What to do if you become homeless

If you've just lost your housing — or you can see you're about to — the most important thing to know is that there is a system that exists to help you, but it is fragmented and you have to know how to enter it. Here is how.

The first 24 hours

Call 211 from any phone. In the US and most of Canada, 211 is a free, 24/7 line that knows the shelter beds, food, and emergency services available in your specific area code right now. If 211 isn't available in your city, search "[your city] coordinated entry" or "[your city] homeless services" — every region has a single intake point even if the name varies.

If you cannot call (no phone, no minutes, no signal), the next-best options are:

• A public library during open hours. Many librarians know the local services well and some libraries have dedicated social workers.
• A hospital emergency room if you are sick or injured. The ER cannot turn you away and can connect you to a social worker before discharge.
• A police non-emergency line is a last resort — they will usually transport you somewhere but may not know what's open.

If it is cold, hot, or wet, get indoors first and figure out the rest from there. Bus stations, libraries, malls, fast-food restaurants, and laundromats are all reasonable daytime options. Most cities also operate warming centers (winter) and cooling centers (summer) — 211 will tell you where the nearest one is and when it opens.

What to bring with you

If you have any time to prepare, gather:

• A photo ID — driver's license, state ID, passport, or birth certificate. Many shelters technically don't require ID but services downstream of shelters almost all do. Losing your ID makes everything harder.
• A small bag of clothing, ideally including socks, underwear, and one warm layer.
• A phone and charger — even an old phone with no service is useful for Wi-Fi at libraries and shelters.
• Any prescription medications you take, with their bottles. Replacing prescriptions without insurance and an address is one of the harder things to do.
• A list of important phone numbers on paper (not just in your phone). Family, employer, doctor, bank.
• Cash if you have it, in small bills.

If you have a car, your situation changes. Many cities have "safe parking" programs where you can sleep in your car overnight at designated lots with bathrooms and security. Search "[your city] safe parking program" — these are run by churches, nonprofits, or the city itself.

The first week

Once you are somewhere safe to sleep at night, the work shifts to stabilizing services and starting the path back to housing. The most important things to set up:

A mailing address

Without an address, you cannot apply for benefits, jobs, or housing. Options:

• General delivery at the post office — free in most US/Canadian cities; mail held for you to pick up at the main branch.
• Day-shelter or homeless-services agency mailing address — many drop-in centers (Bread for the City in DC, Listening House in St. Paul, Glide in SF, Project HOME in Philadelphia, etc.) will let you use their address.
• Family or friends if you have anyone willing.

A way to charge a phone and access the internet

Phones run out of battery faster on the street than at home. Libraries have charging, computers, and Wi-Fi. Drop-in centers typically do too.

Identification, if you don't have it

If your ID was lost, stolen, or expired, the local Social Security office (US) or Service Canada office can help you replace a Social Security card / SIN. The DMV / provincial driver-license office can replace state ID or driver's license. There are often fees, but most cities have nonprofits that pay them for unhoused residents — ask at any day shelter.

Benefits you qualify for

If you're in the US, you almost certainly qualify for:

• SNAP (food stamps) — apply online at your state's portal, or in person at any benefits office.
• Emergency Medicaid if you're uninsured.
• TANF if you have children.
• General Assistance / state cash assistance in some states.

If you're a veteran, the VA homeless hotline (1-877-424-3838) can also start your VA benefits package quickly.

In Canada:

• Provincial social assistance (Ontario Works, BC Employment & Assistance, etc.) — apply through your provincial government.
• Disability benefits if applicable.
• Federal benefits including OAS, GIS, EI, depending on your situation.

A case manager or coordinated-entry assessment

The single most important meeting in your first week is the coordinated-entry assessment. This is how cities prioritize who gets rapid rehousing, supportive housing, or vouchers. Without an assessment, you don't get into the pipeline.

Coordinated entry is administered by the local Continuum of Care (CoC). A 211 operator can tell you where to go to be assessed. The assessment usually takes about an hour — they ask about your history, health, and current situation to score your priority.

Do not skip this. Some people avoid the assessment because they don't trust the system or because the questions feel invasive. Skipping it means you never get assigned to a program. The information stays in the local system and is protected.

The path back to housing

For most people, the way out is one of these:

• Rapid rehousing — a short-term rental subsidy (3-12 months) plus help finding an apartment. Best for people who lost housing recently and can return to self-sufficiency quickly.
• A housing voucher (Section 8 in the US, portable housing benefit in Canada) — long-term rental subsidy. Wait lists are often years long but priority goes to people who are homeless and have applied through coordinated entry.
• Supportive housing — a permanent apartment with case-management services attached. Best for people with chronic mental illness, substance use, or other conditions that make independent housing hard to maintain.
• Family or friend reunification — if there is someone safe and willing to take you in, this is usually faster than the public system. Case managers can sometimes help with bus tickets to get to family in another city.

The wait between getting assessed and being placed varies wildly — from a few weeks to over a year depending on your city. During the wait, keep checking in with your case manager, keep your phone charged, and respond fast when they call. Programs sometimes drop people who don't pick up.

What to know about shelters

• Shelters are not the goal — housing is. Treat shelter beds as a temporary stop while you work on housing.
• Bring as little as you can. Many shelters have limited storage and theft happens.
• Save documents in two places. If you lose your only copy of your birth certificate at a shelter, recovering takes weeks. Mail copies to a friend, or carry digital photos in your phone.
• Couples and pets. Most shelters separate by gender and don't allow pets — but a growing number now accept both. Tell the intake worker your needs; they may be able to refer you to a couples-friendly or pet-friendly site.
• Curfews and rules. Many shelters have strict in-and-out times. If you have a job with weird hours, mention it during intake — some shelters have late-shift accommodations.

If you have kids with you

The situation is more urgent and there are usually more resources. Specifically:

• Federal McKinney-Vento law (US) guarantees kids in homeless families the right to continue at their original school, with the school district providing transportation. Tell the school you have lost housing — they have a homeless liaison whose job is to help you.
• Family-specific shelters (Win NYC, Hamilton Families SF, UMOM Phoenix, Inn from the Cold Calgary, etc.) usually have private family rooms and on-site childcare.
• TANF (US) or provincial child benefits (Canada) are designed for situations like this.
• CPS / child welfare: in most jurisdictions, being homeless is not in itself a reason for child removal. Don't avoid services because you fear losing your kids — service providers know this and are trained to keep families together.

A note on what comes after

Most people who experience homelessness experience it once, briefly, and then return to housing. About 4 in 5 cases are short — a few weeks to a few months — followed by recovery. The popular image of the chronically homeless person on the street represents a small minority.

If you are facing homelessness now, you are at one of the worst points of your life. It is also overwhelmingly the case that you will get through it. Use the services. Take the assessment. Don't try to do this alone.

For specific phone numbers in your area, see our Get Help page. To find shelters near you right now, use the Map.