Shelter + Care Program
The Shelter Plus Care Program (S+C) provides rental assistance for hard-to-serve homeless persons with disabilities in connection with supportive services funded from sources outside the program.
Shelter Plus Care is a program designed to provide housing and supportive services on a long-term basis for homeless persons with disabilities, (primarily those with serious mental illness, chronic problems with alcohol and/or drugs, and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) or related diseases) and their families who are living in places not intended for human habitation (e.g., streets) or in emergency shelters.
Local S+C projects are typically implemented through partnerships that include:
  • A grantee;
  • One or more nonprofit housing sponsors that own or coordinate leasing of housing for program participants; and
  • A network of supportive service providers
S+C Waiting List is Currently: Open
Useful Downloads:
S+C Brochure
S+C Pre-Application
Program Purpose
The purpose of the program is to provide permanent housing in connection with supportive services to homeless people with disabilities and their families.
The primary target populations are homeless people who have:
  •  serious mental illness; and/or
  •  chronic problems with alcohol, drugs or both; and/or
  •  acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) or related diseases.
Program Goals
The goals of the Shelter Plus Care Program are to assist homeless individuals and their families to:
  •  Increase their housing stability;
  •  Increase their skills and/or income; and
  •  Obtain greater self-sufficiency.

How to begin receiving Shelter Plus Care benefits?

Eligible Participants
  • A “homeless” person, who is also
  • A “person with disabilities” (primarily SMI, Chronic SA, Dual, or AIDS), who is also
  • A “very low income” person – meaning “a (family) income not to exceed 50% of area median income.”
  • Or the “homeless” (and very low income) family member of such a person
S+C Definition of Homelessness

The S+C Program specifically targets homeless persons who:

  • Are sleeping in places not meant for human habitation, such as cars, parks, sidewalks, and abandoned or condemned buildings; or are sleeping in emergency shelters.
  • This may include persons who ordinarily sleep in one of the above places but are spending a short time (30 consecutive days or less) in a hospital or other institution.
Eligible Disabilities

A person shall be considered to have a disability if such person:

  • Has a physical, mental or emotional impairment which is expected to be of long continued and indefinite duration; substantially impedes his or her ability to live independently; and is of such a nature that such ability could be improved by more suitable housing conditions, or
  • Has a severe and chronic developmental disability.
The program provides rental assistance for a variety of housing choices, accompanied by a range of supportive services funded by other sources.