One roof can make a huge change in a person’s life who is facing homelessness. In Tennessee, emergency shelter programs and hotel vouchers are available statewide through government agencies, non-profit organizations, and community groups to provide immediate housing to individuals and families facing homelessness or crisis situations. The Tennessee Housing Development Agency (THDA), local Community Action agencies, and non-profit organizations—such as the Salvation Army and Catholic Charities—are key providers of these services.
Let’s know where to find and how to apply for these programs below.
Emergency Shelter and Hotel Vouchers in Tennessee
While most organizations prioritize physical shelters, hotel and motel vouchers are often utilized when shelters are full or for families in crisis situations.
The Salvation Army
In Tennessee, The Salvation Army provides hotel or motel vouchers primarily as a last resort—when their local emergency shelters are at full capacity or when a family has specific needs that a community shelter cannot accommodate. To access these vouchers or other emergency housing options, you typically must go through a local intake process.
- Dial 2-1-1: This is the fastest way to locate the specific Salvation Army branch or partner agency serving your current county.
- SAHelp.org: You can enter your zip code at SAHelp.org to find your local center and initiate a confidential online application for emergency assistance.
- In-person Assessment: Vouchers are rarely issued over the phone; you will likely need to meet with a case manager to undergo a brief assessment of your housing needs.
While policies vary, you should be prepared to provide the following:
- Proof of homelessness or an imminent eviction notice.
- Identification for all adults in the household (if available).
- Proof of income or documentation demonstrating “financial need.”
The Salvation Army operates various long-term housing models throughout the state to help individuals and families overcome homelessness.
Supportive Housing: Programs such as the one in Nashville offer safe housing and intensive case management for single men, women, and families. Approximately 83% of residents in these programs successfully maintain their income and transition into permanent housing.
Rapid Re-Housing (RRH): These programs provide housing search assistance and offer medium-term rental aid, with the goal of quickly moving residents into their own apartments.
Operation Bootstrap (Knoxville): A specialized program for single men and women offering temporary housing for a period of up to two years, while also providing counseling, life skills training, and rental assistance.
Transitional Housing: Offers shelter for a period of up to six months to help individuals stabilize during the interval between emergency shelter and living in permanent housing.
New Directions (Memphis): Provides mothers and children with up to 90 days of emergency services and up to one year of stabilization support through the “Pathway of Hope” program.
Veteran-Specific Housing: The “Center of Hope” in Johnson City features an exclusive 15-bed transitional program designed specifically for veterans.
American Red Cross
In Tennessee, the American Red Cross offers emergency lodging assistance and financial support; however, these programs are strictly intended for survivors of recent disasters (such as residential fires, tornadoes, or floods), and not for general cases of homelessness. Typically, the Red Cross utilizes physical shelters during large-scale disasters, although in specific situations, it may provide temporary hotel accommodations.
Disaster-Related Lodging: If your home has been destroyed or severely damaged by a disaster occurring within the last 14 days, the Red Cross may be able to provide financial assistance that you can use to cover local lodging expenses.
Short-Term Duration: When hotel vouchers are issued, they typically have a very short duration—usually around two days—during which time you will work with a case manager to develop a long-term recovery plan.
Emergency Lodging Assistance (ELA): In cases of large-scale disasters, the Red Cross partners with agencies such as FEMA to arrange hotel stays for eligible individuals.
The Red Cross does not administer long-term housing programs or permanent voucher programs, such as the Section 8 program. Instead, they focus on recovery assistance.
- Case Management: Trained social workers help survivors develop a recovery plan, which includes searching for new housing, navigating paperwork with insurance companies, and connecting with local housing partners.
- Financial Assistance: Eligible households may receive direct financial aid to cover immediate needs, such as paying the first month’s rent or the security deposit for a new residence following a disaster.
- Support for Military Personnel and Veterans: The Red Cross’s Service to the Armed Forces program offers emergency financial assistance to members of the armed forces and veterans; this assistance can sometimes be used to prevent homelessness or to secure housing.
To request emergency assistance, you must contact the Red Cross directly to initiate an initial assessment. Call 1-800-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767). This line is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Alternatively, you may contact the Tennessee Regional Headquarters in Nashville by calling 615-250-4300, or contact your local chapter.
Catholic Charities
Catholic Charities offers emergency assistance and housing stability services, tailored to local needs throughout the state. While their primary focus is eviction prevention and permanent housing relocation, some regional chapters and partners offer short-term emergency hotel vouchers when local shelters are full or for families experiencing an immediate crisis. Immediate assistance often varies by county, depending on the funds available at the time and the specific focus of each branch.
Nashville / Central Tennessee: Emergency hotel vouchers are occasionally available through strategic partnerships, intended to provide a temporary solution while long-term housing alternatives are being sought. The Society of St. Vincent de Paul (an affiliated Catholic charity) frequently manages these temporary motel stays for families who lack a safe housing alternative.
Memphis / West Tennessee: Catholic Charities of West Tennessee offers services for the homeless and can assist individuals with the process of securing housing. Walk-ins are accepted at their Midtown Outreach headquarters from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. for initial assessments.
East Tennessee: Catholic Charities of East Tennessee generally does not provide direct emergency financial assistance (such as rent payments or hotel vouchers) but does offer specialized shelter programs.
To request assistance, call 615-352-3087 or get an assistance application form.
Nashville Rescue Mission
The Nashville Rescue Mission operates primarily as an emergency shelter, rather than as a direct provider of housing vouchers. While they prioritize housing guests within their own physical facilities, they may occasionally arrange emergency hotel vouchers if their shelters reach maximum capacity. Beyond immediate shelter, the Mission offers tiered programs to help guests transition into permanent housing:
Life Recovery Program: A comprehensive, Christ-centered residential program (lasting 7 to 24 months) that addresses addiction and life skills. It includes counseling, job readiness training, and financial literacy education.
Transitional Housing: Graduates of the Life Recovery Program may apply for access to the Mission’s transitional housing. This allows them to reside at no cost while establishing a work history and building a savings account to achieve independent living.
Case Management: Dedicated case managers assist guests in developing individualized plans, providing referrals for employment, social security documentation, and applications for long-term housing.
Metro Office of Homeless Services
The Metro Office of Homeless Services (OHS) coordinates the majority of programs aimed at people experiencing homelessness in Nashville and Davidson County. While they act primarily as coordinators and funders for other agencies, they manage critical access points for both immediate and long-term housing through the Coordinated Entry System (CES).
OHS activates overflow shelters when temperatures drop to 32°F (0°C) or below for three consecutive hours. These shelters are located at designated sites and provide sleeping mats, food, and water. Generally, OHS does not distribute hotel vouchers directly to individuals; instead, they fund local non-profit organizations—such as the Salvation Army and Catholic Charities—which distribute these vouchers when shelters are full or to assist families facing specific crises.
The Hospitality Hub
In Memphis, the Hospitality Hub serves as the central point of entry for the city’s homeless Continuum of Care. While they operate their own specialized emergency shelters, they also distribute temporary lodging vouchers to connect individuals with other partner housing providers. The Hub provides immediate safety nets through various specialized facilities and voucher programs:
- Temporary hotel Vouchers: The Hub collaborates with numerous shelters in Memphis and the surrounding area to provide temporary lodging vouchers as needed. In years of peak demand, they have allocated over 1,500 vouchers to individuals and families in crisis situations.
- Hub Hotel: An accessible (low-barrier) emergency shelter operating 24/7, designed specifically for women and children. It offers 51 beds and is conceived as a safe, welcoming space that employs a trauma-informed approach.
- Hub Studios: Ten individualized (non-communal) housing units, designed for couples, families with older children, or individuals with severe Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) who may not adapt well to living in a traditional group shelter environment.
- Emergency Housing Vouchers (EHV): As Memphis’s central intake point, The Hub screens individuals for federal EHV vouchers, prioritizing those who are currently homeless or fleeing domestic violence situations.
Location: 590 Washington Avenue, Memphis, TN.
Hours: Weekdays; generally 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. (intake may close earlier—at 3:00 p.m.—on some days).
Requirements: No prior referral is required. Anyone experiencing homelessness may visit the site directly to meet with a case manager.
McNabb Center
The McNabb Center offers specialized housing and assistance services for homeless individuals throughout East Tennessee, focusing primarily on those with mental health conditions, substance use disorders, or those fleeing domestic violence. While the Center manages direct housing programs, it typically provides referrals for emergency hotel vouchers through its PATH program. For immediate crisis situations, the McNabb Center utilizes community outreach and referral networks to connect individuals with short-term shelter.
- PATH Program (Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness): This serves as the primary entry point for accessing services intended for homeless individuals. Staff conduct community outreach and can offer referrals for emergency housing. You can contact the PATH team by calling 865-637-9711, ext. 3087.
- Emergency Youth Shelter: A resource dedicated to runaway or homeless youth in the Knoxville area. They operate a helpline available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, at 865-523-2689.
- Domestic Violence Support: McNabb offers transitional housing and crisis services for victims of domestic violence. Their 24-hour helpline is 865-637-8000.
Angelic Ministries
In Knoxville, Angelic Ministries typically does not provide direct hotel vouchers. Instead, they focus on offering transitional housing for men and providing essential household items to individuals who are rebuilding their lives after experiencing a crisis.
Transitional Housing for Men: This ministry manages several housing facilities in Knoxville where men emerging from homelessness or difficult circumstances can reside in a structured, faith-based environment. The program includes discipleship, job skills training, and mentorship designed to foster self-sufficiency. Angelic Tiny Homes: In collaboration with state agencies, Angelic Ministries recently opened the “Studio Home Park” community at 3430 Zion Lane, offering modular tiny homes as an affordable housing solution for individuals transitioning toward stability.
Starter Kits: They provide “starter kits”—containing furniture, appliances, bedding, and kitchenware—at no cost to individuals leaving behind homelessness or abusive situations.
Long-Term Housing Vouchers and Resources in Tennessee
To ensure permanent stability, the State of Tennessee utilizes both federal and state voucher programs:
Housing Choice Vouchers (Section 8): Administered by the Tennessee Housing Development Agency (THDA) in 72 counties, and by Local Public Housing Authorities in the remaining counties.
Emergency Housing Vouchers (EHV): Specifically designated for individuals experiencing homelessness, those fleeing domestic violence, or those at high risk of housing instability. These vouchers are often managed through regional agencies, such as the East Tennessee Human Resource Agency (ETHRA).
Veterans (HUD-VASH): Provides rental vouchers and support services specifically tailored to veterans experiencing homelessness.
Summary
In Tennessee, emergency shelter services and housing assistance are coordinated through regional “Continuum of Care” (CoC) agencies and local non-profit organizations. For immediate assistance, dial 2-1-1 or visit the Tennessee 211 website to connect with a specialist who can locate available shelter beds or hotel vouchers in your specific county.
