Housingworks Austin
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
To provide research, education and advocacy related to affordable housing
- Income
- $497,431
- Spending
- $447,504
- Spent on programs
- 87%
- Reserves
- 8.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 47%
- Employees
- 6
- Volunteers
- 8
- Highest pay
- $59,584, executive director (september to december)
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 79 out of 100. Higher than 76% of charities in its peer group (housing, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 8.7 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 18% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 10% of income.
Income trend
5 of 15Income fell 12% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1587% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 6 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 88% of charities in its peer group (housing, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 2520 of 20 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (1)
- $267,764 spent. Research: HousingWorks' research is focused on equity and geographic disparities in district analysis of housing facts, highlighting affordability issues facing the Austin area as a whole and each City Council district. In 2024, HousingWorks updated that research, which identifies Austin's demographics, poverty rate, median family income, average rent per month, median home price, number of homeless on the street, number of subsidized affordable housing units, the percentage of renters vs. owners by district, the percentage of individuals that are cost-burdened, the average annual mass transit trips taken citywide, and the percentage of subsidized units within a five-minute walk to high-frequency transit. In 2024, for the fourth time, the county analysis was completed for the five MSA surrounding counties (Travis, Williamson, Hays, Bastrop, and Caldwell County). The same data found in the district analysis can be found in the county analysis. The research can be found on our website at http://housingworksaustin.org. In 2024, research was conducted on regional approaches to preserving and building affordable housing. HousingWorks also released "Who Needs Housing That's Affordable" research for both the City of Austin and Travis County, which identifies low-income to moderate-income households and the associated occupations that align with those income levels. HousingWorks conducted research on the 2024 Strategic Housing Blueprint Scorecard for the City of Austin and the new Progress-to-Date Scorecards (2018-2023). The scorecards analyze the 2017 Strategic Housing Blueprint goals, adopted by the Austin City Council, vs. actual numbers of affordable, preservation, and homeless housing units completed each year.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since July 2007.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.