Houston Habitat for Humanity ReStore

What Houston Habitat for Humanity ReStore does

Houston Habitat for Humanity, Inc. is a Houston-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1987 by Carl Umland, operating as an independent affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International. The organization delivers affordable housing through five core service lines: (1) a Homeownership Program that partners families earning 50-80% of area median income into homes via a sweat-equity model (up to 250 hours of self-labor) with affordable mortgages capped at 30% of household income; (2) Critical Home Repair and Disaster Home Repair Programs for low-income homeowners (72 homes repaired in 2024 following Hurricane Derecho and Beryl, serving 153 individuals); (3) Veterans Build, Aging in Place, and Workforce Housing solutions for specialized segments; (4) Neighborhood Revitalization, including the Settegast Community Garden launched in 2019; and (5) ReStore, a network of two retail donation centers (South Loop and West 34th, plus an online store launched in 2021) selling donated furniture, appliances, and building materials at 50-70% below retail, plus the Cars for Homes vehicle donation program.

The organization's underlying technology is construction-oriented rather than software-oriented: every home is ENERGY STAR certified (23+ years of certification, multi-year EPA Partner of the Year awards 1996-1998, 2007-2011, 2013-2020, 2022), built to Bronze Fortified roof standards for hurricane resilience in Houston's climate, with radiant barrier decking, high R-factor insulation, and double-pane windows. The platform is anchored by master-planned communities, with Robins Landing (468 single-family homes on 127 acres, grand opening 2024) as the flagship, alongside Avenue Park, Third Ward, and pipeline projects Cullen Acres (2027), Anderson Homes (2028), and Rosalynn Heights. To date the organization has served over 7,000 individuals through homeownership and home repair since 1987.

Revenue is generated across five streams: ReStore retail sales (transaction-based, discounted donated goods), financial donations from individuals and corporations, the Cars for Homes vehicle donation program, affordable home sales (mortgage payments no more than 30% of household income), and Home Repair Services funded by donations and grants. The organization also tithes approximately $1M annually to support international Habitat affiliates in Haiti, Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, and Guatemala. Houston Habitat is governed by a Board of Directors chaired by Heather Crowder (Vice President and General Tax Officer at Phillips 66) and led by CEO Allison Hay.

Name

Houston Habitat for Humanity ReStore

Legal name

Houston Habitat for Humanity, Inc.

Website

https://houstonhabitat.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Houston Habitat for Humanity is a Houston-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1987 that builds affordable ENERGY STAR-certified homes, delivers critical and disaster home repairs, and operates two ReStore retail donation centers serving low-to-moderate income families across Greater Houston.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Affordable Housing

NAICS

Home Furnishings Retailers (44912)

SIC

Retail-Home Furniture, Furnishings & Equipment Stores (5700)

akta.pro primary industry

Refurbished/Upcycled Home Furnishings Retail (CRAIANAN)

akta.pro secondary industry

Reclaimed Materials & Fixtures Retail (Cabinetry, Sinks, Faucets) (CRAIANAI)

Keywords

• Affordable housing
• Home repair services
• Donated home goods
• Veterans housing
• Disaster recovery

Headquarters

HQ city

Houston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. ReStore Retail Sales: Houston Habitat ReStore operates two retail locations selling donated home improvement items, furniture, and appliances at discounted prices. Proceeds support the organization's affordable homeownership mission. An online store was launched in 2021.
2. Financial Donations: Individual and corporate donations support home construction, repairs, and operations. Major donor program includes corporate sponsors for events and building projects.
3. Cars for Homes Program: Vehicle donation program accepting cars, trucks, motorcycles, RVs, boats, and farm equipment. Donated vehicles are either sold at wholesale auctions or recycled for parts, with proceeds funding affordable housing initiatives.
4. Affordable Home Sales: Partner families purchase homes with affordable mortgages designed to ensure monthly payments do not exceed 30% of household income. Families invest up to 250 hours of sweat equity.
5. Home Repair Services: Critical Home Repair Program, Disaster Home Repair Program, and Aging in Place program provide repairs for qualified homeowners, funded through donations and grants.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Houston Habitat for Humanity ReStore operates two discount home-goods retail stores in Houston that resell donated furniture, appliances, building materials, and home accessories to the public at low prices. Proceeds and donations support an affordable homeownership program using 0% interest, sweat-equity mortgages, plus home repair services for veterans, low-income homeowners, and disaster-affected families.

Product overview

Houston Habitat for Humanity ReStore operates a network of retail donation centers selling discounted home improvement items, furniture, and building materials. The broader Houston Habitat for Humanity organization offers a comprehensive suite of affordable housing programs including homeownership development with multiple floor plans and community developments (Robins Landing, Avenue Park, Third Ward, Cullen Acres, Anderson Homes, Rosalynn Heights), home repair services (Critical Home Repair, Disaster Home Repair), neighborhood revitalization initiatives, and specialized programs for veterans, youth, and workforce housing. The ecosystem includes ReStore retail locations, credit counseling, community gardens, and the Cars for Homes vehicle donation program.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ReStore: Houston Habitat ReStore is a home improvement and donation center that sells discounted building materials, furniture, and appliances to support the affordable housing mission. There are two locations: ReStore South Loop and ReStore West 34th.

Products and services

• ReStore Retail Stores Two physical donation-resale stores located at 1500 N. Post Oak Rd. and 1455 W. Loop North Fwy. in Houston, TX, selling donated furniture, appliances, building materials, and home accessories to the public at discounted prices. ReStore retail revenue underwrites the organization's affordable housing programs.
• Homeownership Program A sweat-equity-based affordable homeownership program offering 0% interest, repayable-resale mortgages to qualifying low-to-moderate income families in the Greater Houston area; applicants complete volunteer hours in exchange for a Habitat-built home.
• Veterans Build Program Housing and home repair program specifically serving military veterans and their families, built with skilled volunteer labor and partner funding; offers affordable homeownership and repair pathways to veterans in the Greater Houston area.
• Critical Home Repair (CHRP) Subsidized critical home repair services for low-income homeowners in the Greater Houston area, addressing health and safety repairs such as plumbing, electrical, and structural issues.
• Aging in Place Home accessibility and modification program for elderly and disabled homeowners in the Greater Houston area, enabling them to safely remain in their homes through ramps, grab bars, and other aging-in-place modifications.
• Home Preservation Program Home preservation and weatherization services for qualifying homeowners in the Greater Houston area, supporting long-term housing durability and energy efficiency.
• HVAC Repair Subsidized HVAC repair services for qualifying low-income homeowners in the Greater Houston area, addressing heating and cooling system failures that affect health and safety.
• Disaster Repair Recovery Program Post-disaster home repair and rehabilitation services for homeowners in the Greater Houston area affected by floods, hurricanes, or other disasters, delivered with volunteers and partner funding.
• Board Connector Program A volunteer-governance engagement program that identifies and connects prospective community leaders to serve on the Houston Habitat for Humanity board to support fundraising, advocacy, and oversight.
• Donation Pick-Up Service Free pickup service for donated furniture, appliances, building materials, and home accessories from donors across the Greater Houston area, with items required to be in working/reusable condition and donor safety gear required at drop-off.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 7,000 individuals served through new homeownership and home repair since 1987
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 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

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered key strategic partner, development partner, financial education partner, credit building partner, program partner and campus partner.

• Pete & Thomas Foundation (Megan Thee Stallion's Foundation)key strategic partnerStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 May 2026Partnership to repair 20 homes in Houston through Habitat's Aging in Place program. The Pete & Thomas Foundation, honoring Megan's late parents, supports older adults to remain in their homes safely. Kicked off on Megan Thee Stallion Day in Houston in the South Park neighborhood.
• Davidson Homesdevelopment partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerDevelopment partner for Robins Landing Section 2, working with Houston Habitat to build homes in the master-planned community.
• Covenant Community Capitalfinancial education partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization providing financial education, coaching, savings matches, and no-interest loans. Offers Individual Development Accounts (IDA) with prize drawings for savings benchmarks.
• Avenuecredit building partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization offering secured credit cards for BIPOC households to build or re-establish credit. Program matches saved funds up to $250 for qualified applicants.
• Texas State Affordable Housing Corporationprogram partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdministers the Homes for Texas Heroes program providing down payment assistance (3-5% of loan amount as a gift with no repayment required) for teachers, police officers, corrections officers, firefighters, EMS personnel, and veterans.
• Rice Universitycampus partnerChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCampus Chapter partner with student-led organization supporting service, fundraising, education, and advocacy for affordable housing.
• University of Houstoncampus partnerChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCampus Chapter partner with student-led organization supporting service, fundraising, education, and advocacy for affordable housing.
• Prairie View A&M Universitycampus partnerChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCampus Chapter partner with student-led organization supporting service, fundraising, education, and advocacy for affordable housing.
• Taylor High Schoolcampus partnerChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCampus Chapter partner with student-led organization supporting service, fundraising, education, and advocacy for affordable housing.
• The Village Schoolcampus partnerChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCampus Chapter partner with student-led organization supporting service, fundraising, education, and advocacy for affordable housing.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Enterprise Community Partners: National nonprofit developer and financier of affordable housing. Directly comparable to Houston Habitat on the affordable-housing construction side, with overlapping tools such as down-payment assistance, community development lending, and policy advocacy.
• Mercy Housing: Nonprofit affordable housing developer and operator producing rental and for-sale homes for low-income families and seniors. Mirrors Houston Habitat's mission of combining construction with resident services and financial capability support.
• Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC): National community development nonprofit that finances affordable housing, neighborhood revitalization, and capacity building for local partners. LISC's local offices often operate in the same cities as Habitat affiliates and compete for corporate and philanthropic funding.
• Habitat for Humanity ReStore (network): The broader network of more than 900 Habitat ReStores across the U.S. and Canada. Each ReStore uses the same donation-based retail playbook as Houston Habitat's two stores and serves as a direct operational comparable for unit-economics benchmarking.

Broad incumbents

• Habitat for Humanity International: The global parent brand and federation to which Houston Habitat is an independent affiliate. It operates in 70+ countries and provides brand, training, and global fundraising infrastructure that local affiliates, including Houston, rely on.
• Goodwill Industries International: Operates a nationwide nonprofit donation-based retail network whose thrift/resale model closely mirrors the Houston Habitat ReStore concept of selling donated goods to fund mission programs. Comparable on retail mechanics, although the mission is workforce development rather than housing.
• The Salvation Army: Runs family stores that resell donated goods to fund social services, paralleling the ReStore revenue model. Operates a much broader portfolio of programs but competes for the same donor and volunteer base in many U.S. metros.

Regional players

• Avenue CDC: Houston-based community development corporation focused on affordable housing, financial capability, and community building in targeted neighborhoods. Operates in the same metro as Houston Habitat and competes for similar local donors, partners, and partner families.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@houstonhabitatforhumanity
• Facebookfacebook.com/houstonhabitat
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/houstonhabitat
• Instagraminstagram.com/habitathouston

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Houston Habitat for Humanity ReStore