Imagine Housing
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
TO DEVELOP AFFORDABLE HOUSING, BUILD WELCOMING COMMUNITIES AND FOSTER VIBRANT FUTURES.
- Income
- $12.0 million
- Spending
- $10.6 million
- Spent on programs
- 83%
- Reserves
- -22.3 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 53%
- Employees
- 43
- Volunteers
- 0
- Highest pay
- $208,344, president
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: 50 out of 100.
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
5 of 20It owes 65% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 12% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 33% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1583% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 10 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: 90 out of 100.
Independent board
25 of 2510 of 10 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, 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 (1)
- $8.7 million spent. OUR WORK STARTED OVER 35 YEARS AGO IN RESPONSE TO THE GROWING ECONOMIC INEQUITIES FACED BY LOW-INCOME HOUSEHOLDS IN EAST KING COUNTY, OUR FOUNDERS REALIZED THAT PERMANENT AFFORDABLE HOUSING WAS THE MOST COST-EFFECTIVE, LONG-TERM SOLUTION TO DISPLACEMENT, HOMELESSNESS, AND POVERTY IN THE REGION. SINCE THEN, OUR WORK HAS EXPANDED FROM A VOLUNTEER RUN ORGANIZATION WITH 18 AFFORDABLE APARTMENTS TO A HIGHLY RESPECTED ORGANIZATION PROVIDING 639 PERMANENT LOW-INCOME APARTMENT HOMES. IN 2009, WE IMPLEMENTED ON-SITE SUPPORTIVE RESIDENT SERVICES TO MEET THE GROWING NEED FOR ADDITIONAL RESOURCES TO ENSURE HOUSEHOLD STABILITY AND SELF-SUFFICIENCY.IMAGINE HOUSING SERVES LOW-INCOME FAMILIES AND SENIORS WITH AFFORDABLE, SERVICE-ENRICHED HOUSING IN THE EASTSIDE COMMUNITIES OF BELLEVUE, REDMOND, ISSAQUAH, KIRKLAND, MERCER ISLAND, SAMMAMISH, AND SOON IN BOTHELL. ONE-QUARTER OF THE HOMES SERVE FAMILIES AND SENIORS COMINGDIRECTLY FROM HOMELESSNESS. WE PRACTICE HOUSING FIRST AND WORK TO REMOVE ALL BARRIERS TO HOUSING AND HOUSING STABILITY. IMAGINE HOUSING SERVES OVER 1,400 LOW AND VERY LOW-INCOME INDIVIDUALS, INCLUDING 383 CHILDREN, 416 SENIORS AND 49 VETERANS. 225 APARTMENTS ACROSS OUR PORTFOLIO ARE RESERVED FOR FAMILIES AND SENIORS COMING FROM HOMELESSNESS WITH COORDINATED ENTRY FOR ALL (CEA) REFERRALS OR SECTION 8 VOUCHERS, INCLUDING HOUSING CHOICE, PROJECTBASED AND VASH. THE AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD INCOME OF IMAGINE HOUSING RESIDENTS IS $27,980 PER YEAR. 62% OF HOUSEHOLDS IDENTIFY AS PEOPLE OF COLOR AND 29% REPORT THAT A MEMBER OF THE HOUSEHOLD IS LIVING WITH A DISABILITY.
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 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 December 2024.
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 May 1994.
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.
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.