Columbus Family Shelter Intake 2026–27: How the Homeless Hotline, Diversion, and Placement Work
Updated: 1 day ago
If your family is about to lose a place to sleep in Columbus or anywhere in Franklin County, there is one door: the Homeless Hotline at (614) 274-7000. It's open 24 hours a day. You can't simply walk into a family shelter. Families are placed through the hotline and a diversion process run under the Community Shelter Board (CSB) system.
This guide explains each stage of that process, what staff will ask, and what you can do to move through it.
Last reviewed: October 2026. How we research and correct guides like this one is explained in our Editorial Standards.
Shelter procedures can change. The hotline has the final word.
The Path at a Glance
Call the Homeless Hotline, (614) 274-7000, any time.
Phone assessment and diversion. The hotline looks for any safe place you could stay instead of shelter.
Standby list. If that doesn't work, your family goes on a standby list.
Family Diversion (Gladden Community House) calls you and tries again, by phone and then face to face.
Possible "Overnight Only" stay while you wait for that appointment.
Shelter referral to the Van Buren Center or the YWCA Family Center if you can't be diverted.
Stage 1: The Hotline Call
CSB's procedures say the hotline (also called CPOA/HH) runs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It does a preliminary triage and assessment and explores diversion with a standardized Housing Crisis Needs Assessment.
What "diversion" means here: Staff will ask, in detail, whether there's any safe option besides shelter tonight. That might be a relative, a friend, or help to stay where you are. Answer honestly. If staying somewhere isn't safe, say so and say why.
Have ready when you call:
the names and ages of everyone in your household;
where you stayed last night, and where you can stay tonight, if anywhere;
why you can't return there;
any income and benefits;
a phone number where you can be reached. Keep that phone charged and answer unknown numbers.
Stage 2: Standby List and Family Diversion
Per CSB's procedures, if the hotline can't divert your family, it puts you on a standby list. That list is monitored throughout the day by Gladden Community House Family Diversion.
What happens next:
Family Diversion calls every family on the standby list and tries diversion again.
If the crisis can't be solved by phone, Family Diversion sets up a face-to-face meeting as soon as possible to look at more options.
If you need somewhere to stay while waiting, Family Diversion may schedule an emergency overnight stay ("Overnight Only"). Your diversion appointment is then set for the next business day.
Important rules from the procedures:
If you don't use the Overnight Only bed, or miss the face-to-face appointment more than once in a given time frame, CSB's procedures say staff will assume your family has somewhere safe to stay.
If Family Diversion sees a pattern of asking for help and not using it, it may hold off on deciding eligibility until you meet with a diversion specialist.
What this means for you: Show up to the overnight bed and the appointment, or call ahead if something comes up. Missing them can delay your placement.
Stage 3: Who Is Eligible for Family Shelter
Under CSB's family emergency shelter rules, which apply to the YMCA Van Buren Family Shelter and the YWCA Family Center, a household must meet all of these:
At least one child under 18 in the legal custody of an adult in the household. A young person 18 or older still in high school, or in special circumstances, can also count. Families get a reasonable amount of time to prove custody, using school paperwork, TANF or medical documents, court papers, or a Franklin County Children Services statement.
Currently in Franklin County.
Not living in an institution such as a hospital, jail, or treatment program. The exception is if you were in shelter or unsheltered right before entering it.
Unsheltered tonight, or about to be. That means no safe housing, staying somewhere not meant for sleeping (a car, park, abandoned building, or station), and no other safe option tonight.
Family shelter is the right fit, rather than a domestic violence shelter, psychiatric care, or another specialized program.
Adults can care for themselves and the children, including daily activities and medications.
You agree to basic shelter rules and to work on an Individualized Housing Stabilization Plan (IHSP) to get into housing as quickly as possible.
Behavior doesn't create safety or health risks.
Not a convicted sex offender subject to community notification.
No family member has an active warrant of a violent nature.
No restraining order against anyone in the household entering shelter.
If you've been in shelter within the last 90 days: You must meet with shelter staff within 2 business days of re-entry. If you left unsuccessfully or were exited involuntarily, you'll generally need to show some effort toward housing, income, or services. You may be admitted only on conditions.
If you're fleeing domestic violence, tell the hotline. CSB's rules say family shelter is for families not better served by another system, such as a domestic violence shelter.
Stage 4: Placement
CSB's procedures say that if diversion doesn't work, Family Diversion refers your family to shelter based on eligibility. Admission does not depend on bed availability. All families who need shelter are referred to the Van Buren Center or the YWCA Family Center.
How placement works:
The two shelters have fixed units: 64 at Van Buren and 50 at the YWCA Family Center. When both have room, Family Diversion alternates placements.
When fixed units are full, families go to Van Buren overflow first, then YWCA Family Center overflow.
When both are full, the procedures say the family is referred to Van Buren and may be asked to stay in chairs or cots until a unit opens, or placed in another family overflow location.
Be prepared for a first night that may not be in a private room.
Stage 5: Life in Shelter
At the YWCA Family Center (900 Harvey Ct., 614-224-9121), YWCA Columbus says each family gets a family advocate who helps with the housing and job search. Advocates refer parents to child care, financial literacy, mental health, health care, and eviction prevention education. There's also a space for adults to search for jobs and housing online.
Staying eligible: CSB's rules say families must keep meeting the eligibility criteria to stay. A family may be moved out or transferred if:
a safe housing option becomes available;
the family has enough resources for other housing, even temporary housing such as a motel;
the family refuses agreed-upon steps in the IHSP after repeated, documented chances;
someone sells drugs on site, persistently breaks rules, or threatens or assaults someone.
Work your IHSP. It's the plan your shelter uses to measure progress. Following it is how you keep your place and how you get out faster.
What to Bring
IDs for adults, and anything showing custody of the children (school records, Medicaid or TANF letters, court papers);
medications and prescriptions;
phone and charger;
benefit letters and pay stubs. These help with the housing plan;
school information for the children.
FAQ
What number do I call for family shelter in Columbus? The Homeless Hotline at (614) 274-7000. It's open 24 hours a day.
Can I go straight to the YWCA Family Center? Placement goes through the hotline and Family Diversion, which make the final eligibility and placement decision.
Will I be turned away if shelters are full? CSB's procedures say admission doesn't depend on bed availability. Families may stay in overflow, including chairs or cots, until a unit opens.
What if I miss my diversion appointment? Missing the Overnight Only bed or the appointment more than once can lead staff to assume you have somewhere safe to stay. Call ahead if you can't make it.
Do I need proof of custody right away? CSB says families get a reasonable amount of time to produce custody documents.
Related Guides
More help in Columbus
Every guide we have for Columbus is listed on our Columbus financial help hub. Related guides for the same area:
Sources
Community Shelter Board, Homeless Crisis Response System Policies and Procedures (FY2026): https://www.csb.org/cdn/FY26-HCRS-P-P-Final.pdf
Community Shelter Board: https://www.csb.org/
YWCA Columbus, YWCA Family Center: https://www.ywcacolumbus.org/housing/ywca-family-center
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