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Mercy House Living Centers

EIN 33-0315864 · Santa Ana, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak43 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

MERCY HOUSE'S MOST SIGNIFICANT EXEMPT ACTIVITIES FOCUS ON ENDING HOMELESSNESS AND PROVIDING COMPREHENSIVE HOUSING AND SUPPORT SERVICES. THE ORGANIZATION OFFERS HOMELESS PREVENTION, RAPID REHOUSING, PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, AND LOW-INCOME RESIDENTIAL PROGRAMS TO HELP INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES ACHIEVE AND MAINTAIN STABLE HOUSING. THROUGH CAL AIM COMMUNITY SUPPORTS, MERCY HOUSE PROVIDES SERVICES SUCH AS HOUSING NAVIGATION, TENANCY SUPPORT, DEPOSITS, AND ENHANCED CARE MANAGEMENT FOR MEDI-CAL MEMBERS. ADDITIONALLY, THE ORGANIZATION OPERATES EMERGENCY SHELTERS ACROSS MULTIPLE COUNTIES, OFFERING TEMPORARY HOUSING, BASIC NEEDS, AND ACCESS TO MEDICAL AND SUPPORTIVE SERVICES FOR INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.

Income
$68.2 million
Spending
$69.5 million
Spent on programs
92%
Reserves
-0.4 months of spending
Largest source of income
government grants, 92%
Employees
924
Volunteers
289
Highest pay
$186,401, ceo & president

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: 43 out of 100. Higher than 28% of charities in its peer group (housing, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    0 of 35

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

  • Debt

    5 of 20

    It owes 73% 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 4% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    92% 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: 100 out of 100. Higher than 44% of charities in its peer group (housing, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    22 of 23 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

    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. $17.0 million spent. HOUSING: MERCY HOUSE ADVANCED ITS MISSION TO END HOMELESSNESS BY SERVING THOUSANDS OF INDIVIDUALS ACROSS FOUR TARGETED HOUSING PROGRAMS THR.OUGH HOMELESS PREVENTION SERVICES, MERCY HOUSE STABILIZED INDIVIDUALS AT RISK OF LOSING THEIR HOUSING KEEPING FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS HOUSED BEFORE A CRISIS COULD OCCUR. ITS RAPID REHOUSING PROGRAM SUCCESSFULLY TRANSITIONED HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS INTO STABLE HOUSING, PROVIDING THE BRIDGE SUPPORT NEEDED TO REGAIN INDEPENDENCE. MERCY HOUSE'S PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING PROGRAM DELIVERED LONG-TERM, INTEGRATED HOUSING AND SERVICES TO CHRONICALLY HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS LIVING WITH DISABILITIES AMONG THE MOST VULNERABLE AND HARDEST TO SERVE IN THE COMMUNITY. ADDITIONAL LOW-INCOME INDIVIDUALS RECEIVED RESIDENTIAL SUPPORT SERVICES, ENSURING CONTINUED HOUSING STABILITY FOR THOSE WITH THE FEWEST OPTIONS.
  2. $39.7 million spent. EMERGENCY SHELTERS: MERCY HOUSE EXTENDED A CRITICAL SAFETY NET TO THOUSANDS OF INDIVIDUALS ACROSS SIX COUNTIES IN CALIFORNIA AND ARIZONA, OPERATING EMERGENCY SHELTER FACILITIES THROUGHOUT ORANGE, RIVERSIDE, LOS ANGELES, KERN AND VENTURA COUNTIES IN CALIFORNIA AND MARICOPA COUNTY, ARIZONA. SHELTER PARTICIPANTS RECEIVED COMPREHENSIVE WRAPAROUND SERVICES INCLUDING TEMPORARY HOUSING, MEALS, LAUNDRY AND HYGIENE FACILITIES, HOUSING NAVIGATION, AND ACCESS TO MEDICAL AND SUPPORTIVE CARE ADDRESSING NOT JUST THE IMMEDIATE NEED FOR A SAFE PLACE TO SLEEP, BUT THE FULL RANGE OF BARRIERS THAT KEEP INDIVIDUALS TRAPPED IN HOMELESSNESS, WITH MANY PARTICIPANTS SUCCESSFULLY TRANSITIONING INTO PERMANENT HOUSING PROGRAMS.
  3. $6.9 million spent. CAL AIM COMMUNITY SUPPORTS: THROUGH CALIFORNIA'S CAL AIM INITIATIVE, MERCY HOUSE BRIDGED THE GAP BETWEEN HEALTHCARE AND HOUSING FOR HUNDREDS OF MEDI-CAL MEMBERS, DELIVERING A CONTINUUM OF SERVICES DESIGNED TO MOVE CHRONICALLY ILL AND VULNERABLE INDIVIDUALS OUT OF HOMELESSNESS AND INTO STABLE, SUSTAINED HOUSING REDUCING COSTLY EMERGENCY ROOM VISITS AND HOSPITALIZATIONS FOR SOME OF THE REGION'S MOST MEDICALLY COMPLEX RESIDENTS. MERCY HOUSE GUIDED MEMBERS THROUGH THE COMPLEX PROCESS OF SECURING HOUSING VIA HOUSING TRANSITION NAVIGATION SERVICES, HELPING INDIVIDUALS OVERCOME THE SYSTEMIC BARRIERS THAT MAKE FINDING HOUSING PARTICULARLY DIFFICULT FOR THOSE WITH MEDICAL VULNERABILITIES. TO REMOVE ONE OF THE MOST COMMON FINANCIAL OBSTACLES TO HOUSING ENTRY, MERCY HOUSE PROVIDED HOUSING DEPOSITS, ENABLING INDIVIDUALS WHO WOULD OTHERWISE BE UNABLE TO AFFORD MOVE-IN COSTS TO ACCESS STABLE HOUSING. ONCE HOUSED, MEMBERS RECEIVED HOUSING TENANCY AND SUSTAINING SERVICES TO MAINTAIN THEIR STABILITY AND PREVENT A RETURN TO HOMELESSNESS. FOR THE HIGHEST-NEED INDIVIDUALS, ENHANCED CARE MANAGEMENT (ECM) SERVICES PROVIDED INTENSIVE, COORDINATED SUPPORT THAT INTEGRATES MEDICAL, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, AND SOCIAL NEEDS INTO A SINGLE CARE PLAN.

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 October 13, 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 April 1989.

    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 October 21, 2026.

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