Where to ask for a shelter bed tonight, and where to go if you stay outside.
New York City shelters are operated by the City's Department of Homeless Services (DHS). It is not the federal Department of Homeland Security, which includes ICE.
Intake sites are open 24 hours, 7 days a week. The City takes shelter applications regardless of immigration status.
Start here
- Go to the intake site for your household: single adults, couples and families with children each have their own.
- At 32 °F (0 °C) or colder, any DHS shelter or drop-in center takes you without the normal intake.
- If you are turned away, go to the Coalition for the Homeless Crisis Intervention Program (129 Fulton Street, Manhattan) by 9 AM, or call 1-888-358-2384 and leave your phone number; the line is in English.
DHS intake sites by household type
| Where to apply | Address | Good to know | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single men, 18 and over | Single Adult Intake Center | 8 East 3rd Street, New York, NY 10003 | Replaced the 30th Street intake on August 1, 2026; the main entrance has stairs. |
| Single women, 18 and over | Franklin Women's Shelter or HELP Women's Center | 1122 Franklin Avenue, Bronx, NY 10456; 114 Snediker Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11207 | You can go to either one; HELP Women's Center is fully accessible, Franklin has an accessible side entrance. |
| Adult families with no child under 21 (married couples, some unmarried couples) | Adult Family Intake Center (AFIC) | 333 Bowery, New York, NY 10003 | Bring proof that you are a family. Intake only: nobody sleeps there, DHS sends you on to a shelter. |
| Families with children under 21, and pregnant people | Prevention Assistance and Temporary Housing office (PATH) | 151 East 151st Street, Bronx, NY 10451 | Open 24 hours; applications are processed 9 AM to 5 PM. Bring ID for every member and proof that you are a family. |
| Single adults who stayed in a shelter in the last 12 months | The same shelter you stayed in | The address of that shelter | DHS says to return there instead of going to an intake site. |
Single Adult Intake Center for men
Any statusFree
Single men 18 and over apply here. This site replaced the 30th Street intake on August 1, 2026. The entrance has stairs and a steep ramp; if you cannot manage them, DHS staff help you get to an accessible shelter. The 6 train to Bleecker Street (4 to 7 minute walk) or the B, D, F or M to Broadway-Lafayette Street (5 minute walk). Come in person and say "Russian": a free interpreter is provided on site.
Franklin Women's Shelter (intake for women)
Any statusFree
One of two places where single women 18 and over apply. The inside is wheelchair accessible; the accessible entrance is on the side of the building, up a hill with a narrow sidewalk. The 2 or 5 train to 3 Av-149 St, then the Bx15 bus to 166th Street and 3rd Avenue. Come in person and say "Russian": a free interpreter is provided on site. New York City agencies must provide a free interpreter (Local Law 30).
HELP Women's Center (intake for women)
Any statusFree
The other place where single women 18 and over apply; fully accessible for people with disabilities. The L train to Atlantic Avenue (5 minute walk) or the A train to Liberty Avenue (8 minute walk). Come in person and say "Russian": a free interpreter is provided on site.
Adult Family Intake Center (AFIC)
Any statusFree
For adult families with no children under 21: married couples, some unmarried couples and other adults. All of you come together, and each person brings valid original ID (a photo ID, a birth certificate, a Social Security card or a Medicaid card). 311 lists four ways to prove you are a family: a married couple with a marriage certificate; registered domestic partners who have lived together for the past 6 months; two or more adults who have lived together for the past 6 months and need to be sheltered together because of a medical condition or other situation; adults whose birth certificates prove a parent and child or sibling relationship. An unmarried couple without a registered domestic partnership has only the third way: you must show you have lived together for the past 6 months and that a medical condition or other situation requires you to be sheltered together. If you lack that proof, call 311 before going to AFIC (say "Russian") and ask what to do. Each applicant also shows where the family lived for the last year: bring a lease, eviction papers, a utility bill or a pay stub if you have them. No pets, food, furniture, appliances or visitors. Nobody sleeps here: DHS sends you on to a shelter where your family has its own sleeping area.
PATH (Prevention Assistance and Temporary Housing office)
Any statusFree
Families with children under 21 and pregnant people apply here. 311 says every family member must be present; The Legal Aid Society (August 2025) says children up to 17 do not have to come if PATH staff can see them, by video call for example, but you must bring them to the shelter by curfew the next day. It is safer to bring the children. Bring ID for every household member and proof that you are a family: a child's birth certificate that lists the adult as a parent, proof of custody, paternity papers from a court or the New York City Health Department, or a marriage or domestic partnership certificate. A single pregnant woman does not need proof of family. The 2, 4 or 5 train to 149 Street-Grand Concourse. Come in person and say "Russian": a free interpreter is provided on site.
New to New York: one intake for everyone, and the rules for New Arrivals
Any statusAsylum applicantsFree
There is no separate migrant intake any more: the Asylum Seeker Arrival Center at the Roosevelt Hotel closed in July 2025, and everyone uses the same DHS intake sites. The Legal Aid Society calls you a New Arrival if you came to the United States on or after March 15, 2022 and fear returning to your home country. Legal Aid says New Arrivals have no time limit in DHS shelters or in New Arrival shelters (New Arrival Sites, not operated by DHS), get no 30 or 60 day notices and do not need to ask for more time. Most New Arrival sites are closed. The last one, Bruckner, for single men, is expected to close by the end of 2026, News 12 reports, with residents moved to shelters of the Department of Social Services (DSS), which includes DHS.
Pick the right site
Find your site in the table. If you are a single adult and stayed in a shelter in the last 12 months, go back to that shelter.
Get there
DHS does not provide transportation, so get there on your own. The sites stay open all night, so you can come late.
Bring what you have
For single adults, DHS says these help but are not required: any ID with a photo and date of birth (a driver's license, a state ID, a passport, a visa or a green card), a Social Security card, a Medicaid card and your latest pay stub. Adult families and families with children bring ID for every member, and adult families also show where they lived for the last year.
Say what you need
If you have a disability or a health condition, ask for a reasonable accommodation: an elevator, a ground floor or a special diet, for example. Bring medical papers if you have them. Trans and non-binary single adults choose a men's or women's shelter based on their gender identity.
Ask for an interpreter
If you do not speak English, DHS provides an interpreter at intake. Ask right away and name your language.
Answer the interview honestly
Families first talk with a caseworker about where they have been living and what could keep them out of shelter: DHS mediation (a talk with the people you live with), legal help against eviction, or a one-shot deal, a one-time payment from the Human Resources Administration (HRA), the City benefits agency. If none of that fits, a DHS worker asks about your past housing. While DHS checks what you said, you can get a temporary shelter placement for up to 10 days.
If you are found ineligible, push back
A family that disagrees with a denial can ask for a legal conference (a meeting at AFIC or PATH to challenge the decision) and has 60 days to ask New York State for a Fair Hearing. After a denial at PATH, call (844) 347-7284 and say "Russian" for a free interpreter. The same day, call the Coalition for the Homeless Crisis Intervention Program at 1-888-358-2384 (the line is in English) or go there in person by 9 AM: 129 Fulton Street.
If you cannot get to an intake site tonight
Go to a drop-in center, or ask for an outreach team in the 311 app. At 32 °F (0 °C) or colder, any DHS shelter or drop-in center takes you without the normal intake.
Drop-in centers for adults (open 24 hours a day)
| Part of NYC | Address | Subway or ferry | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Olivieri Center | Manhattan | 257 West 30th Street (between 7th and 8th Avenues) | A, C, E, 1, 2 or 3 to 34 Street-Penn Station |
| Paul's Place | Manhattan | 114 West 14th Street | 1, 2, 3, F, L or M to 14th Street / 6th Avenue |
| 9th Avenue drop-in center | Manhattan | 771 9th Avenue, New York, NY 10019 | C or E to 50th Street (or A to 42nd Street, then C or E) |
| The Gathering Place | Brooklyn | 2402 Atlantic Avenue (between Sackman Street and Jardine Place) | A to Broadway Junction |
| QDIC (Queens Drop In Center) | Queens | 100-32 Atlantic Avenue (at 102 Street) | A to Rockaway Boulevard or J to 104 Street |
| Union Hall | Queens | 92-32 Union Hall Street, Jamaica, NY 11433 | F to 179 Street, or E, J, Z to Jamaica Parsons Archer |
| The Living Room | Bronx | 800 Barretto Street (at Lafayette Avenue) | 6 to Hunts Point Avenue |
| Project Hospitality | Staten Island | 150 Richmond Terrace (between Wall and Schuyler Streets) | A walk from the St. George Staten Island Ferry Terminal |
311 street outreach
Any statusFree
Nonprofit staff look for people on the streets and in the subway 24/7 and offer help; taking it is up to you. Ask for a team, for yourself or for someone you see outside, in the 311 app or by calling 311 and saying "Russian" for a free interpreter. If someone is in immediate danger or there is a crime, call 911.
Code Blue (cold) and Code Red (heat)
Any statusFree
Code Blue starts at 32 °F (0 °C) or lower, wind chill included. 311 says that while it is on, DHS drop-in centers and shelters, and over 50 hospitals, "operate with a full open-door policy": a homeless person can stay at any DHS shelter or drop-in center without the normal intake. In extreme heat (Code Red) and poor air (Code Grey) the same applies, and outreach teams check on people more often.
Safe Havens, Stabilization beds and Welcome Centers
Any statusFree
Three kinds of low-barrier DHS beds for people who live outside. Safe Havens are small transitional programs with hands-on case management. Stabilization beds are for people who can care for themselves. Welcome Centers assess your health and start applications for vouchers (rent subsidies) and supportive housing. An outreach team or a drop-in center usually refers you.
Coalition for the Homeless Crisis Intervention Program
Any status
The Coalition for the Homeless helps homeless people in New York. If you were denied shelter or need help with benefits or housing, call and leave a message with your number and what happened. They answer about New York City services only. You can also walk in by 9 AM: they see a limited number of people a day. The line is in English, so without English it is better to come in person.
PATH help line for families found not eligible
Any statusFree
For families and pregnant people told at PATH that they do not meet the shelter rules. The line is open 24/7. Say "Russian" and a free interpreter joins: DHS staff can reach phone interpreters 24/7.
The Legal Aid Society
Any statusFree
A nonprofit law office. Its Housing, Homelessness and Foreclosure pages explain intake for single adults and adult families, shelter rights for new arrivals and reasonable accommodations. QARAVAN has no lawyers and gives no legal services; for legal help with housing, contact Legal Aid.
NYC 24-Hour Domestic Violence Hotline
Any statusFree
For survivors of domestic violence, whether physical, psychological, sexual, emotional or financial: temporary housing, emergency shelter and support for you and your children. If you are in danger right now, call 911 first and say "Russian" for an interpreter. On the hotline (Safe Horizon answers it), say "Russian" too: it offers translation in more than 25 languages. There is also an online chat: safehorizon.org/hotline.
Project No Violence Again (NoVA) at PATH
Any statusFree
Human Resources Administration (HRA) social workers on the sixth floor of PATH see families who need emergency shelter because of domestic violence, help with placement and give referrals.
The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center (for LGBTQIA+ survivors)
Any statusFree
Helps LGBTQIA+ survivors of domestic violence. The City funds this work through HRA: crisis help, case management, counseling and housing help. If you do not speak English, start with the City hotline 1-800-621-4673, which offers translation.
Barrier Free Living (older adult survivors and survivors with disabilities)
Any statusFree
A domestic violence provider that the City funds, through HRA, for older adults and people with disabilities. If you do not speak English, start with the City hotline 1-800-621-4673, which offers translation.
Human Trafficking Resource Center hotline
Any statusFree
If you may be a victim of human trafficking, call, or text HELP to 233733, for help finding shelter, food, medical care and legal help. Immigrants may also get services and federal help with their immigration status. The hotline works in more than 200 languages: say "Russian". There is also a live chat at humantraffickinghotline.org.
- DHS
- The Department of Homeless Services, the City agency that operates intake sites and shelters. Part of the Department of Social Services (DSS), with HRA. It is not the federal Department of Homeland Security.
- Intake
- The first step: you apply at the site for your household, and staff interview you and decide where to place you.
- PATH
- Prevention Assistance and Temporary Housing office, the Bronx intake center for families with children and pregnant people.
- AFIC
- Adult Family Intake Center at 333 Bowery, the intake site for adult families with no children under 21.
- Drop-in center
- A 24-hour place for adults living outside, with meals, showers and case management, and referrals to shelter, Safe Havens or Stabilization beds; anyone can use it.
- Safe Haven
- A transitional program with overnight beds and lower requirements for people who live outside and do not accept regular shelter.
- Code Blue
- The City's cold weather emergency, in effect at 32 °F (0 °C) or lower, wind chill included.
- Fair Hearing
- A New York State hearing where you can challenge an agency decision, such as a shelter denial. Families have 60 days to ask for one.
- HRA
- The City's Human Resources Administration, the agency that handles benefits such as cash assistance, rent help and emergency payments.
- 311
- The City's information and complaints service. Use it online at portal.311.nyc.gov or in the 311 app; you can also dial 311 in New York City, or 212-639-9675 from elsewhere. Say "Russian" and a free interpreter joins.
- New Arrival
- The Legal Aid Society's term for someone who came to the United States on or after March 15, 2022 and fears returning to their home country.
- Voucher
- A housing subsidy: a voucher pays part of your rent to a landlord.
- Supportive housing
- Housing with services on site or nearby, such as case management and counseling, for people who need support to stay housed.
This is general information, not legal advice: QARAVAN has no lawyers. QARAVAN does not help anyone enter the US and cannot arrange visas, invitations, sponsorship or evacuation. For your own case, talk to a licensed immigration attorney or a representative accredited by the U.S. Department of Justice.
Sources, checked November 2026
- portal.311.nyc.gov/article/?kanumber=KA-02501
- nyc.gov/site/dhs/shelter/singleadults/single-adults-applying.p…
- nyc.gov/site/dhs/shelter/families/adult-families-applying.page
- nyc.gov/site/dhs/shelter/families/families-with-children-apply…
- legalaidnyc.org/get-help/housing-problems/what-you-need-to-kno…
- coalitionforthehomeless.org/our-programs/crisis-services/crisi…
- nyc.gov/site/dhs/outreach/street-outreach.page
- legalaidnyc.org/get-help/housing-problems
- nyc.gov/site/dhs/prevention/domestic-violence.page
- legalaidnyc.org
- safehorizon.org/hotline