Resources
Check out our resources and share with our youth homelessness to help with their basic needs.
The Rental Assistance Program (RAP) provides funding to Chicagoans who are at risk of becoming homeless. RAP helps Chicagoans who have housing right now, but who may become homeless soon because they lost income or had another eligible emergency which prevents them from paying rent.
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For more information, check here.
Starting January 2021, the Chicago Department of Family and Support Services (DFSS) will work alongside The Salvation Army Metropolitan Division, based in Chicago, to operate and oversee the Mobile Crisis Response and Shelter Referral Program (MCRSRP) for homeless services.
The MCRSRP program provides 24/7 response to non, life-threatening requests for residents experiencing homelessness and crisis – including connecting clients to homeless shelters and wraparound services for behavioral health, substance abuse, domestic violence and more.
By calling Chicago’s 311 City Services, residents experiencing a housing crisis or domestic violence are quickly connected to an available shelter bed with a trauma-informed response. The shelter placement process involves significant coordination with individual shelter providers, handling discharge and grievances and ensuring that families are appropriately matched and placed intact.
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How It Works
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A resident calls 311 to request shelter or other homeless services.
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The Salvation Army responds to the request and matches the resident with an available shelter bed and/or linkage to a wraparound service.
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The Salvation Army provides pick-up and drop-off transportation from where the resident is to the shelter bed location.
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Residents Should Call 311 to Request Homeless Services
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Shelter requests
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Well-being checks
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Transportation to cooling or warming centers
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24/7 Response
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Homeless services available through the Mobile Crisis Response and Shelter Referral Program (MCRSRP) are available 24/7/365, including Holidays. Residents must call 311 to request service.
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For more information, check here.
Rapid Re-housing is an intervention designed to help individuals and families that don't need intensive and ongoing supports to quickly exit homelessness and return to permanent housing. Rapid re-housing assistance is offered without preconditions — like employment, income, absence of criminal record, or sobriety — and the resources and services provided are tailored to the unique needs of the household.
For more information, check here.
DFSS has two roles in managing Chicago’s homeless shelter system: funding and coordination of shelter placement. DFSS funds and oversees a network of overnight and interim housing shelter programs that includes over 3,000 shelter beds at 50 separate facilities operated by 29 different delegates. Second, DFSS is integral to the coordination of shelter placement for Chicago residents.
Residents in crisis seek shelter primarily though the 311 system, police stations or hospital emergency rooms. DFSS funds a delegate agency to respond to shelter requests around the clock. This includes transportation, triage and the placement of individuals and families in open shelter beds across the city. If you are in need of shelter, please go to a hospital emergency room or police station and call 311.
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Chicago Rental Assistance Program programs will offer assistance with up to 12 months of unpaid or past due rent and up to 3 months of future rent. Maximum rental assistance, program timelines, locations served, application process, and additional types of assistance will vary.
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For more information, check here.
DFSS’ Homeless Outreach and Prevention (HOP) team and our delegate agencies work to engage unsheltered homeless residents living near railroad tracks, bridges, the Chicago River, viaducts and alleys, Chicago Parks and CTA train stations into services that will lead to housing or shelter.
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DFSS also funds 8 agencies that operate daytime drop-in centers that offer homeless residents basic needs services such as meals, showers, laundry and quiet safe places.
Visit: https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/fss/provdrs/emerg/svcs/homeless_outreachandengagement.html
The Coordinated Entry System is designed to ensure that all people experiencing a housing crisis have fair and equal access to the service system, no matter where or when they present for services. A key feature is that it coordinates housing and homeless assistance to prioritize those with the most severe service needs. It requires that homeless residents or those who are at risk of homelessness, are quickly identified, assessed, referred, and connected to housing and homeless assistance based on their needs and strengths. Coordinated entry requires standardized tools and practices, incorporates a system-side Housing-First approach, and focuses on participant choice to rapidly connect Chicagoans to housing. If you are in need of a housing assessment, visit: http://www.csh.org/chicagoaccess for a list of Coordinated Entry System access points.
Anyone sleeping in a shelter, outside, in a vehicle, or any place not meant for human habitation can call the Coordinated Entry Call Center at 312-361-1707 to complete a housing assessment. The call center is open Monday through Friday from 8:30am – 4:00pm. Please note, this may or may not lead to a housing option and does not solve your immediate housing crisis.
ACCESS TO SHELTER If you are in need of shelter please call 3-1-1 to request transportation to a shelter.
Operated by the Salvation Army, this new facility is designed to meet the needs of families as they await placement and serve as the hub access point under the coordinated entry system. Families at EHARC will receive diversion assessment and diversion services if appropriate. The facility will provide families awaiting shelter placement low, demand services (including meals, showers and play space for children) and short-term stays.
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Note: ERHAC is designed to assist families only; individuals have an alternate placement process. The goal is to triage, divert, or place households in more stable shelter programs as quickly as possible.
If you are in need of shelter placement, contact 311. For additional information on EHARC, check here.
