What is emergency housing?

Emergency housing is temporary shelter, up to 90 days, for individuals or families. Emergency housing provides food, shelter and assistance with clothing and transportation. At the Emergency shelter, shelter recipients are also offered access to medical care, job training, job search and a variety of other supportive services. Tacoma, Washington has several shelters that provide emergency housing for up to 250 individuals each day. Fifty percent of the individuals served were in families with children. There were 14,337 children under the age of 18 in shelters with parents or legal guardians, and the numbers are growing.

Sometimes there are group living situations or single-family homes that are used as shelters. Some of the services offered may include:

Case management
Overnight accommodation
Food
Connection to social services
Medical referral
Clothing
Recovery services (Substance abuse, trauma)
Other emergency needs
Showers, soap, laundry services
Spiritual nourishment
Legal assistance
Disability assistance