NHT Communities (NHTC)

The NHT Renewables program launched and managed by NHT Communities supports left-of-center environmental policy goals. NHTC’s property management provides services to the low-income communities owned by NHT to “advance racial equity and reduce economic disparities.” ³

Background

NHT Communities was founded in 1999 ⁴ as a joint endeavor of National Housing Trust and Enterprise Community Partners, ⁵ a nonprofit low-income housing development and advocacy organization. ⁶ It is the real estate arm of National Housing Trust. ⁴

It was formerly known as National Housing Trust Enterprise Preservation Corporation and changed its name to NHT Communities in 2019. ⁷ It was also previously known as NHT-Enterprise. ⁸ NHT Communities leverages the staff of National Housing Trust. ⁹

Work Areas

NHT Communities focuses its low-income housing acquisition and preservation in four areas: maintaining long-term affordability for low-income communities, ensuring quality in new construction and addressing physical and capital needs in existing buildings, incorporating environmentalist technologies and solutions wherever possible, and creating community services and programs for residents. ¹⁰

NHT Renewables, a subsidiary of NHTC, was launched in 2014. ¹¹ NHT Renewables focuses on the installation and operation of solar systems for low-income housing communities. ¹² In 2019 NHTC partnered with Urban Ingenuity on a Solar for All project in Washington, D.C. The project supports left-of-center environmental policy goals that call for reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent, increasing the use of renewable energy to 50 percent of the district’s energy supply, and reducing energy use by 50 percent by 2032. ¹³

NHTC provides asset management to NHT properties through property management and community outreach to “advance racial equity and reduce economic disparities.” ³ Services include support for resident leadership in the communities, civic engagement activities, youth development, social events, and wellness programs. ¹⁴ In March 2023 NHTC partnered with AmeriCorps to develop digital literacy training for NHT communities. ¹⁵

Related Organizations

National Housing Trust is the controlling organization for NHT Communities and for lending institutions National Housing Trust Community Development Fund and Institute for Community Economics. ²

Institute for Community Economics and National Housing Trust Community Development Fund are Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) ¹⁶ which are financial institutions focused on lending to support low-income communities. ¹⁷

Financials

NHT Communities reported revenues of $20,308,108 and expenses of $20,039,842 in 2020. Revenues included $3.5 million in grants and contributions and $16 million in program services revenue, ¹⁸ which is made up of rental income, developer fees, loan revenues, management fees, and energy billing income. ¹⁹

Leadership

Priya Jayachandran became president and CEO in 2018. Previously she was a senior vice president at Volunteers of America (VOA) focused on affordable housing development. Prior to VOA she was a deputy assistant secretary at the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) focused on multifamily housing. ²⁰ Jayachandran is also president of National Housing Trust and affiliate organization National Housing Trust Community Development Fund. ^{21 22}

Kevin White joined NHT Communities as vice president in 2012. He’s worked in affordable housing development since 1995 including Volunteers of America, Habitat for Humanity, and AmeriCorps. ²³

Some of the officers of National Housing Trust  are also officers of NHT Communities. The NHT Communities board members are appointed by the NHT board. ¹ President Priya Jayachandran, vice president Kevin White, secretary Tracy Kaufman, and treasurer Angela Bruno of NHT Communities are also officers of NHT. ¹