Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Community Alliance of Tenants

EIN 31-1571929 · Portland, OR

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak38 out of 100GovernanceGood85 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

Points to look into

  • It owes more than it owns.

These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.

What it says it does

TO EDUCATE AND EMPOWER TENANTS TO DEMAND SAFE, STABLE AND AFFORDABLE RENTAL HOMES. WE BELIEVE THAT HOUSING IS THE BASIS OF A STRONG COMMUNITY. SO WE BRING TENANTS TOGETHER TO ORGANIZE AND COLLECTIVELY ADVOCATE FOR FAIR AND EQUAL PROTECTIONS IN HOUSING PRACTICES AND POLICIES.

Income
$2.7 million
Spending
$2.8 million
Spent on programs
85%
Reserves
-1.2 months of spending
Largest source of income
government grants, 84%
Employees
21
Volunteers
56
Highest pay
$161,280, 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

Weak: 38 out of 100. Higher than 15% of charities in its peer group (housing, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    0 of 35

    Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.

  • Debt

    0 of 20

    It owes 272% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    8 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 2% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 98% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    85% 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

Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 42% of charities in its peer group (housing, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    5 of 5 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

    10 of 10

    Gave 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

    0 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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. $1.8 million spent. TENANT EDUCATION PROGRAM - THE TENANT EDUCATION DEPARTMENT SERVED OVER 2,000 HOUSEHOLDS IN OREGON THROUGH OUR RENTERS' RIGHTS HOTLINE. STAYING TRUE TO OUR MISSION AND VALUES OF SERVING THE MOST VULNERABLE MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITIES, ABOUT 50% OF THE RENTERS WE SERVED WERE EXTREMELY LOW INCOME (0-30% MFI) AND ABOUT 40% OF THEM IDENTIFIED AS HAVING A DISABILITY. WE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO HELP AS MANY RENTERS AS WE DID WITHOUT THE MANY VOLUNTEERS WHO HELPED US RETURN CALLS ON OUR HOTLINE, HELPED PRESENT HELPFUL INFORMATION AT COMMUNITY EVENTS SUCH AS FAIRS AND WORKSHOPS. IN THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT, OUR AMAZING VOLUNTEERS AND MEMBERS CONTRIBUTED OVER HUNDREDS OF HOURS TO CAT AND OUR COMMUNITY. [CONTINUED IN SCHEDULE O]WE ATTENDED AND HOSTED 50 COMMUNITY EVENTS PROVIDING TENANTS WITH RENTERS EDUCATION AND ADVOCACY INFORMATION THROUGHOUT THE PORTLAND METROPOLITAN AREA AT PUBLIC SCHOOLS, PARTNERING AGENCIES, PUBLIC LIBRARIES AND AT TENANTS' BUILDINGS. CAT MAINTAINED THE PROGRAM CALLED THE TENANT PROTECTIONS TEAM, WHICH IS A CULTURALLY SPECIFIC PROGRAM IN PARTNERSHIP WITH APANO, SEI, AND IRCO. THROUGH THE NEW PROGRAM, OUR 3 STAFF MEMBERS ARE ABLE TO WORK WITHIN THE COMMUNITIES THAT FACE MORE CHALLENGES IN NAVIGATING AND ACCESSING SOCIAL SERVICES AND ADVOCATING FOR THEIR RIGHTS. TENANTS RECEIVE ONE-ON-ONE SUPPORT AND WITH PEOPLE THAT "LOOK LIKE THEM AND MAY EVEN SPEAK THEIR LANGUAGE". ALL EMPLOYEES FROM EVERY DEPARTMENT PARTICIPATED IN THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH, DEMOGRAPHIC DATA GATHERING, APPROVAL PROCESS, AND DOCUMENTATION AND DISTRIBUTION OF THESE FUNDS BY THE END OF JUNE 2025.
  2. $577,059 spent. ORGANIZING AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT (O&LD) PROGRAM - THE O&LD PROGRAM ORGANIZED MULTIPLE BUILDINGS: 1) IN NEED OF SIGNIFICANT REPAIRS, 2) FACING BUILDING WIDE EVICTIONS, OR 3) FACING SIGNIFICANT RENT INCREASES. WE WORK WITH TENANTS, COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS, AND APPOINTED AND ELECTED GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS. WE CONDUCT RENTERS RIGHTS, TENANT POWER, AND COMMUNITY BUILDING WORKSHOPS. WE ALSO CONDUCT DIRECT ACTION AND ADVOCACY EVENTS THAT CALL ATTENTION TO THE NEEDS OF VULNERABLE TENANTS STATEWIDE. WE ALSO CONDUCT THE TENANT LEADERSHIP COUNCIL, WHICH IS A GROUP OF TENANT LEADERS WHO ACTIVELY ENGAGE IN ADVOCACY AND ORGANIZING THROUGH THE O&LD PROGRAM.
  3. $18,543 spent. HOUSING JUSTICE PROGRAM (HJP) - CONVENED STABLE HOMES FOR OREGON FAMILIES COALITION, TO RUN A TENANT PROTECTIONS CAMPAIGN TO PASS SB611 RENT STABILIZATION AND RENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS AND RESOURCES. AT THE STATE LEGISLATURE. 40% OF OREGON'S POPULATION ARE RENTERS, AND ARE SUBJECT TO NO-CAUSE EVICTIONS OR SUDDEN RENT INCREASES WITH NO LIMITS. WE ENGAGED THOUSANDS OF TENANTS STATEWIDE, WITH ADVOCACY OPPORTUNITIES TO HELP CHANGE THESE STATEWIDE LAWS TO BETTER SUPPORT TENANTS. WE ALSO CONDUCTED, PRESS EVENTS, DIRECT ACTION, AND ADVOCACY OPPORTUNITIES TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF TENANT MEMBERS PARTICIPATING WITH CAT THROUGH RENTER WEEK OF ACTION, THROUGH OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE FAIRSHOT, STABLE HOMES, RIGHT TO THE CITY ALLIANCE AND HOMES FOR ALL CAMPAIGN AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL.

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 October 13, 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 November 6, 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 2026.

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

    Recognized by the IRS since January 1998.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 November 4, 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.