HousingWireHousingWire
Housing Connector, a housing nonprofit that’s powered by Zillow technology, is launching in Austin, according to an announcement on Tuesday.
The nonprofit connects property owners with local nonprofit service providers to increase housing access for individuals and families in need. The Austin launch is in partnership with the City of Austin’s Homeless Strategy Office.
“Housing Connector’s model is a valuable addition to our efforts to increase housing opportunities in Austin,” David Gray, the homeless strategy officer for the City of Austin, said in a statement. “By bridging the gap between property owners and service providers, they bring a solution-oriented approach that benefits both landlords and residents in need.”
According to the announcement, most individuals and families targeted for support through the city’s Housing Barrier Reduction Fund earn less than $21,000 a year. According to HousingWire Data, the current median asking rent for a single-family home in the Austin metro area is $2,295 per month, or $27,540 per year.
Housing Connector began partnering with Zillow in 2019. Through this partnership, the Zillow Rentals platform hosts the Housing Connector search platform. Property partners can upload available units there, and local nonprofit service providers and clients can find vacant inventory in real time.
So far, Housing Connector reports that it has already housed more than 9,000 residents in its existing markets of Washington state, Denver, Dallas, and Portland, Oregon.
“We know that solving the housing crisis requires collaboration, and our approach is designed to align incentives so that everyone wins — residents, property owners, and service providers,” Shkelqim Kelmendi, the CEO of Housing Connector, said in a statement.
In addition to helping those in need find housing, the nonprofit also provides property owners and managers with financial and tenant support. In exchange, these owners and managers modify tenant screening criteria for potential renters, which makes units that were previously unattainable affordable to more consumers.
