Preserving is the fastest, most impactful way to ensure affordability in our communities.

The Problem

In the Columbus MSA, more than 150,000 units of naturally occurring affordable housing (NOAH) homes, affordable to households at 80% of Area Median Income or below, remain unrestricted and vulnerable. Today, they serve working families, but once acquired by private equity developers, rents are typically raised to market levels to meet return expectations. When that happens, affordability is lost forever. Replacing it requires new construction supported by Low Income Housing Tax Credits, a process that is slow, costly, and limited in scope. Without intervention, most of these 150,000 units will disappear from the affordable housing stock, leaving working families with fewer and fewer options.

The Solution

Empowered Communities was founded to protect this critical housing stock before it’s gone. We identify vulnerable NOAH properties, partner with mission driven capital, and acquire them with a preservation first approach. Once acquired, we renovate both units and community amenities, improving quality of life while keeping rents locked at or below 80% AMI through long term affordability restrictions. By leveraging favorable debt products and filling the equity gap with aligned capital partners, we can preserve thousands of homes, stabilize communities, and reduce reliance on costly tax credit programs. The result is a scalable, efficient model that safeguards affordability for the families who need it most.