Your Comprehensive Guide to NYC’s Supportive & Shelter Housing, Subsidy Vouchers & Rental Arrears Assistance
NOAHousing, provides free resources to our clients and information on how to get assistance at The Department of Homeless Services (DHS) homeless emergency shelter. Everyone deserves and has a right to get free shelter if you are a homeless family, a single pregnant woman, or a single adult; you can apply to enter the shelter system at an intake center. Temporary transitional housing is available to all New Yorkers verifiably experiencing homelessness, including families with children. All families with children entering the DSS-DHS shelter system must apply for shelter at DSS-DHS’ Prevention Assistance and Temporary Housing (PATH) intake center. Shelter entry and application process for families with children please go directly to the Families with Children: Applying for Temporary Housing Assistance website for more information on how to get shelter assistance go to our Shelter Resources page. ***Click on the yellow links for government resources**
Free NYC Shelter Resources for Homeless Families and Individuals
Shelter Resources: NYC DSS-DHS is helping the New Yorkers who we serve maintain and secure their housing, as well as helping New Yorkers experiencing homelessness identify permanent housing opportunities and move out of shelter into that stable housing.
Homebase Locations: Dedicated staff are on hand to connect households exiting NYC-DHS with aftercare services as they transition to permanent housing and independent living. Homebase locations throughout the five boroughs.
HPD Families with Children: Families with younger than 21 years of age, pregnant women and families with a pregnant woman
HPD Adult Families: Department of Homeless Services (DHS) considers an adult family to be any family without minor children
HPD Adult Families: Adult Families Applying for Temporary Housing Assistance
Health Insurance Options:
HRA’s Medical Assistance Program can help New Yorkers who qualify enroll in public health insurance programs like Medicaid. HRA accepts applications from residents who are age 65 or over, persons of any age who are living with a disability or blindness, persons who are in receipt of Medicare and are not a parent or caretaker relative of minor children, and former foster young adults under age 26. Call the HRA Medicaid Helpline at 1-888-6292-6116 for more information or visit a Medicaid Office to apply. You can apply online with ACCESS HRA.
Rental Assistance: The Department of Social Services (DSS), which includes both the Department of Homeless Services (DHS) and the Human Resources Administration (HRA), can help you connect to rental assistance programs like CityFHEPS, and many other programs available through the State and Federal Government.
Homebase Services
Risk of Eviction or Entering Shelter: To apply for Rental Assistance, you must visit one of DSS’ Homebase or Housing Assistance Program (HAP) partner locations. Your Homebase location center is based on your home address, click here the Homebase offices across the five boroughs of New York City.
Dedicated Homebase staff across the five boroughs are available to evaluate households’ specific needs, offering a variety of services to help New Yorkers achieve housing stability, including:
- Services to prevent eviction
- Assistance obtaining public benefits
- Emergency rental assistance
- Education and job placement assistance
- Financial counseling and money management
- Help relocating
- Short-term financial assistance
Homebase will help you develop a personalized plan to overcome an immediate housing crisis and achieve housing stability. They can connect you to rental assistance programs like CityFHEPS, as well as other programs which may help you.
Housing Resources for Homeless Veterans: Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) Program aims to improve very low-income veteran families’ housing stability. SSVF programs provide outreach and case management services and assist participants to obtain VA and other public benefits. SSVF services include:
Housing counseling services:
- Legal services
- Benefits advocacy
- Childcare services
- Rental and utility assistance
- Personal financial planning services
- Transportation
- Moving costs
SSVF: Ensuring housing stability for those who served
Volunteers of America–Greater New York has expanded its veterans outreach and services as a grantee of Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF). SSVF: Ensuring housing stability for those who served
CORE Services Group: CORE provides more than 800 beds of emergency, transitional and shelter-based housing, case management, and the provision of vocational and other supportive services to New York’s most vulnerable and difficult-to-serve homeless families, single adults and runaway youth in Brooklyn, Bronx and Upper Manhattan.
