Information can change. Call ahead when possible. A listing does not guarantee a bed, appointment, service, job, benefit, or approval. If you have nowhere to sleep tonight, start with Emergency shelters.
If you have nowhere to sleep tonight: go to the intake center that matches your household. City intake centers are open 24 hours a day, every day, including holidays. Applying at intake is the first step; the intake sites below are not the final shelter placement. Immigration status does not affect access, and interpreters are available.
Single adults are strongly encouraged to bring identification, but NYC says it is not required. Families should bring identification and documents for all household members if possible. Call 311 for directions or reasonable-accommodation information. The City does not provide transportation to intake.
Hours: 24 hours, 7 days a week
Service: DHS emergency-shelter intake for single men. This is an intake center, not a promise of a bed at this address.
Last verified: 2026-11-10
Phone: 929-281-2330
HELP Women's Center: 114 Snediker Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11207Phone: 718-483-7700
Hours: both intake centers are open 24 hours, 7 days a week
Last verified: 2026-11-10
Hours: 24 hours, 7 days a week
Who it serves: adult couples and qualifying adult family units with no children under 21. Bring identification and documents showing the family relationship.
Last verified: 2026-11-10
Phone: 718-503-6400
Hours: 24 hours, 7 days a week
Who it serves: families with children under 21, single pregnant individuals, and families that include a pregnant person. All family members must be present. Bring household identification and relationship documents if possible.
Last verified: 2026-11-10
Phone: 212-226-6214
Intake: daily at 3 p.m. for women and 3:45 p.m. for men
Services: up to 7 nights, meals, showers, clothing, case management, and referrals. Walk in or call. Space is limited; availability is not guaranteed.
Last verified: 2026-11-10
Phone: 212-674-3456
Meals: breakfast at 8 a.m., lunch at 1 p.m., and dinner at 5:30 p.m., every day. No identification required.
Religious information: a short Christian chapel service begins 30 minutes before each meal. Attendance is not required to receive food.
Last verified: 2026-11-10
Phone: 212-924-0167
Meals and social services: weekdays, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Religious information: operated at the Episcopal Church of the Holy Apostles. The official service page does not state that worship is required for a meal.
Last verified: 2026-11-10
The two religious organizations below provide practical help to anyone. Their faith identity is included so visitors can make an informed choice.
Tradition: Christian, operated by Christian Herald Association.
Practical help: free meals, showers, clothing, medical outreach, emergency shelter, case management, employment help, and pastoral care.
Participation: chapel precedes meals, but attendance is not required to receive a meal. Longer residential programs are faith-based; ask about program expectations before enrolling.
Contacts: Bowery Campus, 212-674-3456; Tribeca shelter, 212-226-6214.
Tradition: Episcopal.
Practical help: weekday soup kitchen and social-service assistance at 296 Ninth Avenue.
Contact: soup kitchen 212-924-0167; church 212-807-6799.
Hours: 24 hours, 7 days a week, including holidays
Services at NYC drop-in centers: showers, laundry, hot meals, clothing, case management, health connections, job help, and benefits help. Drop-in centers are open to everyone regardless of immigration status.
Important: a drop-in center is not an overnight shelter with beds. Ask staff about current service timing when you arrive.
Last verified: 2026-11-10
Women: Monday, first 15 women; register at reception between 7 and 8 a.m.
Men: Wednesday through Friday, first 20 men; line up outside between 6 and 6:30 a.m.
Program starts: 9:30 a.m. First come, first served. Hygiene items and clean clothing are provided as needed.
Last verified: 2026-11-10
NYC drop-in centers provide clothing as part of their services. The Olivieri Center is a 24-hour Manhattan location. The Bowery Mission provides clean clothing through its limited, first-come shower program and a clothing closet for overnight guests. Availability and sizes can change; ask before traveling.
Call 911 for a medical emergency. For a mental health or substance use crisis, call or text 988.
Phone: 646-692-2273
Services: primary care, mental health and substance use treatment, prescriptions, vaccinations, and other care through NYC Health + Hospitals.
Cost and eligibility: sliding-scale fees can start at $0. The program is for New Yorkers who do not have health insurance and cannot afford private insurance, regardless of immigration status. Enrollment is not automatic.
Last verified: 2026-11-10
Hours: Tuesday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Thursday, 2 to 5 p.m.
Services: free medical care through a Project Renewal mobile medical van, regardless of insurance status.
Last verified: 2026-11-10
Care For the Homeless also provides health care at locations across the city; use its official “Find Care in NYC” directory for a current site.
Free or public restrooms are available in some parks, libraries, public spaces, and transit hubs. Hours and working status change. Use the City's official map and check the location details before traveling.
Services: free public internet and computer access at library locations in Manhattan, the Bronx, and Staten Island. Brooklyn and Queens have separate public-library systems.
What to do: use the official location finder for current hours. Ask branch staff about computer reservations, library-card requirements, power outlets, restrooms, and accessibility before relying on a specific branch.
People ages 14 through 24 can use city-funded youth drop-in centers for phone charging, food, clothing, showers, laundry, health connections, job support, and shelter referrals. See official youth drop-in locations and hours.
No general free-transit program for all adults experiencing homelessness was confirmed. These official programs may help:
HRA Infoline: 718-557-1399
Programs: Cash Assistance, SNAP food benefits, Medicaid for eligible groups, emergency grants, rental help, and other benefits.
How to apply: online through ACCESS HRA or in person at an HRA Benefits Access Center. Requirements vary. Applying does not guarantee approval.
Bring whatever documents you have. If you lack identification or a permanent address, tell the worker and ask what alternative proof is accepted.
Contact: call 311 and ask for “Workforce1.”
Services: free one-to-one career help, job matching, recruitment events, résumé and interview workshops, job-search resources, and training referrals. Help is available online, by phone, and in person at centers across the five boroughs.
Eligibility: people age 18 or older who are legally authorized to work in the United States. ACCESS NYC also lists NYC residence as a requirement; ask Workforce1 how to document residence if you do not have a permanent address.
Last verified: 2026-11-10
Services: free appointments for help writing or formatting a résumé and cover letter, completing applications, finding job boards, and locating training or interview clothing.
Availability: in person or remotely by phone or Google Meet. Appointments open weekly and may fill.
Phone: 212-226-6214
Services: job-search assistance, career coaching, résumé support, training, tutoring, and interview preparation for people accepted into its faith-based residential programs.
Important: this is not a general walk-in job center. Ask about residential-program admission and expectations.
Contact: call 311. For eviction or housing-court help, say “Tenant Helpline.”
Services: free legal help may be available for eviction, housing, immigration, wage theft, employment, and other civil matters. You do not need to be an HRA client, and immigration status does not prevent access to the service.
Important: eligibility and representation depend on the case. A lawyer working through the City's program will not ask you to pay.
Service: free city photo identification for NYC residents age 10 and older.
If you have no stable address: a City agency, nonprofit, religious institution, hospital, or health clinic can provide an official letter establishing NYC residency. The card can omit an address. An eligible organization may also permit its address to appear as a “care-of” address.
How to start: review the document guide and make an enrollment-center appointment. Approval depends on the documents accepted by IDNYC.
For a birth certificate, Social Security card, state ID, or driver's license, ask a shelter or drop-in case manager about the correct issuing agency, accepted address proof, and possible fee assistance. Do not pay an unofficial service to obtain government documents.
Service: free mail pickup at an authorized Post Office without a street address. Availability, identification rules, and how long mail is held depend on the facility.
Before using it: contact the Post Office to confirm that it offers General Delivery and ask for the correct ZIP Code and pickup rules.
Address format:
YOUR NAME
GENERAL DELIVERY
CITY STATE ZIP
Some shelters, drop-in centers, nonprofits, and religious organizations may receive mail for active clients. Ask the organization first; never use its address without permission.
HRA Infoline: 718-557-1399
Help available: an allowance for storage of furniture and personal belongings may be available during temporary shelter, eviction, or relocation if the person qualifies for Cash Assistance or Emergency Assistance.
How to request it: apply through ACCESS HRA, or ask an outreach team, shelter case manager, or HRA worker for help. Eligibility and size or cost limits apply.
Phone: 877-424-3838
Hours: 24 hours, 7 days a week
Services: free, confidential connection to VA homeless programs, health care, housing services, and local VA staff. Veterans, family, friends, and service providers may call.
Crisis: call 988 and press 1, or text 838255.
Phone: 800-621-HOPE (4673)
Emergency: call or text 911 if you are in immediate danger.
Services: free, confidential support for domestic or intimate-partner violence, sexual violence, trafficking, stalking, elder abuse, and other crimes. Advocates can help with safety planning, shelter options, and referrals in multiple languages.
Privacy: shelter addresses are confidential and are not published here. If an abuser may monitor your device, calling can be safer than browsing.
Important: NYC DHS does not allow pets to live in shelter with clients. Service animals are permitted. Requests involving emotional support animals are considered individually. Do not surrender an animal before asking about prevention or temporary-care options.
Phone: 212-788-4000
Help: ACC counselors may be able to connect owners with resources intended to keep people and pets together, reduced-cost veterinary care, or placement options. Appointments are recommended for intake.
Domestic violence: call 800-621-HOPE (4673) and tell the advocate that you need safety with a pet; some programs may allow survivors and pets to stay together.
Public-transit fares and service can change. Check the official MTA pages before traveling. For the correct shelter intake center after reaching the city, call 311.
Lower-cost route toward Manhattan: take the AirTrain to Jamaica Station, then take the subway toward Manhattan. The MTA also lists an AirTrain connection at Howard Beach.
Approximate fare: $11.75 for most riders: $8.75 AirTrain plus $3 subway. Unlimited passes do not cover AirTrain.
Time: varies by terminal, wait time, destination, and overnight service; the MTA advises allowing extra time.
Lower-cost route toward Midtown: take the free Q70 bus to Jackson Heights-Roosevelt Avenue or 74 Street-Broadway, then take the subway toward Manhattan. The M60 bus connects the airport with Upper Manhattan.
Approximate fare: $3 for the subway plus free Q70 bus; the M60 costs $3 for most riders.
Time: the MTA says the trip can take up to an hour or more depending on the route and traffic.
Call 311 to request outreach for a person living on the street or subway. Call 911 for a medical emergency, immediate danger, or a person on subway tracks.
Drop-in centers offer a place to come indoors, hot meals, clothing, showers, laundry, case management, health connections, job help, and benefits help. All listed City centers are open 24 hours a day, every day. They are not shelters with beds.
Extreme cold or heat: call 311 or ask a drop-in center about current warming or cooling locations. During a City Code Blue, additional open-door rules apply at shelters, drop-in centers, and designated hospitals.