Housing Opportunities for Women Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- It reported loans to or from officers, directors or other insiders.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN, INC.'S ("HOW") MISSION IS TO EMPOWER WOMEN, CHILDREN AND FAMILIES TO PERMANENTLY BREAK THE CYCLE OF POVERTY AND HOMELESSNESS. FOR THE1,000 INDIVIDUALS HOW SERVES EVERY YEAR WE PROVIDE PERMANENTSUPPORTIVE HOUSING, HELP INDIVIDUALS INCREASE THEIR INCOME AND ACCESSTO BENEFITS AND IMPROVE OUR CLIENTS TO OVERCOME THE MULTIPLE BARRIERSTHAT OFTEN PREVENT HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS FROM ACHIEVING THEIR HIGHESTAND BEST POTENTIAL.
- Income
- $11.8 million
- Spending
- $12.5 million
- Spent on programs
- 85%
- Reserves
- -2.5 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 86%
- Employees
- 91
- Volunteers
- 0
- Highest pay
- $198,029, ceo
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Weak: 39 out of 100. Higher than 23% of charities in its peer group (housing, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
5 of 20It owes 66% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 6% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 8% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1585% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 4 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 90 out of 100. Higher than 23% of charities in its peer group (housing, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2511 of 12 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
0 of 10Reports at least one of: diversion of assets, excess benefits, loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 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 (1)
- $10.6 million spent. HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN, INC. ("HOW") HAS BEEN PROVIDING PERMANENT SOLUTIONS TO THE ISSUES OF HOMELESSNESS AND POVERTY SINCE 1983 THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT OF AFFORDABLE AND SUPPORTIVE HOUSING FOR THE GROWING NUMBER OF VULNERABLE HOUSEHOLDS WHO EXPERIENCE HOUSING INSTABILITY. HOW ALSO PROVIDES AN ARRAY OF PROGRAMS THAT ADDRESS THE BARRIERS TO MAINTAINING STABLE HOUSING AND ECONOMIC INDEPENDENCE INCLUDING EMPLOYMENT SUPPORT, CASE MANAGEMENT, SUBSTANCE ABUSE RECOVERY SUPPORT, HEALTH COUNSELING AND GUIDANCE, YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AND EDUCATION AND HOUSING LOSS PREVENTION. IN 2025, HOW PROVIDED SERVICES TO 715 HOUSEHOLDS, REPRESENTING 1,482 INDIVIDUALS AND CHILDREN. AT THE CORE OF HOW'S SUCCESS IS ITS ABILITY TO PROVIDE 395 UNITS OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING TO INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED OR ARE AT RISK OF, HOMELESSNESS. IN ADDITION TO PARTNERING WITH ALMOST 120 PRIVATE LANDLORDS TO PROVIDE SUBSIDIZED HOUSING, HOW OWNS AND OPERATES TWO SUPPORTIVE HOUSING APARTMENT BUILDINGS, GREENVIEW AND CORNELL, AND CONTROLS THREE NOT-FOR-PROFIT CORPORATIONS WHICH PROVIDE HOUSING.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 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 November 6, 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 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 March 1984.
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 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.