Chicago Area Fair Housing Alliance

What it reported doing in 2024

The chicago area fair housing alliance (cafha) is a membership-based nonprofit, fair housing organization serving the chicago region through policy advocacy, collaborative action, and education. As a leader in fair housing advocacy, cafha supports organizing efforts that stem from grassroots leadership and focus on promoting racial, social and economic justice in housing. Since our founding in 1985, we have been at the forefront of advancing fair housing rights through innovative research, effective policy advocacy, and strong coalition-building. Cafha ultimately envisions a chicago region with affordable, accessible, and dignified housing options. By developing a just housing system, we will address the legacy of harms caused by systemic racism in the housing market and build thriving, well-resourced communities for all people. We do this work by: advancing housing justice: cafha is a leading voice on housing policy campaigns. Campaigns we supported this year include the just cause for eviction campaign and the chicago healthy homes ordinance. In addition, we monitor the enforcement of fair housing rights at the federal, state, and local levels and advocate for a fair housing enforcement ecosystem that better serves those impacted by housing discrimination. Broad-based coalition building: cafha builds coalitions centered in the leadership of those who are directly impacted by longstanding housing discrimination. Currently, cafha convenes the housing choice voucher leader board and homeownership subcommittee to advance policy and programmatic reform to create housing opportunities and stability for voucher holders. Cafha also convenes the il housing equity collective to ensure that fair housing and civil rights are upheld across Illinois. Increasing capacity: cafha provides training and capacity building on topics related to fair housing to a variety of groups including community members, community -based organizations, housing providers, municipalities, and public housing authorities. This year we reached over 2,100 individuals through such trainings and also provided one-on-one support and referrals to 169 individuals facing housing instability. Peer-to-peer support: cafha also equips directly impacted leaders with the tools to assist their peers in navigating housing challenges. We recruited 10 community navigators, impacted by arrest or conviction records, to lead our reentry support outreach and services; and 4 housing choice voucher homeowner mentors to assist other voucher holders in navigating the homeownership process.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 100%; rating input score 100
• Program expense ratio: 92.9%; rating input score 93
• Fundraising efficiency: Limited

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: Limited
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 76th percentile among comparable filings
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 8 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 100
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
  • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: -13.4%; rating input score 14; 14th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.26; rating input score 12; 12th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.08; rating input score 45; 45th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 23.8%; rating input score 11; 11th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 20.1% per year; rating input score 100; 83rd percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 16.7% per year; rating input score 100; 81st percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 14.9% per year; rating input score 100; 72nd percentile among comparable filings