Housing Connector Dallas

A nonprofit organization

$1,310 raised by 6 donors

13% complete

$10,000 Goal

Housing Connector is a tech-for-good nonprofit that increases access to housing by reducing screening criteria to allow for broader acceptance of housing unstable individuals, providing financial support like rent guarantees, and streamlining the housing search with technology.

Housing instability often looks different than what many assume. People frequently face shared barriers such as poor or nonexistent credit history, legal issues, prior evictions, and income restrictions that can prevent them from finding long-term housing. 

Housing Connector's founder, Shkëlqim Kelmendi experienced this firsthand when he and his family had to flee his home country and were granted asylum right here in Dallas, TX. After years of working in the housing industry, Shkëlqim created Housing Connector as a way to open more doors to people who need it most. Housing Connector works to make safe and stable housing within reach for individuals and families facing screening barriers.

Housing Connector is a nonprofit organization that uses technology to help individuals struggling with housing instability or homelessness in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. 83% of those housed through the Housing Connector program in DFW identify as BIPOC, 91% are female, and 58% are households with children under 8 years old. 49% have an Area Median Income level of less than 30%, and 77% utilize a housing subsidy/voucher. 37 properties are offering almost 2,300 available homes today through our Dallas program. We partner with 23 non-profits in Dallas.”

Recognized as a World Changing Idea by FastCompany, Housing Connector has partnered with over 1,500 properties to connect 5,200+ people to housing. At Housing Connector, we believe no unit should sit vacant while there are people in need of a home. Our vision is to deliver simple and scalable solutions —until every person has a home.

Giving Activity

Mission

Housing for all. Powered by tech.

Housing Connector is a tech-for-good nonprofit that increases access to housing for individuals most in need. We do this by solving financial and resident challenges for property managers so they can open doors to more people in the community, and by streamlining the housing search experience for service providers with our Zillow powered marketplace.

Vision:

To deliver simple and scalable solutions- until every person has a home.

Mission:

Inspire property managers to take bold action and house people in need of a home.

Belief Statement:

No unit should sit vacant while there are people in need of a home.

Needs

Case Management Support

Rent guarantees

Equity Statement

At our organization, we prioritize and are committed to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Representation (DEIR) among our staff members. Our approach focuses on recruiting and hiring diverse team members that represent the population we are here to serve, and creating an inclusive workspace that equitably values and promotes team members. We actively seek candidates from underrepresented backgrounds, diverse communities, and marginalized groups and utilize a screening process that eliminates groupthink by interviewers individually rating applicants on key competencies and aggregating scores. This has resulted in 65% of staff possessing lived experiences that are shared by those who are served by Housing Connector programs. Hiring is just step 1, we also create an internal culture that values transparency and meritocracy, which has resulted in 80% of company promotions going to team members of color. In Dallas, our all women team consists of 2/3 identifying as Black.

Organization Data

Summary

Organization name

Housing Connector Dallas

Causes

Housing, Shelter & Homelessness, Economic/Financial Security/Poverty, Racial Equity

Operating Budget

$500,000 - $999,999

Counties Served

Collin, Dallas, Denton, Ellis, Rockwall, Tarrant

BIPOC Serving

Black or African American, Asian/Pacific Islander, Hispanic or Latinx, Native American, Other

BIPOC Leadership

Executive Director/CEO

Address

1999 Bryan St Suite 900
Dallas, TX 75201

Phone

469.864.1540

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