In the United States, several important federal and local programs help people experiencing homelessness transition to stable housing, including the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Continuing Care Program, Emergency Solutions Grants, and specialized initiatives like HUD-VASH for Veterans. These programs combine short-term shelter with long-term housing support, often accompanied by counseling, medical care, and job assistance.
Free programs to help people experiencing homelessness find housing include government-funded vouchers, emergency rental assistance, and support from local nonprofit organizations. If you or someone you know is experiencing homelessness, the quickest way to access free housing programs is to call 211 from any phone. This service connects you with a local operator who can refer you to emergency shelters, food assistance, and long-term housing programs in your specific area.
Below are the main types of free programs available nationally and locally to help individuals and families transition to stable housing.
Continuum of Care (CoC) Program
The Continuum of Care (CoC) Program is a federal initiative administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), designed to coordinate and fund community-based efforts to eradicate homelessness. Rather than a single office, it is a collaborative network of local governments, nonprofit organizations, and service providers working together to deliver a continuum of services, from emergency shelters to permanent housing.
The program funds five main types of projects to help individuals and families achieve long-term stability:
Permanent Housing (PH): Community housing with no fixed length of stay. This includes:
Permanent Supported Housing (PSH): Indefinite housing combined with services for people with disabilities.
Rapid Rehousing (RRH): Short-term rental assistance to help people move quickly into permanent housing.
Transitional Housing (TH): Provides temporary stability and support services for up to 24 months to help participants transition to permanent housing.
Support-Only Services (SSO): Funding for outreach and the Coordinated Entry system, which serves as the entry point for assessing and prioritizing individuals for local resources.
Homelessness Management Information System (HMIS): A local database used to collect client data and monitor the effectiveness of homelessness services.
Homelessness Prevention: Assistance for individuals at immediate risk of losing their housing, generally available in HUD-designated High-Performance Communities.
Who is eligible?
For funding: Eligible applicants include nonprofit organizations, state and local governments, and state or local government agencies. For-profit entities are not eligible for these grants.
For services: Individuals or families must meet HUD’s definition of “homeless” or “at risk of homelessness.” Priority is typically given to those with the greatest needs, such as veterans, youth, or survivors of domestic violence.
How to Access Services
2-1-1 Contact: Most communities use the 2-1-1 service to direct people to their local Coordinated Access Point (CoC).
Local Planning Agencies: You can find your primary local agency through the HUD CoC contact information page (for example, LAHSA in Los Angeles or HACLA for specific vouchers).
Rapid Re-Housing Programs
The Rapid Rehousing (RRH) program is a Housing First intervention designed to help individuals and families move from homelessness or emergency shelters to permanent housing as quickly as possible. The programs typically consist of three main pillars:
Housing Identification: Staff (Housing Assistants) help participants find vacant housing, recruit landlords to participate, and negotiate lease agreements despite potential obstacles, such as poor credit or rental history.
Financial Assistance: Limited-time funding covers moving expenses, including application fees, security deposits, utility deposits, and short- and medium-term rental assistance.
Case Management: Mandatory services focused on housing stability, such as budgeting, job placement, and community resource outreach.
Duration: Financial assistance typically lasts 4 to 6 months, although it can be extended up to 24 months depending on household needs.
Eligibility:
Most HRR programs require verification that you are currently living in a shelter or other non-human housing location.
Under the Housing First model, you cannot be denied access due to lack of income, employment, or sobriety.
To apply, you will generally need to be referred through your local Coordinated Entry System (CES) by visiting an access point or shelter.
Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH)
Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) is a long-term Housing First intervention that provides indefinite rental assistance, along with intensive support services. It is specifically designed for the most vulnerable individuals and families who face significant barriers to remaining in housing.
Unlike temporary shelters or transitional housing, PSH provides permanent housing with a standard lease in the tenant’s name. There is no fixed end date for rental assistance or available services. Renters typically spend about 30% of their adjusted monthly income on rent.
Who is eligible?
To qualify for PSH, a household generally must meet three main HUD criteria:
Homeless: Currently living in a shelter, on the street, or in an uninhabitable location.
Disabling condition: At least one adult or child in the household must have a documented disability, such as a serious mental illness, a chronic physical illness, or a developmental disability.
Chronic homelessness (priority): Most programs prioritize those who have been homeless for at least one continuous year or have had four episodes of homelessness in the past three years, totaling 12 months.
How to apply
You cannot apply for PSH directly at an apartment building. Instead, you must do so through the local Coordinated Entry System (CES):
- Find an access point: Visit a local homeless shelter or social services agency.
- Complete an assessment: A staff member will conduct an interview (usually using a tool such as the VI-SPDAT) to determine your level of need.
- Referral: If you are determined to have a high need and are eligible, you will be placed on a prioritized waiting list for the next available PSH unit or voucher in your community.
Housing Choice Voucher Program (Section 8)
The Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program, commonly known as Section 8, is the federal government’s largest program to help low-income families, seniors, and people with disabilities access safe, decent, and sanitary housing in the private market.
How the Program Works
Tenant Choice: Unlike public housing, the voucher stays with the family, allowing them to choose their own rental unit (including single-family homes, townhouses, and apartments).
Direct Assistance: A local Public Housing Agency (PHA) pays a housing assistance directly to the landlord on behalf of the family.
Tenant Portion of Rent: The family typically pays between 30% and 40% of their adjusted gross monthly income toward rent and utilities.
Portability: Participants can move without losing assistance, often choosing a unit anywhere in the U.S. after an initial 12-month period in the jurisdiction of the PHA that issued the voucher.
Eligibility Requirements
Income Limits: Generally, a family’s gross annual income must be equal to or less than 50% of the Area Median Income (AMI) for their specific location.
Citizenship: Applicants must be U.S. citizens or foreign nationals with eligible immigration status.
Family Composition: Eligibility is based on total annual income and family size.
Criminal History: Certain criminal convictions or registered sex offender status may make an applicant ineligible.
Application Process
Find a Public Housing Agency (PHA): You must apply through your local Public Housing Agency.
Waiting Lists: Due to high demand, most PHAs use waiting lists, which are usually closed, or a lottery system.
Priority: PHAs typically give preference to specific groups, such as veterans, the homeless, or victims of domestic violence.
Unit Inspection: Before a voucher can be used, the chosen rental unit must pass a PHA inspection to ensure it meets HUD’s health and safety standards.
Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG)
The Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) Program is a federal grant administered by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) that provides funding to state and local governments, as well as nonprofit organizations, to help people quickly regain stability after a housing crisis.
Unlike the CoC program, which focuses primarily on long-term, permanent housing, ESGs are primarily used for immediate crisis response and homelessness prevention. ESG funds are limited to the following specific activities:
Street Outreach: Essential services to reach people experiencing homelessness, connect them with emergency shelters, or provide urgent care outside of shelters.
Emergency Shelters: Funding for the operation and renovation of shelters, as well as essential services such as case management and childcare for residents.
Homelessness Prevention: Rental assistance and services for people at risk of homelessness (with incomes below 30% of the Area Median Income) to prevent them from moving into a shelter.
Rapid Rehousing: Short- and medium-term rental assistance and stabilization services to quickly move people from shelters to permanent housing.
HMIS (Data Collection): Support for the local Homelessness Management Information System to monitor service delivery and effectiveness.
The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) allocates ESG funds to states, metropolitan cities, and urban counties using a formula. Private 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations and local government agencies solicit grants from these direct beneficiaries (for example, your city or state housing department). Most ESG recipients must match their grant amount dollar for dollar with other funds or in-kind contributions.
You can find a list of local organizations that receive ESG funding by contacting your city’s community development office or by consulting the HUD Exchange ESG Recipient List.
Transitional Housing Programs
Transitional Housing (THP) programs provide supervised temporary housing and intensive support services to help individuals and families transition from a crisis, such as homelessness or domestic violence, to permanent, stable housing. Unlike emergency shelters, which offer very short-term relief, transitional housing is designed as a “bridge” to independence, focusing on the root causes of instability.
- Most programs allow residents to stay for up to 24 months. Some specialized youth programs in California can extend this stay up to 36 months.
- Residents are typically required to participate in support services as a condition of their stay, such as case management, job training, or counseling.
- These programs often use group housing or apartment-style units with shared or private spaces. They are usually drug-free environments and may have curfews.
- Participants must sign a lease or occupancy agreement for at least one month, automatically renewable for up to 24 months.
How to Access Transitional Housing
Access is almost always managed through a central local system:
Contact 2-1-1: Dial 2-1-1 to connect with your local Coordinated Entry System (CES).
HUD Shelter Finder Tool: Use the HUD Shelter Finder Tool to locate nearby providers.
Referrals: Many programs, especially for veterans or parolees, require a direct referral from a social worker or social services agency.
HOME Investment Partnerships Program
The HOME Investment Partnerships Program helps create affordable housing for low-income individuals and families. It is the largest federal program designed to build and improve affordable housing in the United States.
Unlike other programs, HOME is an investment tool used by communities to build, purchase, or rehabilitate homes, rather than a direct service that individuals “enroll” in. While you cannot apply for HOME on your own, you can access the benefits it funds through local agencies:
Tenant-Based Rental Assistance (TBRA): This is the most direct assistance for individuals. Local agencies use HOME funds to provide vouchers that help low-income renters pay rent, security deposits, and utility deposits in the private market.
Affordable Rental Housing: HOME funds the construction and rehabilitation of apartment buildings. These units must remain affordable for 5 to 20 years and are reserved for families with incomes at or below 60%–80% of the Area Median Income (AMI).
Homebuyer Assistance: Some local programs use HOME grants to offer down payment assistance or low-interest gap loans for first-time homebuyers.
Homeowner Rehabilitation: Low-income homeowners can receive HOME-funded grants or loans to repair or improve their primary residence.
How to Access HOME-Funded Support
Because HUD distributes these funds to Participating Jurisdictions (cities and counties), you must find the local entity that administers them:
Contact your local Housing Department: Look for your city or county’s Housing and Community Development Department to inquire about TBRA or first-time homebuyer programs.
Use the HUD Resource Locator: This locator can help you find affordable rental properties in your area that may have been built with HOME funds.
Call 211: For immediate needs or HOME-ARP services related to homelessness, 211 remains the primary point of contact.
Emergency Shelter Programs
Emergency Shelter Programs provide immediate, short-term housing for individuals and families experiencing a housing crisis. They serve as an access point to the wider homelessness response system, offering a safe place to sleep while staff assist participants in transitioning to permanent housing.
Types of Emergency Shelters
Shelters for People with Special Needs: Traditional facilities with shared sleeping, dining, showering, and laundry facilities.
Shelters for People with Special Needs (Temporary Housing): Individualized spaces such as converted hotel rooms (e.g., Project Roomkey), tiny houses, or cabins that offer greater privacy.
Bridge Housing: Enhanced emergency shelters that offer intensive case management, specifically to help people find a confirmed permanent housing unit.
Secure Parking Programs: Legal and secure parking lots with security and restrooms for those living in their vehicles.
Winter/Extreme Weather Shelters: Seasonal sites that are activated during the cold or extreme weather months (typically November through March) to expand capacity.
How to Find a Shelter Now
Call 211 or visit 211.org to check for immediate local openings.
Use the HUD Shelter Search tool to locate resources by zip code. If you live in Los Angeles, call the LAHSA Winter Shelter Hotline at 1-800-548-6047 during the winter months.
How People Experiencing Homelessness Access Housing Programs
Most housing programs for people experiencing homelessness are accessed through local service providers. You will usually need to contact organizations in your community first.
Contact Local Homeless Shelters
Shelters often connect people with housing programs and case managers.
Call 211
Many states offer a 211 hotline, which connects people with local social and housing services.
Visit a Local Housing Authority
Public housing authorities help people apply for housing vouchers and rental assistance.
Contact nonprofit organizations
Groups such as homeless assistance programs, churches, and charities often help people apply for housing assistance.
Summury
Homelessness is a serious problem, but numerous programs are designed to help people get off the streets and into safe, stable housing.
Programs such as the Ongoing Care Program, Rapid Relocation, Permanent Supportive Housing, and Emergency Solutions Grants offer vital resources for those who need them most.
By contacting local shelters, nonprofit organizations, and housing agencies, many homeless individuals and families can find the support they need to find a place to live and begin rebuilding their lives.
