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Office of Supportive Housing
Office of Supportive Housing

Emergency shelters

woman puckering up to child

Emergency shelters provide critical services to homeless people in crisis. It is where homeless people facing a housing crisis or fleeing an unsafe situation can live temporarily. 

In an effective crisis response system, emergency shelters help people quickly exit homelessness. 

Our office collaborates with many service providers to operate two kinds of emergency shelters throughout the County: 

  • Year-round shelters
  • Cold weather shelters. 

While year-round emergency shelters operate throughout the year, seasonal and cold weather shelters provide relief from the cold weather.

For those in need of shelter services, contact the Santa Clara County Here4You Hotline at (408) 385-2400. The hotline team is available 7 days a week from 9 am to 7 pm to assist with shelter placements.

Target population

  • People needing immediate crisis response or safety intervention.

Supportive services

  • Typically no rents or fees to clients
  • Range: "2 hots and a cot" to short-term case management focused on information and referral