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Massachusetts Housing and Shelter Alliance Inc

EIN 22-3068653 · Boston, MA

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair53 out of 100GovernanceStrong90 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE MASSACHUSETTS HOUSING & SHELTER ALLIANCE (MHSA) IS A NONPROFIT, PUBLIC POLICY ADVOCACY ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO ENDING HOMELESSNESS IN MASSACHUSETTS.

Income
$23.9 million
Spending
$24.0 million
Spent on programs
96%
Reserves
1.2 months of spending
Largest source of income
government grants, 95%
Employees
25
Volunteers
18
Highest pay
$210,953, chief executive officer

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Fair: 53 out of 100. Higher than 33% of charities in its peer group (human services, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 1.2 months of spending.

  • Debt

    5 of 20

    It owes 70% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    8 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 0% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 7% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    96% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 1 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 90 out of 100. Higher than 16% of charities in its peer group (human services, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    17 of 18 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    0 of 10

    Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, 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 (3)
  1. $18.2 million spent. PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING & DIVERSION - DURING FISCAL YEAR 2025, THE PROGRAM HELPED FUND, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH COMMUNITY-BASED SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS AND LANDLORDS, 1,396 UNITS OF PERMANENT SUPPORTING HOUSING AND LEASES FOR FORMERLY HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS ACROSS THE STATE (1,315 UNITS IN FISCAL 2024). THESE SERVICES ARE DELIVERED IN EVERY REGION OF THE STATE AND ARE THE PROGRAMMATIC BASIS FOR THE ORGANIZATION'S COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS AND INCREASINGLY RECOGNIZED OUTCOME-FOCUSED DATA STUDIES. THE PROGRAM PROVIDES CLIENTS WITH PERMANENT HOUSING, MEALS, TRANSPORTATION, CASE MANAGEMENT, INCOME-RELATED REFERRALS AND PUBLIC BENEFITS ACCESS, HOUSING SEARCH, AND OTHER SERVICES FOCUSED PRIMARILY ON HELPING INDIVIDUALS TO ACCESS AND SUSTAIN PERMANENT HOUSING, THE PROGRAM INCLUDES SUBSTANTIALLY ALL CONTRACTS NOT MENTIONED IN ANY OF THE OTHER MAJOR SERVICE CATEGORIES.
  2. $4.8 million spent. MASSACHUSETTS ALLIANCE FOR SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, LLC (MASH) - A SINGLE MEMBER LLC, MASH WAS ORGANIZED ON JUNE 19, 2014 FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROVIDING CHARITABLE AND EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES CONSISTING OF COORDINATING, FACILITATING, PROVIDING, AND/OR PROMOTING SOCIAL SERVICES AND HOUSING FOR HIGH-USE HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS, INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING PROGRAM:PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING - MASH ENTERED INTO A $15 MILLION CONTRACT WITH THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS TO AWARD SUBRECIPIENT GRANTS TO EXPAND THE DEVELOPMENT OF PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING (PSH) UNITS AND ADDRESS THE PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY OF HOMELESSNESS, EXACERBATED BY COVID-19, DUE TO THE DENSELY POPULATED CONGREGATE SHELTERS AND GROWING ENCAMPMENTS OF UNSHELTERED INDIVIDUALS. THE MAJORITY OF SUBRECIPIENTS WILL RECEIVE GRANTS TO CREATE 243 NEW PSH UNITS IN THE COMMONWEALTH, WHILE OTHERS ARE RECEIVING FUNDS UTILIZED TO PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES TO EMERGING AND EXISTING DEVELOPERS TO INCREASE THE NUMBER AND DIVERSITY OF SUPPORTIVE HOUSING DEVELOPERS IN THE COMMONWEALTH.
  3. $35,304 spent. ADVOCACY, PLANNING, AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE - PROVIDES A FORUM IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS FOR THE PLANNING AND COORDINATION OF POLICY, COMMUNITY, AND STAKEHOLDER EDUCATION AND COMMUNICATION OF ISSUES, AND THE PILOTING AND IMPLEMENTATION OF HOUSING AND SERVICES FOR HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS. PROGRAMS AND ADVOCACY ARE DESIGNED TO END THE COMMONWEALTH'S RELIANCE ON EMERGENCY SERVICES FOR HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS. THE ORGANIZATION CONDUCTS SITE VISITS AND PROGRAM REVIEWS TO SHARE BEST PRACTICES, PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, AND STRIVE TO CREATE A NETWORK OF RESOURCES AND COLLABORATIVE SERVICE PROVIDERS. THE ORGANIZATION CONDUCTS ADVOCACY AND PLANNING TO ENSURE THAT THE STATE REDUCES ITS RELIANCE ON EMERGENCY SERVICES AND FOCUSES ITS EFFORTS ON PERMANENT HOUSING AS A SOLUTION TO HOMELESSNESS.MHSA'S ADVOCACY, PLANNING, AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE WORK IS A CORE PRIORITY OF THE ORGANIZATION. THESE ACTIVITIES ARE THE PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY FOR SIX FULL-TIME STAFF AND SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS TO THIS WORK ARE MADE BY SEVERAL ADDITIONAL STAFF. GIVEN THE CLOSE CONNECTION OF THIS WORK TO PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, FUNCTIONAL EXPENSES ARE GENERALLY REPORTED UNDER THE LATTER.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. 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 September 7, 2026.

  2. 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 September 30, 2026.

  3. 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 September 10, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since December 1990.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  6. 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 7, 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.