No Room at the Shelter, Now What?

This article was updated in 2022. The original was published in 2015.

Imagine fleeing an abusive partner only to be turned away at your local shelter due to lack of space. According to the National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV), on a single day in 2021:  “[Domestic violence] victims made 9,444 requests for services—including emergency shelter, housing, transportation, childcare, legal representation, and other support needs—that programs could not provide because they lacked the resources. Approximately 64 percent of these unmet requests were for housing and emergency shelter.” 

For many of those turned away, it means either returning to an abuser or entering life on the streets. According to  The National Center on Family Homelessness, 50 percent of women who are homeless report that domestic violence was the cause of their homelessness. 

Ruth Glenn, executive director of the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence says, “The interesting paradox about homelessness and domestic violence is we’re seeing more homeless women who are domestic violence survivors, even though their domestic violence hasn’t been recent. It’s taxing domestic violence programs.” 

So, what other options do domestic violence survivors have if their local shelter is full?

Hotel Vouchers for Domestic Violence Victims

Some domestic violence programs offer hotel or motel vouchers for survivors when no rooms are available at local shelters. These vouchers are often only available for a few nights but can work as a temporary solution to get out of an unsafe situation.

There are also non-shelter programs intended to help survivors secure safe, temporary housing such as Control Alt Delete, which can also provide basic needs care kits, transportation assistance and other help breaking down the barriers keeping you with an abusive partner. 

Local charities and religious organizations such as United Way, The Salvation Army, and churches, synagogues and mosques may also have access to hotel or motel vouchers for emergency situations. 

Transitional Housing for Domestic Violence Victims

Transitional housing is usually the next step after an emergency shelter or hotel stay but before new permanent housing. Residents at transitional housing usually stay anywhere from six months to two years and are encouraged to reach goals around economic stability. Usually transitional housing are apartments or other kinds of rental units. These programs often come with rental assistance and support services to help survivors learn important skills such as financial literacy and access treatment for trauma. 

Depending on your situation, you might qualify for transitional housing without a shelter stay. Contact your local domestic violence program to ask for available resources. 

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Emergency Assistance 

TANF funds are state-based programs intended to provide short-term emergency help to families who are homeless or at a risk of becoming homeless. TANF assistance can be a resource for low-income domestic violence survivors who need temporary help with paying rent, security deposits, utilities or moving expenses. TANF funds are generally a one-time-use case. 

You can apply for TANF help with your county social services office.

Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC)

The LIHTC program is the largest federal program designed to encourage the creation of affordable rental housing for low-income U.S. families. The Violence Against Women Act includes housing protections for domestic abuse survivors to apply for and live in LIHTC housing. 

Your local domestic violence shelter or domestic violence coalition can help you apply for LIHTC housing.

Look Outside DV Organizations

It is also important to know that in many communities, there are more options than your nearest shelter. For example, while they may not have the same programs and resources as a shelter dedicated to domestic violence survivors, homeless shelters do provide emergency shelter that gets you (and if necessary, your children) out of a dangerous situation until you can connect with a domestic abuse advocate. Find the nearest homeless program to you.

Don’t discount family and friends, either—your safety is worth exhausting every possible option. If you’re able to turn to someone you know for a place to stay (even temporarily), make sure it’s at a location that the abuser doesn’t know. It’s common for abusers to track victims, showing up at doors or manipulating well-meaning family or friends into telling them where the victim is. It’s a good idea to turn off your phone when you’re escaping so that the abuser doesn’t have a way to contact you; but if you can’t do that, make sure geolocation options are turned off so you can’t be traced via apps or malware. 

If you need to pay to stay somewhere, make sure to use cash. Debit or credit cards can also be traced. This makes motels a safer option than a service like AirBnB.

Always Connect With a Domestic Violence Advocate

Even if your local shelter is full, it’s crucial to connect with a local shelter or domestic violence program. Advocates at these programs will help you learn more about and apply for resources available to you. To find a complete list of domestic violence programs in your area, enter your zip code in our ”find help” search tool or call the hotline for your state's coalition against domestic violence. 

The National Domestic Violence Hotline also offers a 24/7 hotline (1-800-799-7233), live online chat, or text (text “START” to 88788) support for domestic violence survivors.

Abusers will often use financial or coercive control to convince victims and survivors to return to an unsafe situation under the guise of safety (“I’m so sorry, I’ll never touch you again.”) or stability (“You can’t afford to live anywhere else, I pay your rent.”). These forms of manipulation are very dangerous⁠—abusers know how to say what victims need to hear and will go to extreme lengths to get a victim to return to an unsafe situation where the abuser has as much power and control as possible.

That’s why it’s key not to give up if you’re turned away from a shelter. According to the DomesticShelters.org Advocate Community, if shelters don’t have space, many will continue to work with domestic violence survivors to find them a place to stay. This might include calling other shelters or programs in the area, utilizing referral services, or even finding housing in another county. DV advocates will work with victims to create a safety plan that helps discuss and outline options on how to handle unsafe situations for both the victim and their children, if necessary.