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Transitional housing programs by county, plus the national charities that run them

Finding transitional housing comes down to three local questions: which programs operate where you live, which ones serve your situation, and which have an opening. This page is built for that search. It collects the local transitional housing listings on this site, the national charities that run many of the programs themselves, and the free tools that can locate an option in any community.

The listings by state and county are further down the page. The tools and national organizations come first because they work everywhere, including the many places that do not have their own page here.

How these programs operate — who they serve, what the rules and any costs look like, and the way openings are assigned — is covered separately in the guide to what transitional housing programs are. Use this page when you are ready to start contacting programs.

Free tools that can locate a program in any community

Calling 211 reaches your local community helpline, and it is the most direct route to transitional housing in most of the country. Many communities fill their openings through a shared intake process called coordinated entry, run by the local homeless response network, and a 211 call can start it. Tell the person who answers about everyone in your household and what you are dealing with, since many programs serve one specific group.

The service is free and answers around the clock in most areas. If calling is hard, many state 211 systems also take a text with your ZIP code at 898-211, and the national site at https://www.211.org connects to each state's own search.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development runs a free search tool called Find Shelter at https://www.hud.gov/findshelter. Enter your city or ZIP code and it lists shelter, food, health care, and clothing resources in that area. The same page points people who need transitional housing toward their local Continuum of Care, the network of agencies that manages homeless assistance in each region.

The Continuum of Care itself can be contacted directly. HUD publishes a list of the homeless assistance contact for every Continuum of Care at https://www.hudexchange.info/homelessness-assistance/homeless-help/, with a name, phone number, and email for each region, and that person can say exactly where transitional housing intake happens in your area.

Veterans can call the National Call Center for Homeless Veterans at 877-424-3838 at any hour. The call is free and confidential, and staff connect callers to the homeless programs at the nearest VA, which may include transitional housing set aside for veterans. A family member or caseworker can also make the call on a veteran's behalf — details are on the VA homeless programs site at https://department.va.gov/homeless/nationalcallcenter.

Anyone leaving an abusive situation can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233, day or night. Advocates answer in many languages, and they can connect callers with local programs for survivors, including places to stay. The hotline also runs a private chat at https://www.thehotline.org for people who cannot speak safely out loud.

If no program has an opening yet, there are emergency options for the time in between. The NHPB directory of homeless shelters by county lists emergency shelters the same way this page lists transitional programs, and the free motel and hotel voucher program options explains when an agency may pay for a short motel stay instead.

National charities that operate transitional housing across the country

Much of the transitional housing in this country is not run by the government. It is run by a few large charities working through local branches, and in smaller communities the charity may be the only operator. Contacting the local branch directly is a second route to the same beds, and it works alongside anything 211 sets up.

The Salvation Army operates shelters and transitional housing units in communities across the country, along with recovery programs that include a place to live. Some locations are free, and others may ask for a share of income once someone is working. The typical Salvation Army assistance programs page explains their programs and how to find the office that serves your area.

Family Promise serves families with children through networks of local congregations, offering shelter, meals, and help finding permanent housing. Families can often stay together rather than being split up, which matters where other local shelters separate residents by age or gender. The guide to Family Promise and what they do covers how their program works and where affiliates operate.

Catholic Charities is a network of independent agencies, generally one for each diocese, and housing is part of many of their local programs. What each agency offers differs from one region to the next — some run shelters or transitional units, while others focus on help with rent and case management. The NHPB guide to Catholic Charities assistance explains what the agencies provide and how to reach the one in your area.

Volunteers of America runs housing programs through regional affiliates, with a long record of transitional housing for veterans, people leaving incarceration, and people in recovery. Their local offices may also operate emergency shelters and low income apartments, depending on the region. The guide to what Volunteers of America does lists what the affiliates offer and how to find your regional office.

Local transitional housing programs by state and county

The pages linked below cover transitional housing and short term housing in one specific area, with names, addresses, and phone numbers for local programs. Space in every program is limited and openings change through the year, so calling before showing up anywhere is always worth it. If your county is not on this list, the tools at the top of this page reach every part of the country.

Arizona

Maricopa County and Phoenix

Pima County and Tucson area

Arkansas

Little Rock AR and Pulaski County

State of Arkansas

California

Alameda County and Oakland area

Contra Costa County

Fresno County

Los Angeles County

Orange County California