Housing Opportunities Made Equal of Virginia Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
HOME OF VA ENSURES EQUAL ACCESS TO HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES BY BUILDING INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY, ENSURING COMPLIANCE WITH FAIR HOUSING LAWS, AND PROMOTING EFFECTIVE PUBLIC POLICY TO ADVANCE HOUSING JUSTICE.
- Income
- $6.0 million
- Spending
- $5.5 million
- Spent on programs
- 97%
- Reserves
- 3.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 62%
- Employees
- 84
- Volunteers
- 73
- Highest pay
- $172,811, executive director
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
Good: 81 out of 100. Higher than 68% of charities in its peer group (housing, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 3.7 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 16% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 8% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 11% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1597% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 2 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: 100 out of 100. Higher than 70% of charities in its peer group (housing, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2519 of 19 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 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 (2)
- $3.6 million spent. HOMEs Housing Counseling and Education program expands housing opportunities for individuals and families by dismantling barriers to housing and associated wealth inequality. We focus particularly on those from communities confronting - or contending with the legacies of - housing discrimination. Our HUD-certified counselors provide counseling and education to help people gain the knowledge and financial skills necessary to access and maintain stable housing. In Fiscal Year 2024-2025, we served over one thousand clients. Our homeownership team counseled 300 clients and closed 82 loans for first-time homebuyers. Our foreclosure prevention team received intakes of over 200 people from across Virginia, and while 62% of homeowners at risk of foreclosure lose their homes, 65% of those working with HOME of VA remained in their homes. And the mobility team served 238 clients and helped 53 families relocate to areas of greater opportunity. The Housing Counseling and Education programs direct service work also provides critical touchpoints and information to our Fair Housing Advocacy program by identifying the larger, systemic barriers faced by our clients.
- $1.8 million spent. HOMEs Fair Housing Advocacy program advocates passionately for justice in housing. We protect and advance the rights of individuals and communities facing present-day housing discrimination or the impacts of historic discrimination through administrative complaints, litigation, public education, and public policy. In FY2024-2025, HOME provided fair housing services to more than 260 individuals, conducted nearly 100 fair housing education and outreach workshops to various groups around the state, and filed 19 lawsuits/complaints on behalf of discrimination victims. Additionally, seven housing-related complaints were referred to outside attorneys for assistance. One case of note involves Peggy Bauckman and her sister-in-law, Pat Jaco. When Peggys mobility declined, she asked her Charlottesville landlord for reasonable accommodations like accessible parking. He refused - and evicted her for being a nuisance. Peggys sister-in-law, Pat Jaco, took her in. But Pats inaccessible house meant Peggy had to sleep in an armchair and use a portable toilet. Though Peggy eventually found accessible housing, the trauma lingered; Pat often found her crying alone. Ten months after the unlawful eviction, Peggy passed away. After the Virginia Fair Housing Office found that Peggys landlord had violated the law, HOME of VA filed a federal lawsuit and secured a settlement for Peggys family. Her case illustrates the devastating human cost when landlords choose discrimination over fair housing, and how HOME of VA holds landlords accountable. Informed by client experiences and stories, our public policy team developed an ambitious state legislative agenda. We and our community partners successfully advocated for the 2025 Virginia General Assembly to pass-most with bipartisan support -- six of HOME of VAs priority bills to expand access to housing, reduce discrimination in property appraisals and valuations, curb our high eviction rates, and improve housing conditions. HOME of VA, with the mobilization of over a hundred local residents, also advocated for housing equity at the local level. We promoted zoning reforms in Chesterfield County and property tax relief in Richmond City to increase housing access and stability.
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
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 June 2025.
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 1973.
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.