Hotel vouchers in Maryland provide immediate lodging for homeless individuals and families through state agencies, non-profit organizations, and emergency programs. State and local agencies do not issue hotel vouchers directly to walk-ins. Instead, funds are distributed through a Coordinated Entry System (CES) managed by regional non-profits and housing authorities.
Voucher allocation is highly restricted and typically prioritizes families with children, pregnant women, the elderly, individuals with serious health issues, and emergency situations involving extreme weather conditions.
To obtain emergency hotel or motel vouchers in Maryland, dial 2-1-1 to reach 211 Maryland or use a regional helpline.
Step 1: Contact immediate assistance helplines
The first step is to call your county’s specific housing or shelter helpline to be assessed for potential emergency placement or to check voucher availability:
Statewide assessment: Dial 2-1-1 (toll-free) or visit 211 Maryland.
Baltimore City: Call the Baltimore shelter helpline/coordinated entry line at 443-984-9540.
Prince George’s County: Call the homeless helpline at 1-888-731-0999.
Montgomery County: Call DHHS Housing Stabilization Services at 240-907-2688.
Southern Maryland / Capital Region (Alternative option): Call 1-866-770-1910 if your mobile phone service cannot connect to 211.
Step 2: Prepare Mandatory Documents
When speaking with a caseworker or visiting a local Maryland Department of Human Services (DHS) office, be prepared to present documentation verifying your situation:
Identification: Photo ID and Social Security numbers for all household members.
Proof of eviction or emergency: Foreclosure or eviction notice, utility shut-off notice, or police/fire reports in the event of displacement due to disaster.
Income verification: Pay stubs from the last two months or government benefit award letters (SSI, SSDI, VA).
Bank statements: Recent checking and savings account statements to demonstrate immediate financial need.
Step 3: Contact local organizations that manage housing vouchers
If traditional shelters are full, the following local “Continuum of Care” entities and faith-based organizations administer funds for crisis housing:
Baltimore City and County
Mayor’s Office of Homeless Services (MOHS)
To obtain emergency hotel housing through the Baltimore Mayor’s Office of Homeless Services (MOHS), you must call the Baltimore City shelter hotline at 443-984-9540.
The city does not distribute physical hotel vouchers for in-person pickup. Instead, MOHS operates a centralized, automated system called “Coordinated Access.” When an individual or family qualifies for temporary emergency housing, MOHS pays the city-contracted hotels directly to accommodate them.
Because hotel space is very limited, absolute priority is given to families with children, pregnant women, the elderly, and individuals with serious health conditions.
Weinberg Housing and Resource Center
The WHRC is a 275-bed, low-barrier physical shelter managed by Catholic Charities of Baltimore. Under no circumstances can they provide independent emergency motel vouchers or arrange direct hotel stays for walk-ins. Instead, they collaborate with the Baltimore Mayor’s Office of Homeless Services (MOHS) to help shelter residents complete the paperwork needed for long-term housing vouchers.
If you need emergency shelter at the WHRC or require a city-funded emergency hotel room, you must go through Baltimore’s centralized system.
To secure a bed at the WHRC or be assessed for hotel overflow accommodation, you must have a formal referral from the city:
MOHS Shelter Referral Hotline: Call 443-984-9540.
Regular hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Extended hours: During designated extreme weather days, the line remains open until 9:00 p.m.
WHRC restrictions to note
No children admitted: The WHRC only provides services and beds to single adult men and women (over 18). The city will refer families with children to alternative family shelters, such as Sarah’s Hope.
Luggage limit: If you are assigned a bed at the center, there is a strict restriction limiting luggage to a maximum of two bags containing personal belongings.
Catholic Charities Building Hope Dundalk
The Dundalk center is a specialized facility offering direct assistance and resource guidance; it is not a physical shelter. It was established as a local community response point following the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge. Its goal is to connect residents with mental health, legal, and employment resources. They cannot arrange immediate hotel or motel accommodations for walk-ins.
If you are experiencing homelessness in Eastern Baltimore County, you must manage your case through the county’s centralized housing system or utilize local direct-service providers.
If you visit the center located at 4 North Dundalk Avenue, Dundalk, MD 21222, a case manager can provide the following support to help stabilize your housing situation:
Bilingual resource guidance: Spanish interpreters are on-site daily to assist you with navigating social services, housing applications, and legal resources.
Integrated referrals: Staff can connect you directly with internal Catholic Charities resources, such as the Weinberg Housing and Resource Center or the Our Daily Bread Employment Center.
Mental health support: The center coordinates with the Villa Maria Behavioral Health Clinic to facilitate access to therapy.
You can reach the center directly by calling 667-600-2167.
Community Assistance Network (CAN)
As the designated Community Action Agency for Baltimore County, CAN focuses on homelessness prevention and managing local shelters. They do not directly arrange hotel accommodations. If you require emergency shelter or government-funded hotel lodging in Baltimore County, you must go through the county’s unified intake phone lines.
If you have already called the Coordinated Entry system and are waiting in an unsafe environment (such as a vehicle or an encampment), CAN has a specialized Street Outreach Team. This team provides resources directly to individuals living on the street and can facilitate shelter placements.
Central & Western Maryland
Grassroots Crisis Intervention Center (Howard County)
Grassroots serves as the official single point of entry for Howard County’s Coordinated Entry System (CES). Instead of distributing motel vouchers, they admit individuals and families directly into their own 89-bed emergency shelter facility. If the shelter is at capacity, a case manager may use emergency funds to arrange direct hotel stays, though this option is subject to strict vulnerability assessments and space limitations.
Location: The Grassroots Leola Dorsey Day Resource Center is located at 10390 Guilford Road, Suite A, Jessup, MD 20794.
Key Services and Hours: Open Mondays and Wednesdays from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., and Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Services include access to hot meals, showers, laundry facilities, and computer labs, as well as the ability to establish a secure mailing address.
Walk-in Case Management: Available midday during the week (Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursday mornings, and Tuesdays until 1:00 p.m.) to assist in developing long-term rental assistance plans.
The Salvation Army (Howard County)
Rather than operating as a physical homeless shelter or a walk-in voucher distribution center, this service center focuses on homelessness prevention. If you are currently unsheltered, they do not directly arrange emergency hotel stays; instead, they collaborate with Howard County’s Coordinated Entry System (CES) to process emergency housing requests.
To request emergency housing or financial assistance, you must first contact their office or the county’s single point of entry:
The Salvation Army Howard County Service Center Line: Call 443-656-3376. Address: Located at 3267 Pine Orchard Lane, Ellicott City, MD 21042.
For immediate shelter tonight: Call the Grassroots Crisis Intervention Center hotline at 410-531-6677. Grassroots manages all immediate hotel placements due to overflow and referrals to physical emergency shelters for Howard County.
City of Frederick Homeless Assistance Program
Administered by the Frederick Department of Housing and Human Services (HHS), this program focuses on long-term initiatives—such as Permanent Supportive Housing and the scattered-site Housing First model—aimed at individuals with disabilities who are experiencing chronic homelessness.
If you are facing a housing crisis in Frederick County and need immediate emergency shelter, motel accommodation, or referral services, you should contact county-authorized non-profit organizations for intake or access regional network funds.
To find available shelter spaces or check your eligibility for emergency overflow funding, please call the specific crisis lines:
The Religious Coalition for Emergency Human Needs: Call 301-631-2670. This organization operates the Alan P. Linton, Jr. Emergency Shelter—an 88-bed, year-round co-ed facility—and manages the immediate assignment of emergency shelter spaces for adults and families.
Statewide Assessment: Dial 2-1-1 or visit 211 Maryland to search for available regional shelter resources in real-time or to check criteria for winter motel vouchers.
Community-Based Accommodation Voucher Programs
Although the local government does not manage hotel vouchers for direct walk-in requests, certain specialized local organizations occasionally receive specific funding to facilitate short-term hotel stays during crisis situations:
Advocates for Homeless Families: Located at 216 Abrecht Place, Frederick, MD 21701. When specific grants allow, they provide funding for temporary emergency hotel stays and stabilization services to facilitate rapid rehousing for families with children. Call 301-662-2003 to inquire about current funding availability.
Heartly House: Call their 24-hour crisis line at 301-662-8800. They coordinate confidential crisis shelters and alternative emergency housing, specifically for individuals and families fleeing domestic violence.
Southern Maryland & Eastern Shore
LifeStyles of Maryland (Charles County)
As the lead coordinator for the Charles County Coordinated Entry System (CES), LifeStyles manages emergency shelter intake for Southern Maryland. They do not assign direct hotel stays upon immediate request; instead, they operate their own temporary shelter networks and coordinate the local “Safe Nights” program.
If you are experiencing homelessness in Charles County, you must follow their official intake process to access emergency housing.
To be assessed and considered for an emergency shelter spot or temporary overflow placement, you must contact their centralized team:
LifeStyles Central Intake Line: Call 301-609-9900 or the toll-free number 1-866-293-0623.
Main center location: 104 Court Street, La Plata, MD 20646. Hours: Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
After-hours emergencies: Dial 2-1-1 to reach 211 Maryland if you become homeless late at night or during the weekend.
Ocean City Department of Social Services
Ocean City does not have an independent municipal social services division. Public health and social welfare benefits for the city are administered by the Worcester County Department of Social Services (DSS). Government-funded hotel stays or shelter placements are managed strictly through a regional Coordinated Entry System.
If you are facing a housing emergency in the Eastern Shore region, you must request access to diversion programs through the county or contact the partner non-profit organizations that manage local shelters. You must undergo an intake assessment to verify your displacement or crisis situation before admission to a temporary emergency shelter can be authorized:
Worcester County DSS Main Office: Call 410-677-6800. The main office is located at 299 Commerce Street, Snow Hill, MD 21863.
Statewide Crisis Line (Crisis Connection): Dial 2-1-1 or visit 211 Maryland. This service connects you with real-time information regarding shelter availability or extreme weather housing alerts in the Lower Shore area.
If you visit or call the Worcester County DSS office, ask a caseworker about the Emergency Assistance to Families with Children (EAFC) program. Although it is not a hotel voucher, this state grant can provide one-time emergency funds to cover urgent housing costs or halt an ongoing eviction.
