211 million in active and planned projects.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• YouthBuild Lakeland: A program founded in 2007 to help young adults aged 16-24 who have dropped out of high school, providing GED preparation, construction training through Habitat for Humanity partnerships, and career development opportunities.

Products and services

• Public Housing
• Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8)
• Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS)
• YouthBuild Lakeland
• Job Search / ACCESS Florida Center
• Office Skills Training Program
• Maintenance Skills Training Program
• 21st Century Community Learning Centers
• HCV Homeownership Program (West Lake Realty)
• Landlord Services Portal (Section 8 Landlord Partnership)
• Resident Portal (RentCafe)
• Agency Portal

Quantifiable outcome

• 99% average occupancy rate across housing portfolio
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• CareerSource PolkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorkforce development partner providing support for YouthBuild Lakeland program, helping young adults 16-24 gain employment skills and career opportunities.
• Habitat for HumanitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConstruction training partner for YouthBuild Lakeland program. Participants work on Habitat build sites gaining hands-on construction experience while building affordable housing for low-income families.
• YouthBuild USAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational organization supporting YouthBuild programs. YouthBuild Lakeland was founded in 2007 and operates under YouthBuild USA guidelines.
• Section 8 Landlord Partners (1,200+)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorProperty owners participating in the Housing Choice Voucher program. LHA provides guaranteed monthly HAP payments, free inspections, and landlord support. Over 1,200 active landlord partners serving 2,500+ families on waiting list.
• Community Social Service PartnersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNumerous community partners providing social services including job training, life skills, career training, credit improvement, budgeting, and homeownership support to LHA residents.

Scale indicators18 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Jacksonville Housing Authority: Large Florida PHA administering Public Housing, Section 8, and Family Self-Sufficiency programs with similar HUD oversight. Comparable in program mix and economic mobility wraparound services.
• Tampa Housing Authority: Public Housing Authority serving Tampa/Hillsborough County, Florida. Operates Public Housing, Section 8 HCV, mixed-income, and resident self-sufficiency programs with similar regulatory framework under HUD. Most comparable Florida peer given geographic proximity and program overlap.
• Broward County Housing Authority: Florida PHA administering Section 8 HCV, Public Housing, and affordable housing development across Broward County. Comparable in scale, regulatory environment, and integrated services model.
• Miami-Dade Public Housing and Community Development: Large Florida PHA administering Public Housing, Section 8, and homeownership programs. Comparable regulatory environment, though at significantly larger scale than LHA.
• Orlando Housing Authority: Public Housing Authority in Central Florida administering Section 8 HCV, Public Housing, and homeownership programs. Directly comparable in operating model, regulatory environment, and customer segments (low-income families, seniors, disabled).

Regional players

• Hillsborough County Housing Authority: Neighboring county housing authority serving eastern Hillsborough County. Operates similar HUD-funded programs (Public Housing, Section 8) in the Tampa Bay region, directly comparable operating model but different geographic territory.
• Winter Haven Housing Authority: Smaller neighboring PHA in Polk County, Florida (same service region as LHA). Comparable operating model but smaller scale and primarily serves the Winter Haven submarket rather than the broader Lakeland/Polk County area.

Broad incumbents

• Charlotte Housing Authority: Mid-sized PHA administering Section 8, Public Housing, and homeownership pathways. Comparable program mix and regulatory environment though serving a larger metro market than Lakeland/Polk County.
• Atlanta Housing Authority: Major metropolitan PHA with substantially larger scale and broader program portfolio including mixed-income redevelopment. Comparable operating model (HUD oversight, HCV, Public Housing, FSS) but operates in a much larger, urban market.

Others

• National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO): National membership association for PHAs and housing professionals. Not a direct competitor, but provides industry standards, training, and advocacy that shape the operating environment for LHA and peer PHAs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/youthbuildlakeland
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lakeland-housing-authority

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 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 Lakeland Housing Authority