Emergency shelters

Emergency shelters provide safe places for people to stay at night and help connect people to services and the Coordinated Entry System (CES). When the programs are housing-focused and low-barrier, they are an important part of the system to engage people and help them exit homelessness to permanent housing. Warming Centers provide a place for people experiencing homelessness to sleep during winter. Cooling Centers do the same, but during the hot months. Both intentionally remove barriers to entry by providing kennels for people with pets, requiring no service participation, and offering space for people to store their personal belongings. While people stay at the Centers, they have access to supportive services, including public health nurses, mental health crisis workers, protective, and substance use treatment services.