Public Housing Community Fund
Investment in programs enhancing lives of public housing residents.
| Date | Investors | Amount | Round |
|---|---|---|---|
| investor | €0.0 | round | |
N/A | Grant | ||
| Total Funding | 000k | ||
The Public Housing Community Fund, established in 2016 as a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization, operates as a public-private partnership to support the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) and its residents. The organization's mission is to secure investments for programs aimed at improving the quality of life for the more than 500,000 residents within NYCHA communities. Originally founded as The Fund for Public Housing, it rebranded in 2023 to its current name to better reflect its core mission.
The Fund's business model is based on private donations, which it uses to finance programs across four main areas: community health, financial empowerment, leadership development, and workforce training. It forges partnerships with various entities to deliver these transformative programs. The organization does not have founders in the traditional startup sense, but is governed by a Board of Directors, chaired by angel investor Joanne Wilson, and managed by Executive Director Alex Zablocki, a veteran in the nonprofit and government sectors.
Key initiatives include scholarships for residents attending CUNY, leadership and mentorship programs for youth, and financial literacy counseling. The Fund also supports resident-led projects in community climate action and the transformation of open spaces. Specific programs like the NYCHA Clean Energy Academy prepare residents for green jobs, while the NYCHA Business Pathways initiative supports resident-owned construction businesses. Recently, the fund received a significant grant to revitalize and digitize NYCHA's historical archives in partnership with LaGuardia Community College.
Keywords: public housing, community development, nonprofit, NYCHA, workforce training, financial empowerment, leadership development, community health, youth programs, resident engagement, NYC, public-private partnership, urban development, social equity, resident services, economic mobility, scholarship programs, green jobs, community investment, resident-owned businesses