ABOUT US
Your New Home (YNH) Accelerator is a community development model that provides training, mentoring, networking, and financing options for aspiring local real estate investors. The goals of the accelerator are to:
create opportunities for local residents to invest and develop in their neighborhoods
build wealth locally
support scattered-site rehabilitation (as opposed to urban renewal)
encourage a healthy mix of affordable and market-rate housing
improve neighborhood safety and raises property values through blight reduction
help first-time investors become more attractive to lenders
increase diversity, changing the face of real estate development


The brainchild of Elyse Irvis and James Hobbs, YNH Accelerator was launched based on their interests in real estate, entrepreneurship, and community development. In 2021, while working on a residential renovation project, Elyse and James realized their was an immense need to address Harrisburg real estate development at a community level. Shortly after completing the project, YNH was launched as a collaborative between their respective organizations, La Cultura & Your New Home.
YNH Accelerator is an affiliate program of Jumpstart Germantown. Founded in 2015, Jumpstart grew from a couple of students sitting in an office to multiple training sessions a year with 60+ participants at a time. In the last five years, their model has yielded real success in making the Germantown section of Philadelphia a better place to live, work and enjoy. Since then, Jumpstart has expanded to other neighborhoods, cities, and towns such as Norristown, Kensington, North Philly, Southwest, Tioga, West Philly, Wilmington, DE and now Harrisburg!
Like Jumpstart, YNH Accelerator will reduce blight and increase investment in our communities. By offering opportunities for local entrepreneurs, we can keep wealth local. With YNH Accelerator everyone wins - aspiring developers, long-time residents, and other community partners all benefit from additional investment in their neighborhoods.










OUR MISSION
We're on a mission to change the dynamics of real estate and housing in Harrisburg. Our goal is to empower those who desire a vested interest in Harrisburg an opportunity to embark on their own real estate development journey while addressing issues that have severally impacted the landscape of Harrisburg neighborhoods.
OUR VISION
The vision is for YNH Accelerator to exist as a true community development program that is "for the people, by the people"; utilizing a method that is unique & innovative to provide opportunities for all within the city to gain ownership, equity, & influence in their community.
MEET OUR TEAM
A COLLECTIVE THAT MAKES DREAMS COME TRUE
Our strength lies in our individuality. As a team we strive to provide resources to individuals that have a desire to both develop their entrepreneurial lanes while also improving their own community!


ELYSE IRVIS
Co-Founder • Operations Lead


JAMES HOBBS
Co-Founder • Head Trainer
CONTACT US
If you're interested in hearing more about the way we work, have a business proposal, or are interested in supporting our mission, we'd love to hear from you.