Chicago House and Social Service Agency
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
PROVIDES HOUSING AND SUPPORT SERVICES TO INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES IMPACTED BY HIV/AIDS
- Income
- $26.4 million
- Spending
- $25.5 million
- Spent on programs
- 92%
- Reserves
- -1.4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 85%
- Employees
- 142
- Volunteers
- 71
- Highest pay
- $245,000, ceo
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: 55 out of 100. Higher than 26% of charities in its peer group (diseases, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
10 of 20It owes 46% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 4% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 17% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1592% 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 37% of charities in its peer group (diseases, $10m to $100m).
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 (7)
- $11.4 million spent. Chicago Houses 340B Pharmacy Services Program essentially forms a three-member team for participating clients: an HIV medical case manager, a pharmacist, and the participating client work together to keep the participant medication adherent and their viral load undetectable. Case management empowers individuals living with HIV to remain healthy and independent, receiving services such as medical appointment and medication adherence support, financial assistance, insurance navigation, behavioral health and substance use resources, and transportation assistance.
- $6.5 million spent. SCATTERED SITE HOUSING - THE GAINING GROUND PROGRAM LINKS HOUSING SERVICES WITH CHICAGO HOUSE'S EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM. CLIENTS IN GAINING GROUND DEVELOP THE SKILLS NECESSARY TO RETURN TO WORK AND INCREASE THEIR INCOME LEVEL, MOVING THEM TO GREATER SELF-SUFFICIENCY AND ULTIMATELY ALLOWING THE HOUSING SUBSIDIES TO PASS TO OTHERS BEGINNING THE EMPLOYMENT PROCESS. THE HOSPITAL TO HOUSING PROGRAM (HHP) AND THE SAMARITAN PROGRAM ARE SCATTERED SITE HOUSING PROGRAMS WHICH PROVIDE STABLE, SAFE HOUSING FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH A CHRONIC MEDICAL ILLNESS, SUCH AS HIV/AIDS, WHO ARE HOMELESS OR LACK PERMANENT HOUSING. UNDER THESE PROGRAMS, CASE MANAGERS FIND ATTAINABLE HOUSING FOR THE CHRONICALLY ILL AND HOMELESS BY LOCATING INTERIM HOUSING UNTIL PERMANENT HOUSING BECOMES AVAILABLE OR BY PLACING CLIENTS DIRECTLY INTO PERMANENT HOUSING. FAMILY TIES, FINALLY HOME AND HOUSING FIRST ARE THREE ADDITIONAL SCATTERED SITE HOUSING PROGRAMS THAT PROVIDE STABLE AND SAFE HOUSING FOR CHRONICALLY ILL INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE HOMELESS. THE FAMILY TIES PROGRAM HOUSES 10 FAMILIES WHILE FINALLY HOME AND HOUSING FIRST PRIMARILY HOUSE SINGLE INDIVIDUALS, EACH HOUSING ANYWHERE FROM 15 TO 20 HOUSEHOLDS. THE HOUSING ADVOCACY PROGRAM ASSISTS LOW-INCOME INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS IN OBTAINING AND MAINTAINING APPROPRIATE AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
- $2.8 million spent. RESIDENTIAL HOUSING - THE FAMILY SUPPORT PROGRAM OFFERS HOUSING, CASE MANAGEMENT, AND OTHER SUPPORTIVE SERVICES TO 15 HIV/AIDS AFFECTED FAMILIES THAT INCLUDE OVER 25 DEPENDENT CHILDREN. DESIGNED FOR FAMILIES FACING HOMELESSNESS AND POVERTY IN ADDITION TO HIV/AIDS, THE PROGRAM WORKS INTENSIVELY WITH BOTH THE PARENTS AND THE CHILDREN. THE SUPPORTIVE LIVING PROGRAM IS A 16-UNIT GROUP LIVING FACILITY IN CHICAGO'S WEST TOWN NEIGHBORHOOD, WHICH PROVIDES THE "FIRST STEP" OF HOUSING AND SUPPORTIVE SERVICES TO ADULTS LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS WHO CAME DIRECTLY FROM THE STREETS OR THE SHELTER SYSTEM; THIS FACILITY IS STAFFED 24 HOURS. THE INDEPENDENT LIVING PROGRAM IS A 24-UNIT APARTMENT BUILDING IN UPTOWN, PROVIDING PERMANENT HOUSING TO ADULTS LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS IN NEED OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING WITH SUPPORTIVE SERVICES AVAILABLE TO MEET INTERMITTENT NEEDS.
- $1.0 million spent. PREVENTION - H.O.P.E. (HEALTHY, OUTREACH, PREVENTION AND EDUCATION). HISTORICALLY, AIDS PREVENTION FOCUSED ON THOSE WHO WERE HIV NEGATIVE, HELPTING THEM TO NOT BECOME POSITIVE. SINCE 2002, CHICAGO HOUSE PIONEERED THE PREVENTION WITH POSITIVES INITIATIVE WITH ONE UNDERLYING PRINCIPLE: EVERY NEW INFECTION IS CONTRACTED FROM SOMEONE WHO IS ALREADY HIV IMPACTED. IF "SAFE" PRACTICES CAN BE ENCOURAGED AMONG THOSE WHO ARE HIV POSITIVE, IT CAN HELP STEM THE TIDE OF AIDS WHOLE KEEING THOSE ALREADY IMPACTED FROM CONTRACTING A DRUG RESISTANT STRAIN OF HIV. THE H.O.P.E. DEPARTMENT IS AN HIV PREVENTION PROGRAM INVOLVING THREE CORE SERVICES: HIV TESTING AND COUNSELING, CARE COORDINATION FOR PERSONS LIVING WITH HIV AND CARE NAVIGATION FOR INDIVIDUALS AT HIGH RISK FOR HIV. HIV TESTING AND COUNSELING IS PROVIDED FOR PERSONS LIVING WITH HIV WHO ARE HAVING DIFFICULTY MAINTAINING SAFER SEX OR NEEDLE SHARING BEHAVIORS. FACTORS THAT MAY IMPACT A CLIENT'S ABILITY TO MAINTAIN SAFER BEHAVIORS INCLUDE: MENTAL ILLNESS, HOMELESSNESS OR RISK OF HOMELESSNESS, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE. THE HIV PREVENTION COUNSELOR WORKS ONE-ON-ONE WITH CLIENTS TO ASSIST THEM WITH ACHIEVING RISK REDUCTION GOALS. HIV RAPID TESTING IS ALSO PROVIDED. THIS PROGRAM SEEKS TO HELP IDENTIFY SOME OF THE ESTIMATED 25% OF INDIVIDUALS IN THE UNITED STATES WITH HIV WHO ARE UNAWARE OF THEIR HIV STATUS. CARE COORDINATION CHICAGO HOUSE ADDRESSES THE NEEDS OF OUT-OF-CARE PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS AND OFFER RETENTION-IN-CARE ACTIVITIES. CONNECT TO CARE PROVIDES CLIENT LEVEL OUTREACH, LINKAGE, AND EDUCATION ACTIVITIES TO HELP INDIVIDUALS WITH DIAGNOSED HIV/AIDS CONNECT OR RECONNECT TO CONTINUOUS HIV MEDICAL CARE AND OTHER ESSENTIAL SERVICES. THE PROGRAM RECRUITS CASE MANAGED CLIENTS TO CONDUCT OUTREACH TO OUT-OF-CARE PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV IN THEIR SOCIAL NETWORKS AND FACILITATES EFFORTS TO(RE)CONNECT THEM TO HIV CARE SERVICES. IN ADDITION, THE PROGRAM PROVIDES NEWLY CONNECTED CLIENTS EDUCATIONAL AND PEER-BASED SERVICES AND ADDRESSES CLIENTS' INDIVIDUAL-LEVEL BARRIERS, SUCH AS FEAR, STIGMA, OR LACK OF KNOWLEDGE ABOUT TREATMENT IN ORDER TO SUPPORT CARE RETENTION.PREP NAVIGATION CHICAGO HOUSE ADDRESSES THE NEEDS OF HIGH RISK NEGATIVES BY CREATING A CLIENT CENTERED APPROACH TO CARE THAT MIRRORS OUR CARE COORDINATION MODEL. REGARDLESS IF A CLIENT IS HIV POSITIVE OR AT HIGH-RISK FOR CONTRACTING HIV THEY ARE IN NEED OF THE SAME TYPE OF SERVICES. BECAUSE PREP REQUIRES ADHERENCE, THE CARE NAVIGATION PROGRAM GIVES NAVIGATORS THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH CLIENTS OVER AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME, ALLOWING THEM TO DEVELOP A DEEPER RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CLIENT AND A MORE COMPREHENSIVE NEGATIVE CARE CARE PLAN, SIMILAR TO WHAT IS DONE WITH HIV POSITIVE CLIENTS. THE NAVIGATOR ENSURES THAT THEY SCHEDULE REGULAR FOLLOW-UP MEETINGS WITH THE CLIENT TO CONTINUE TO TEST THE CLIENT FOR HIV, TO ENSURE THE REFERRAL IS CONTINUING TO SERVE THE CLIENT, AND TO ADDRESS ANY OTHER NEEDS THAT MAY ARISE AS THE CLIENT BECOMES MORE COMFORTABLE WITH THE NAVIGATOR.
- $824,671 spent. COMMUNITY CASE MANAGEMENT PROGRAMTHE MOST COST EFFICIENT WAY TO DEAL WITH THE ISSUE OF HOMELESSNESS IS TO KEEP PEOPLE OUT OF THE SYSTEM FROM THE START. AS EARLY AS 1992, CHICAGO HOUSE BEGAN DOING COMMUNITY CASE MANAGEMENT WITH PEOPLE WHO WERE BECOMING INCREASINGLY ILL WITH AIDS, HELPING THEM TO GET THE SUPPORT (LEGAL, FOOD, UTILITY ASSISTANCE) AND BENEFITS (MEDICARE, MEDICAID, DISABILITY) THEY NEEDED TO REMAIN IN THEIR OWN HOMES AND NOT BECOME HOMELESS. WITH THE FOCUS ON TREATMENT BEING A CRITICAL PREVENTION STRATEGY TO ENDING THE HIV/AIDS EPIDEMIC, CHICAGO HOUSE NOW CO-LOCATES SEVERAL CASE MANAGERS INTO HOSPITALS/MEDICAL CLINICS TO PROVIDE A MORE INTEGRATED LEVEL OF CARE FOR CLIENTS. BY LOCATING THE CASE MANAGERS AT HOSPITAL AND CLINICS, CASE MANAGERS BECOME PART OF THE CARE TEAM RATHER THAN AN OUTSIDER TO THAT TEAM. MEDICAL INFORMATION IS MORE READILY ACCESSIBLE TO THE CASE MANAGERS WHICH CAN BE USED IN REAL TIME TO ENHANCE AND STRENGTHEN MEDICAL LINKAGE AND ADHERENCE. TODAY CHICAGO HOUSE SERVES OVER 200 INDIVIDUALS A YEAR BY PROVIDING THEM THESE NEEDED SUPPORT SERVICES IN THE COMFORT OF THEIR OWN HOME.
- $582,016 spent. THE TRANSLIFE CARE (TLC) PROGRAM ENCOMPASSES TRANSGENDER HOUSING, EMPLOYMENT SERVICES, LEGAL SERVICES, LINKAGE TO MEDICAL CARE, CASE MANAGEMENT, AND DROP-IN RESOURCE SUPPORT AND REFERRAL. THE TLC CURRENTLY OFFERS THE NATION'S MOST COMPREHENSIVE SERVICES TO TRANSGENDER INDIVIDUALS. IN ADDITION TO SERVING INDIVIDUALS, TLC PROGRAMMING INCLUDES THE PROVISION OF CULTURAL COMPETENCY TRAINING TO MEDICAL, LEGAL, AND SOCIAL SERVICE PROVIDERS IN THE CHICAGO AREA.
- $435,196 spent. EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO HELP UNEMPLOYED ADULTS WITH HIV SECURE AND RETAIN PRODUCTIVE EMPLOYMENT TO ENSURE THAT THEY DO NOT NEED TO RELY SOLELY ON SUBSIDIZED MEDICAL CARE, HOUSING, AND SUPPORTIVE SERVICES. A THREE DAY TRAINING WORKSHOP, CAREER COUNSELING, MENTORSHIP AND INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES ARE THE SERVICES PROVIDED TO HELP CLIENTS ACHIEVE GREATER SELF-SUFFICIENCY AND PRODUCTIVITY, ULTIMATELY LEADING TO SUCCESSFUL EMPLOYMENT. JOB DEVELOPMENT SERVICES WERE RECENTLY ADDED AS A CORE PROGRAM ELEMENT TO MORE READILY IDENTIFY JOB OPPORTUNITIES IN THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTORS.
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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 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 September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since January 1986.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 7, 2026.
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