Housing Tr Fund of Santa Barbara County Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE HOUSING TRUST FUND'S MISSION IS TO PROVIDE AFFORDABLE HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES TO LOW, MODERATE AND MIDDLE INCOME RESIDENTS OF SANTA BARBARA COUNTY.
- Income
- $1.0 million
- Spending
- $623,293
- Spent on programs
- 86%
- Reserves
- 118.3 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 55%
- Employees
- 3
- Volunteers
- 6
- Highest pay
- $141,990, president & 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
Good: 81 out of 100. Higher than 45% of charities in its peer group (philanthropy, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 118.3 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 20% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 41% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 38% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1585% 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 65% of charities in its peer group (philanthropy, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 255 of 7 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 (1)
- $532,665 spent. THE HOUSING TRUST FUND'S (HTF) PRIMARY ACTIVITY IS A $7.4 MILLION REVOLVING LOAN FUND FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAT PROVIDES LOW-COST LOANS TO QUALIFIED SPONSORS OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS THAT SERVE LOW-TO-MODERATE INCOME HOUSEHOLDS. HTF PROVIDES DIRECT LOANS FOR SITE ACQUISITION, PREDEVELOPMENT AND CONSTRUCTION COSTS, AND PERMANENT FINANCING FOR RENTAL AND HOMEOWNERSHIP PROJECTS THAT CREATE, MAINTAIN, PRESERVE, EXPAND OR PRESERVE THE COUNTY'S AFFORDABLE HOUSING STOCK. HTF ALSO PROVIDES FREE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO: 1) HELP GROUPS DETERMINE IF THEY HAVE A FEASIBLE PROJECT, 2)CONNECT THEM TO DEVELOPMENT EXPERTISE, AND 3) ASSIST THEM IN THE APPLICATION PROCESS FOR LOANS. HTF SUPPORTS THE INITIATION OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS BY COMMUNITY GROUPS THAT MIGHT OTHERWISE NOT PROCEED, FACILITATES PROJECTS SPONSORED BY EXPERIENCED DEVELOPERS, AND HELPS REDUCE PROJECT DEVELOPMENT COSTS. TO DATE, 100% OF LOAN FUND ACTIVITY HAS BEEN DIRECTED TO PROJECTS THAT SERVE LOWER INCOME HOUSEHOLDS IN SANTA BARBARA COUNTY EARNING BETWEEN 0-80% OF AREA MEDIAN INCOME. SINCE 2012 HTF HAS ALSO OPERATED A $5.3 MILLION WORKFORCE HOMEBUYER PROGRAM USING GOVERNMENT GRANTS AND PRIVATE INVESTMENT CAPITAL THAT HELPS FIRST-TIME HOMEBUYERS WHO HAVE BEEN SHUT OUT OF THE EXPENSIVE SANTA BARBARA COUNTY HOUSING MARKET PURCHASE AN ENTRY-LEVEL HOME IN THE COMMUNITY. HTF CURRENTLY PROVIDES DOWN PAYMENT LOANS TO LOW, MODERATE AND MIDDLE-INCOME HOUSEHOLDERS EARNING BETWEEN 30% TO 210% OF AREA MEDIAN INCOME. HTF DOWN PAYMENT LOANS ARE STRUCTURED TO MATCH THE REQUIREMENTS OF GOVERNMENT FUNDING PROGRAMS AND PRIVATE INVESTMENT SOURCES THAT PROVIDE CAPITAL FOR HTF DOWN PAYMENT LOANS. DEPENDING ON THE COST OF HOMES WITHIN THE RESPECTIVE COUNTY HOUSING SUB-MARKET AND THE RESULTANT AFFORDABILITY GAP TO LOCAL FIRST-TIME HOMEBUYERS, HTF CURRENTLY OFFERS A 30-YEAR DEFERRED SIMPLE INTEREST LOAN (AT 3% INTEREST) OR A 10-15 YEAR LOW-COST INTEREST-ONLY LOAN. IN THE PAST, HTF PROVIDED A 30-YEAR DEFERRED SHARED APPRECIATION LOAN, HOWEVER THIS LOAN IS ONLY CURRENTLY OFFERED UNDER A PROGRAM THE AGENCY MANAGES FOR THE CITY OF CARPINTERIA. THE MAXIMUM DOWN PAYMENT LOAN IS UP TO 16.5% OR 20% OF THE HOME PURCHASE PRICE, BASED ON HOMEBUYER NEED AND THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE CAPITAL FUNDING SOURCES. THE HTF DOWN PAYMENT LOAN IS TAILORED TO BRIDGE THE HOMEOWNERSHIP AFFORDABILITY GAP AND MAKE HOUSING PAYMENTS AFFORDABLE TO FIRST-TIME HOMEBUYERS. HTF DOWN PAYMENT LOANS CAN BE USED TO PURCHASE BOTH MARKET RATE AND RESALE CONTROLLED AFFORDABLE HOMES. THE HTF WORKFORCE HOMEBUYER PROGRAM WORKS TO EXPAND AFFORDABLE HOMEOWNERSHIPS OPPORTUNITIES FOR LOW TO MIDDLE INCOME RESIDENTS OF SANTA BARBARA COUNTY. IN 2024 SANTA BARBARA COUNTY WAS THE 4TH LEAST AFFORDABLE SMALL METROPOLITAN HOUSING MARKET IN THE NATION (NAHB/WELLS FARGO HOUSING OPPORTUNITY INDEX). OVER THE PAST SEVERAL DECADES, SANTA BARBARA COUNTY'S RELATIVELY LOW WAGES AND MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME, COMPARED TO OTHER CALIFORNIA HIGH COST AND COASTAL AREAS, COMBINED WITH SOME OF THE HIGHEST HOUSING COSTS IN THE NATION HAVE CREATED A LARGE AND GROWING CHARITABLE CLASS OF PEOPLE WHO SIMPLY CAN NO LONGER AFFORD TO RENT OR PURCHASE HOUSING IN THE PRIVATE MARKET AND EXPERIENCE HOUSING-RELATED POVERTY AND ECONOMIC DISTRESS RELATIVE TO THE COST OF HOUSING WITHIN THEIR RESPECTIVE COMMUNITIES. REGARDING HOMEOWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES, HOUSING MARKET INFLATION HAS ERODED THE ABILITY OF THE VAST MAJORITY OF WORKING FAMILITIES AND INDIVIDUALS TO PURCHASE A HOME AND PUT DOWN ROOTS IN THE COMMUNITY. IN RESPONSE TO THE SEVERITY OF OUR COUNTYWIDE HOUSING AFFORDABILITY GAP, HTF SEEKS TO INCREASE THE INCOME LIMIT FOR ITS WORKFORCE HOMEBUYER PROGRAM UP TO 250% OF THE COUNTY AREA MEDIAN INCOME IN ORDER TO SERVE A BROADER RANGE OF CHARITABLE CLASSES OF PERSONS WHO ARE DISADVANTAGED AND ECONOMICALLY DISTRESSED RELATIVE TO SECURING AN AFFORDABLE HOME IN THE HIGH COST SANTA BARBARA COUNTY HOUSING MARKET.
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 September 2003.
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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