HousingWorks Austin

What HousingWorks Austin does

HousingWorks Austin is a nonprofit research, education, and advocacy organization headquartered in Austin, Texas, focused on affordable housing policy and related cross-sector issues including public health and transportation access. The organization was founded in 2013 (with some predecessor activity dating to 2006) and operates with a small staff of 1-10 employees, functioning primarily as a convener, data producer, and policy influencer rather than a direct service provider.

The organization's core products are research and policy outputs, including district-by-district and precinct-level housing analyses, policy briefs, white papers, and educational convenings such as the annual Housing + Health Summit. These deliverables are produced using publicly available municipal data, resident surveys, and synthesized secondary sources rather than proprietary technology platforms. The organization does not appear to operate any software products, technology infrastructure, or data products sold commercially; its analytical outputs are distributed as public goods to support policy debates and coalition-building.

HousingWorks Austin's business model is that of a community-funded nonprofit: revenue is derived from foundation grants, individual donations, occasional municipal or county contracts, and in-kind support from partner organizations. There is no fee-for-service pricing model, no enterprise sales motion, and no recurring SaaS revenue. The go-to-market approach is influence-based — building credibility with Austin City Council members, county commissioners, public health partners, and resident advocacy groups in order to shape local policy outcomes on affordable housing supply, tenant protections, and preservation of existing affordable stock.

Name

HousingWorks Austin

Legal name

HousingWorks Austin

Website

https://housingworksaustin.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

HousingWorks Austin is a nonprofit research, education, and advocacy organization based in Austin, Texas, that produces housing data analyses, policy briefs, and cross-sector convenings to advance affordable housing policy for local government, residents, and community organizations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Affordable Housing Advocacy

NAICS

Other Community Housing Services (624229), Community Housing Services (62422), Administration of Housing Programs (925110)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

Housing & Neighborhood Services (Local Housing Programs) (BPAIACAJ)

Keywords

• Affordable housing advocacy
• Housing policy research
• Community housing education
• Housing data analysis
• Nonprofit housing services

Headquarters

HQ city

Austin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: As a nonprofit organization, HousingWorks Austin operates through donations and likely grant funding from community partners and supporters. The organization does not charge for its services.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

HousingWorks Austin is a nonprofit advocacy organization that conducts research, publishes policy positions, and delivers public education programs to support affordable housing in Austin, Texas. Its offerings include data-driven reports such as District-by-District Analysis and Strategic Housing Blueprint Scorecards, a public Affordability Calculator, a Housing Resources Directory, and convening events including the Annual Housing Summit and Housing + Transit Forum. The organization's outputs are directed at policymakers, residents, and community partners rather than commercial buyers.

Product overview

HousingWorks Austin operates as a single, unified nonprofit advocacy organization rather than a multi-product platform. Its core offerings consist of research publications (district-by-district analyses, blueprint scorecards), educational tools (the Affordability Calculator), and advocacy resources (policy positions, the Keep Austin Affordable campaign). The organization also facilitates community engagement through annual housing summits and maintains a housing resources directory. All offerings serve the singular mission of increasing affordable housing supply in Austin through research, education, and advocacy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Affordability Calculator Web-based self-service tool that helps Austin residents evaluate housing affordability options against their personal financial situation. Targeted at individual residents and home seekers.
• District-by-District Analysis Research publication presenting housing data and affordability conditions at the district level across Austin. Used by policymakers, community advocates, and residents to understand localized housing dynamics.
• Austin Strategic Housing Blueprint Scorecards Scorecard-style assessments that track progress against the City of Austin's Strategic Housing Blueprint. Designed for policymakers and stakeholders monitoring affordable housing strategy implementation.
• Housing Resources Directory Directory of housing resources compiled by HousingWorks Austin for residents and partner organizations seeking information on affordable housing programs and services.
• Policy Positions Published policy positions articulating HousingWorks Austin's stance on affordable housing issues. Used by policymakers, advocates, and community partners to inform debate and decisions.
• Annual Housing Summit Annual convening event bringing together residents, policymakers, and community partners to discuss affordable housing in Austin. Functions as a flagship community engagement program.
• Housing + Transit Forum Forum exploring the intersection of affordable housing and transit policy in Austin. Engages residents, planners, and advocates in cross-sector discussion.

Quantifiable outcome

• $865 million in economic impact from $55 million in affordable housing bonds over 10 years
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Children's Optimal HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 November 2016Co-host of the Housing + Health Summit in November 2016, bringing together health care, community development and financial institutions to understand challenges and opportunities around creating vibrant, healthy, mixed-income communities.
• Federal Reserve Bank of DallascoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 November 2016Co-host of the Housing + Health Summit. David J. Erickson from Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco also presented on why affordable housing with healthy initiatives is attractive to investors.
• OneKeyATX Initiative Partners (City of Austin, Travis County, Veterans Administration, Caritas of Austin, ECHO, Front Steps, Goodwill, Salvation Army)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 June 2015OneKeyATX is an initiative to find affordable homes for 234 homeless veterans by January 2016. Partnership includes City of Austin, Travis County, Veterans Administration, and multiple nonprofits working together to encourage landlords to set aside units for homeless veterans.
• Urban Land Institute AustincoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2015Collaborated on Technical Assistance Panel (TAP) in April 2015 to explore strategies for middle-income housing affordability. Produced the 'Missing Middle' report.
• Ending Community Homelessness Coalition (ECHO)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 March 2015Partnered for Amplify Austin event 'Amplify Affordability!' to kick off the giving campaign and raise awareness about housing affordability.
• Guadalupe Neighborhood Development CorporationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 March 2015Partnered for Amplify Austin event and featured in Keep Austin Affordable video series showcasing Community Land Trust program success stories.
• UT Opportunity ForumcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 April 2014Partnered to host Housing + Transit Forum in April 2014 to discuss connecting affordable housing and transportation policies. Over 150 community leaders attended.
• Urban Land Institute Austin, Real Estate Council of Austin, Austin Area Research OrganizationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013Year-long collaboration to produce 'Building and Retaining an Affordable Austin' report on affordable housing challenges and solutions.
• Civic EconomicscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013Contracted to complete comprehensive evaluation of economic impact of 2006 affordable housing bonds. Research showed $55 million in bonds resulted in $865 million economic impact.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Regional players

• Foundation Communities: Austin-based nonprofit providing affordable housing and supportive services. Listed as a HousingWorks partner/customer; comparable in geography and mission, but operates as a direct housing provider rather than a research/advocacy body.
• Caritas of Austin: Local Austin nonprofit providing permanent supportive housing and rapid rehousing. Listed as a HousingWorks partner; comparable regional focus on affordable housing, but delivers services directly rather than conducting policy advocacy.

Direct peers

• Grounded Solutions Network: National nonprofit focused on community land trusts and shared equity homeownership. Directly comparable to HousingWorks' emphasis on affordability preservation and community land trusts (a topic HousingWorks has featured in its Keep Austin Affordable campaigns).
• Texas Housers: Statewide Texas nonprofit housing research and advocacy organization. Directly comparable to HousingWorks Austin as a research-and-advocacy nonprofit focused on affordable housing policy, but operating at the state level rather than a single city.
• Center for Housing Policy: Research arm of the National Housing Conference producing research on housing affordability and policy. Directly comparable to HousingWorks' research publication approach (district analyses, policy briefs, market studies).

Broad incumbents

• National Housing Conference (NHC): Nonprofit membership organization advocating for affordable housing through policy research and education. Comparable as a research-driven affordable housing advocacy organization, but operates at the national level with broader membership.
• Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC): National community development nonprofit supporting affordable housing and economic development through local offices. Comparable as a community-development intermediary; LISC has a local Austin presence in adjacent work.
• Habitat for Humanity International: Global nonprofit focused on affordable homeownership. HousingWorks Austin explicitly partners with and refers to Austin Habitat for Humanity; comparable in mission, but Habitat builds and finances homes directly while HousingWorks focuses on policy and research.
• Enterprise Community Partners: National nonprofit that combines affordable housing development, research, and policy advocacy. Comparable mission overlap with HousingWorks, but operates at significantly larger scale with development capital and direct investment programs.
• National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC): National advocacy and research organization dedicated to affordable housing policy. Highly comparable to HousingWorks Austin as a policy/research-driven nonprofit, but operates at the federal level rather than a single city/region.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/housingworks-austin

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 HousingWorks Austin