Ability Housing, Inc.
Building Flourishing Communities Where Everyone Has a Home
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Ability Housing serves, invests in, and represents: adults with disabilities, chronically homeless households, and low-income working families facing housing instability and risk of homelessness. Due to fixed incomes or low-wages, low-income households face a shortage of affordable housing options. On occasions where they find affordable housing, they often face barriers to accessing it such as prior evictions, criminal and poor credit histories. Chronically homeless households face additional barriers such as chronic health conditions (primary and behavioral) that require several supports over time. Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) – affordable housing linked with support services – is highly effective in helping these households achieve housing stability; however, finding a PSH provider can be a challenge. We address these issues by: ensuring our housing is affordable; implementing the PSH model; and utilizing the Housing First model to eliminate preconditions to housing entry.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Villages
The Villages Program addresses an urgent community need: affordable and supportive housing for the most vulnerable populations including those experiencing or at-risk of homelessness, persons with a disability, homeless veterans and chronically homeless families and individuals. The quality multi-family rental properties provide affordable housing linked with individualized support services for all residents. All Village Program properties are dedicated to fostering the dignity and independence of residents; the overarching goals of the program are for residents to maintain housing and increase their quality of life.
CASA
CASA is Ability Housing's first project. It is a scattered-site single-family rental project consisting of 16 homes throughout the community. CASA provides quality, affordable housing for adults with a disability; it is called CASA because each home is Convenient, Affordable, Safe and Accessible. CASA was designed for adults with a developmental disability that wish to live independently in the community but do not want to live alone. Each house is rented to two or three roommates. Residents have their own supports and are responsible for selecting their roommates. Rents are affordable, varying based upon each tenant's ability to pay. CASA is so innovative it was designated a State Demonstration Project by the Florida Developmental Disabilities Council. According to annual surveys of our residents, 100% of respondents rate their housing as good or excellent.
HousingLink
HousingLink is a scattered-site permanent supportive housing program which enables persons with a disability who have experienced long-term or repetitive homelessness to access housing within the community. Funded by several homeless assistance grants from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, HousingLink provides residents with rental assistance so that they can afford housing provided by others in the community. Ability Housing then partners with area service providers to ensure that residents have access to the supports they need to retain their housing and increase their self-sufficiency. All supports are voluntary. With HousingLink, Ability Housing is able to expand the housing options it can offer to the community's chronically homeless neighbors and help more people exit homelessness - forever.
Where we work
Awards
Fair/Accessible Housing Award 2009
Jacksonville Human Rights Commission
Fair/Accessible Housing Award 2013
Jacksonville Human Rights Commission
Special Needs Housing Assistance 2013
Florida Housing Coalition
Housing is for Everyone 2014
TD Charitable Foundation
Regional Award for Excellence in Affordable Housing 2018
Northeast Florida Regional Council
Woman of Influence 2018
Jacksonville Business Journal
Eastern Region Advocate of the Year 2014
Corporation for Supportive Housing
Affordable Housing Multifamily 2021
Globe Street Award
Award of Merit-Village at Hyde PArk 2021
PCBC Gold Nugget Award
2020 Local Focus-Lasting Impacts 2020
Nonprofit Center of Northeast Florida
Executive of the Year 2020
Multifamily Executive
Ultimate CEO 2020
Jacksonville Business Journal
The Ripple Effect Award 2017
Northeast Florida Mental Health Award
Sapphire Award 2020
Florida Blue
2020 Eve Award- Shannon Nazworth 2020
Florida Times Union
Innovation- Quality in Supportive Housing Development Award 2021
CSH
Platinum Certification 2021
Florida Green Building Coalition
Award for Public Philanthropic Partnerships 2021
HUD Secretary
Sapphire Award Finalist 2021
Florida Blue
Housing is for Everyone 2020
TD Charitable Foundation
Housing is for Everyone 2022
TD Charitable Foundation
Charles E. Edson Excellence in Affordable Housing Development 2022
Affordable Housing Tax Credit Coalition
Silver Honors in the Humanitarian Category 2023
Multi-Housing News
Gold Certification for the Dimensions of Quality 2023
Corporation for Supportive Housing
External reviews
Photos
Videos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of homeless participants engaged in housing services
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Economically disadvantaged people, Single parents, People with disabilities
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of households that obtain/retain permanent housing for at least 6 months
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of children and youth who have received access to stable housing
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of units of case management services provided
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
Ability Housings goal is to build flourishing communities where everyone has a home.
The solution to Floridas growing housing crisis is clear: the greater community must preserve and create more affordable housing. Having an affordable, permanent place to call home giving a family a front door is key to an individuals self, sufficiency, health, and overall wellness.
With the strategic plan as the organizations guide, Ability Housing challenges the status quo to generate innovative solutions rooted in evidence-based practices.
The strategic plan addresses the following priorities:
Revenue and Resource Optimization
Workforce and Operations Investment
Manageable Housing and Services Growth
Cause Advocacy and Impact Communication
The overall goals of the strategic plan are:
Ensure sustainable resources and community engagement for mission fulfillment through December 31, 2026
Elevate workforce and operational capacity for optimal performance through December 31, 2026
The Board of Directors is deeply committed to the strategic plan priorities above. The Board developed the following objectives to achieve the goals within the strategic plan:
Increase and optimize annual revenue and resources through December 31, 2026
Invest in workforce and operational capacity through December 31, 2026
Increase safe affordable housing development and supportive services provision through December 31, 2026
Implement champions strategy to strengthen advocacy and impact communication to advance Ability Housings cause through December 31, 2026
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
Objective 1 Strategies:
Develop sound cash forecasting process for short and long-term funding needs
Diversify and expand capital funding
Increase operating revenue through expanded fundraising
Increase operating revenue through earned revenue
Raise funding for expanded supportive services
Raise funding to support property management
Objective 2 Strategies:
Hire a Human Resources Director
Analyze and establish the optimal organizational staffing and compensation structure
Improve employee recruitment, hiring, and onboarding processes
Increase staff training and development opportunities
Determine office needs and acquire adequate office space
Document a succession planning protocol for key agency positions
Conduct annual board performance evaluation
Objective 3 Strategies:
Determine housing production targets
Increase housing unit production
Execute on service delivery model inclusive of evidence-based and best practices
Determine long-term supportive services provider model
Develop property management business plan
Objective 4 Strategies:
Create agency champions initiative
Strengthen advocacy plan, materials, and media
Support advocacy activities and initiatives through champions
Engage an evaluation partner to develop impact measurement structure of programming
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
As Ability Housing serves very low income and formerly homeless individuals, understanding the challenges faced by this population is critical to our decision-making. Our board contains members with expertise in finance and affordable housing as well as lived experience with homelessness and affordable supportive housing programs. All members bring invaluable experience to the development of project concepts and programming to serve low-income and formerly homeless households.
Shannon Nazworth, President & CEO, leads our agency with over 20 years of experience in the development and operation of affordable and supportive housing. In addition to leading Ability Housing, Nazworth is Chair of the State of Florida Council on Homelessness, immediate past president of the Florida Supportive Housing Coalition, and was a gubernatorial appointee to both the Florida Affordable Housing Workgroup and Affordable Housing Study Commission. She also serves on many state and national organizations. In 2020, she earned national recognition as Multifamily Executive Magazines Executive of the Year.
Tom Daly is the Chief Operating Officer of Ability Housing. He brings more than 20 years of housing, finance, and legal sector experience to the position. Most recently, Tom served as the City of Jacksonville's Chief of the Housing and Community Development Division. His career in the affordable housing sector spans several roles in both the public and private sector. He holds a Bachelor of Science in agricultural economics from Purdue University, a Master of Public Affairs with a concentration in public finance from Indiana University and a Juris Doctor from Florida Coastal School of Law. He is a Certified Housing Development Professional through the National Development Council, and an active member of the Jacksonville Bar Association and American Bar Association.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
In 2022, Ability Housing assisted 1,829 individuals in accessing and maintaining safe, stable housing. We serve our residents through three program types: The Villages Program, CASA, and HousingLink. The Villages Program provided 1,589 individuals, 608 of which were formerly homeless, stable housing through our nine multifamily rental properties. CASA served 53 individuals through our community-inclusive housing program for adults with disabilities. HousingLink is our rental assistance linked with individualized supports program that assists persons experiencing chronic homelessness access to community housing. In 2022, we served 138 individuals through the HousingLink program. This intentional and dedicated growth aligns with our strategic plan to increase the number of people we serve year on year.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We take steps to get feedback from marginalized or under-represented people, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We look for patterns in feedback based on demographics (e.g., race, age, gender, etc.), We look for patterns in feedback based on people’s interactions with us (e.g., site, frequency of service, etc.), We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive, We share the feedback we received with the people we serve, We tell the people who gave us feedback how we acted on their feedback, We ask the people who gave us feedback how well they think we responded
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
It is difficult to get the people we serve to respond to requests for feedback, The people we serve tell us they find data collection burdensome, It is difficult to find the ongoing funding to support feedback collection
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Ability Housing, Inc.
Board of directorsas of 02/27/2024
Mr. Michael Griffin
AdventHealth
Reggie Fullwood
Operation New Hope
Gregory Matovina
Matovina & Company, President
Davis McCarty
Retired Business Executive
Jake Peek
Peek & Associates, Attorney at Law
Michael Griffin
AdventHealth, Vice President of Advocacy and Public Policy
Shelly Kobb
Retired Mortgage Vice President
Tiffany Adams
Florida Housing Coalition
Reggie Fullwood
Operation New Hope, President
Damien Haitsuka
WellsFargo, Northeast FL Region Bank President
Ellen Rogers
Bank of America SVP, Market Executive Community Development
Belvin Perry, Jr.
Morgan & Morgan Attorney at Law
Cerita Battles
JP Morgan Chase Managing Director, Head of Community & Affordable Lending
Mellissa Slover-Athey
SouthState Bank, Sr. Vice President Director of Community
Mary Kay O'Rourke
HabiJax, Retired CEO
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Transgender Identity
Sexual orientation
Disability
No data
Equity strategies
Last updated: 07/12/2021GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race.
- We ask team members to identify racial disparities in their programs and / or portfolios.
- We analyze disaggregated data and root causes of race disparities that impact the organization's programs, portfolios, and the populations served.
- We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
- We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
- We disaggregate data by demographics, including race, in every policy and program measured.
- We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
- We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
- We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.