Transition House
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
Transition House is dedicated to the solution of family homelessness in the Santa Barbara community. Capable and motivated families with children are offered life tools and respectful, non-sectarian residential services designed to alleviate poverty and restore self-sufficiency and dignity.
- Income
- $7.4 million
- Spending
- $4.6 million
- Spent on programs
- 86%
- Reserves
- -7.9 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 68%
- Employees
- 43
- Volunteers
- 499
- Highest pay
- $190,723, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Fair: 55 out of 100. Higher than 43% of charities in its peer group (housing, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
10 of 20It owes 35% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 38% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 9% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1586% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 4 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 70% of charities in its peer group (housing, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2512 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
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, 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)
- $3.4 million spent. Family Homeless Shelter and Housing ProgramsTransition House offers shelter, housing and antipoverty services for homeless families with children that come from the greater Santa Barbara area. Our goal is to help families gain the skills and the income they need to return to rental housing and to sustain it. Our programs include:Three-Stage Family Housing Continuum with Support Services. We offer a three-stage housing and services program designed around the needs of each family. The first stage begins with a four to five-month stay at our 70-bed emergency shelter. At the shelter, families recover from crisis, establish realistic income and savings goals with the help of a case manager, find or improve employment income, and come up with a housing plan. Some families that need additional time and wish to participate in continued services may apply for our second stage transitional housing, either at the Firehousea six-month program serving up to six families at a time; or at Balay Ko on Anapamu, which offers up 24 months of housing and services for up to 10 families at a time. Eligible families with very high barriers to stability may apply to our third stage program, HOMES, where they can live for two years or more in one of 36 Transition House-owned permanent supportive housing units.Our overall goal is to move families from homelessness and poverty into permanent housing and financial stability. Homeless families are in crisis when they arrive at our emergency shelter. They want to alleviate their familys suffering and return to housing, but the idea of amassing a savings account, having a meaningful career, or seeing their children one day attend collegethese are things of which they have never dreamed. Thanks to extensive case management education around financial literacy and career development, and special programs for children, families can achieve lasting economic stability and a healthy home environment.In 2024, Transition House served 396 people in all our programs. Of those, the shelter served a total of 256 homeless individuals (77 families); 157 of them were children. Of families that moved out of the shelter in 2024, 72% moved to permanent housing. As a result of participating in our program, 92% of adults became employed or maintained their employment and increased their income; and families saved an average of $3,604 towards housing costs. 92% of the families we served came from the greater Santa Barbara city area.
- $331,843 spent. Homeless Childrens Programs. Families in our programs take advantage of our childrens programs. Infants can receive free or subsidized daycare through the onsite licensed Infant Care Center operated by Storyteller. School children participate in evening enrichment programsincluding a literacy program and tutoring help. We offer a teen program focusing on resiliency and future career goals. Our childrens programs aim to break the cycle of generational poverty for children who are at highest risk of becoming homeless as adults.
- $187,648 spent. Homelessness Prevention Program: Anti-Poverty Classes. Parents in our programs attend onsite anti-poverty classes, which are also available to people in the community who are at risk of losing their housing. Classes cover topics such as English as a Second Language, employment soft skills, computer skills, and positive parenting. Our computer lab works to address digital inequities families in poverty often experience. The lab provides instruction in both the Microsoft Office and Google suites of programs. Staff also offer one-on-one assistance accessing healthcare, enrolling children for school, searching for employment and housing, and more.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, 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 December 2024.
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 April 1986.
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.
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.