Gateway Housing First 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
THE MISSION OF GATEWAY HOUSING FIRST, INC. IS TO PROVIDE SAFE, HIGH-QUALITY, AFFORDABLE, SUPPORTIVE HOUSING TO INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES CHALLENGED BY A WIDE RANGE OF DISABILITIES, COMPLEX DISORDERS AND LIFE SITUATIONS WHO ARE OFTEN IMPACTED BY CHRONIC HOMELESSNESS, GENERATIONAL POVERTY, TRAUMA AND SYSTEMIC RACISM.
- Income
- $2.6 million
- Spending
- $2.4 million
- Spent on programs
- 93%
- Reserves
- -2.9 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 47%
- Employees
- 21
- Volunteers
- 20
- Highest pay
- $83,667, 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
Fair: 50 out of 100. Higher than 19% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
5 of 20It owes 67% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 7% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 3% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1593% 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
Good: 82 out of 100. Higher than 34% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 258 of 8 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no 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 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 (2)
- $1.7 million spent. GATEWAY HOUSING FIRST'S (GHF) HOUSING AND HOUSING PROGRAMS RESPOND TO THE WELL-DOCUMENTED, PRESSING UNMET NEED FOR PERMANENT, AFFORDABLE SUPPORTED HOUSING FOR INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES AFFECTED BY A WIDE RANGE OF COMPLEX DISORDERS AND LIFE SITUATIONS WHO NEED SUPPORTS AND ACCOMMODATIONS TO SECURE AND MAINTAIN HOUSING. GUIDED BY THE VALUES AND OUTCOMES ACHIEVED BY HOUSING FIRST AND HARM REDUCTION PROGRAMS, GHF'S IMMEDIATE FOCUS IS ON INCREASING HOUSING SOLUTIONS FOR THE "MOST VULNERABLE" IN OUR REGION, ELIMINATING "HOUSING READINESS" BARRIERS TO ENSURE EQUAL ACCESS TO AVAILABLE HOUSING SOLUTIONS, FOSTERING LEVERAGING PARTNERSHIPS WITH EXISTING SOCIAL SERVICES AGENCIES TO PROVIDE TENANTS WITH THE SERVICES NEEDED TO ENSURE HOUSING SUCCESS. WE EXECUTE OUR MISSION ACROSS TWO TANDEM TRACKS: (1) THROUGH THE ACQUISITION AND NEW CONSTRUCTION DEVELOPMENT OF PERMANENT SUPPORTED HOUSING OWNED AND OPERATED BY GHF AND (2) BY INCREASING THE AVAILABILITY OF AND ACCESS TO TENANT-BASED RENTAL ASSISTANCE AND THEN PAIRING THAT ASSISTANCE FOR THOSE MOST IN NEED THROUGH OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT. GATEWAY HOUSING FIRST OPERATES 10 AFFORDABLE SUPPORTED HOUSING COMMUNITIES IN ST. LOUIS CITY AND COUNTY TOTALING 201 UNITS, 7 OF WHICH ARE OWNED BY GHF AFFILIATED SINGLE ASSET CORPORATIONS OR PARTNERSHIPS, 2 ARE OWNED FEE SIMPLE BY GHF AND 1 IS MASTERED LEASED FROM A THIRD-PARTY. OUR ARRAY OF SUPPORTED HOUSING OPTIONS INCLUDE: SRO UNITS AS WELL AS EFFICIENCY, 1-BEDROOM AND 2-BEDROOM APARTMENTS, AND 3-BEDROOM TOWNHOMES. GHF ALSO OPERATES SEVERAL PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING SCATTERED-SITE LEASING PROGRAMS, INCLUDING COC SHELTER PLUS CARE, PROVIDING ON-GOING TENANT-BASED RENTAL ASSISTANCE AND HOUSING STABILITY CASE MANAGEMENT SUPPORTS TO APPROXIMATELY 90 HOUSEHOLDS AT ANY GIVEN TIME. IN THE SPRING OF 2021, TO FURTHER CONTRIBUTE TO OUR COMMUNITY-WIDE EFFORTS TO RESPOND TO THE IMPACTS OF THE PANDEMIC THAT DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED EXTREMELY LOW-INCOME HOUSEHOLDS IMPACTED BY DISABILITIES AND CHRONIC HOMELESSNESS, WE EXPANDED OUR PROGRAMMING TO INCLUDE A HUD ESG-CV FUNDED RAPID REHOUSING PROGRAM THAT BRIDGES CHRONICALLY HOMELESS, DISABLED HOUSEHOLDS FROM HOMELESSNESS TO HOUSING BY PROVIDING 1 YEAR RENTAL ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE THROUGH COVID RELIEF FUNDS AND THEN WORKING TO TRANSITIONING THEM TO THE LESS PREVALENT YET NEEDED ON-GOING RENTAL ASSISTANCE AND SUPPORT SERVICES PRIOR TO THE EXPIRATION OF THEIR COVID ASSISTANCE. THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, 100% OF THOSE HOUSED IN GHF HOUSING OR THROUGH ONE OF OUR SCATTERED SITE LEASING PROGRAMS IN THE SUBJECT YEAR WERE UNHOUSED OR AT IMMINENT RISK OF HOMELESSNESS PRIOR TO ENGAGEMENT IN OUR HOUSING PROGRAMS.100% OF THOSE SERVED BY GHF HAVE A HISTORY OF HOMELESSNESS AND WERE EXTREMELY LOW-INCOME AND EITHER UNHOUSED OR AT IMMINENT RISK OF HOMELESSNESS AT INITIAL ENGAGEMENT. OVER 96% OF THOSE SERVED REMAIN HOUSED TODAY.
- $559,937 spent. GHF'S MANAGEMENT FEE INCOME IS EARNED INCOME AND STAFFING REIMBURSEMENTS ASSOCIATED WITH GHF'S SUPPORTED HOUSING PROPERTY MANAGEMENT PROGRAM THAT BEGAN ON OCTOBER 1, 2021. THIS PROGRAM INVOLVES GHF'S DIRECT PROPERTY MANAGEMENT OF TEN PERMANENT SUPPORTED HOUSING COMMUNITIES TOTALING 201 UNITS, ALL LEASED TO LOW AND EXTREMELY LOW-INCOME, FORMERLY HOMELESS AND AT-RISK HOUSEHOLDS WHOSE HEAD OF HOUSEHOLD IS DISABLED. GHF'S PROPERTY MANAGEMENT PROGRAM INVOLVES PROVISION OF ALL LEASING, MAINTENANCE AND FISCAL MANAGEMENT OF THE PROPERTIES, AS WELL AS FUND REPORTING AND COMPLIANCE.
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 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 October 13, 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 June 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 January 2015.
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 October 21, 2026.
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