San Diego Family Shelter Intake 2026–27: How to Get a Shelter Referral With Children
In the City of San Diego, families can't usually just show up at a shelter and get a bed. Shelter beds go through a Coordinated Intake System. An outreach worker meets with you, enters you into a database, and an Intake Coordinator matches you to an open bed. The way in is 2-1-1.
This guide explains that process for families with children: who to call, what outreach staff will check, what to bring, and what to do in the meantime.
Last checked October 2026. Facts come from the City of San Diego's Coordinated Intake System page, Alpha Project's Family Shelter page, the Regional Task Force on Homelessness (RTFH) access site list, and the California Department of Social Services (CDSS). Shelter availability changes daily. This is general information, not legal advice.
If You're in Danger Right Now
Emergency: call 9-1-1.
Domestic violence: the RTFH access site list points families to the 24/7 domestic violence hotline at (888) 799-7233. DV shelters use a separate, confidential process.
Step 1: Call 2-1-1 San Diego
The City says you can get connected to an outreach team by contacting 2-1-1 San Diego. Alpha Project, which runs the City's Family Shelter, gives the same instructions: call 211 to be connected to an Outreach Team for a shelter referral.
What to say: "I'm homeless with my children tonight, and I need to be connected to an outreach team for a Coordinated Shelter Intake referral." Give the number of people, the children's ages, and where you are right now (a car, a friend's couch for one more night, outdoors).
You can also email the Family Shelter at familyshelter@alphaproject.org, which Alpha Project lists as a contact. Don't email in place of calling 2-1-1. Do both.
Step 2: Meet With Outreach
The City says outreach staff will first look you up in, or enroll you in, the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS). HMIS tracks your use of homeless services across San Diego.
Outreach staff then check basic eligibility. The City lists:
You're currently experiencing unsheltered homelessness.
The City also says some shelters have extra criteria based on who they serve or how they're funded, such as age, gender identity, income, or substance use or mental health conditions.
Before referring you, the City says outreach staff will also:
confirm you can independently handle daily living activities, including hygiene;
confirm you're not intoxicated and don't have an urgent medical condition needing immediate care; and
help you cut your belongings down to fit shelter rules. The City says outreach can help you store other property in its free off-site storage program.
Tip: Pack the essentials before outreach arrives: documents, medications, school items, chargers, a few changes of clothes per person. Think about what goes to storage.
Step 3: The Intake Coordinator Match
The City says the Intake Coordinator reviews the information, confirms eligibility, and matches you with the most appropriate available shelter. It says this typically takes 30 minutes to an hour. Often, the outreach worker can drive you to the shelter, where staff help you settle in.
Hours: The City says coordinated intakes happen seven days a week, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., except City holidays. Intakes outside those hours can happen in special circumstances, as staffing and beds allow.
Practical point: Call 2-1-1 early in the day. A call at 2:30 p.m. leaves little time for outreach to reach you before intake closes.
About the City Family Shelter
Alpha Project says the Family Shelter is a City of San Diego program, administered by the San Diego Housing Commission (SDHC) and operated by Alpha Project for the Homeless. It describes:
42 units for families with children experiencing homelessness;
supportive services to prepare for longer-term or permanent housing; and
participation in San Diego's Coordinated Entry System (CES), which assesses each family's needs and vulnerability.
Intakes go through the Coordinated Shelter Intake Process, the same 2-1-1 and outreach route above.
Coordinated Entry Access Sites
Separate from tonight's shelter bed, Coordinated Entry is how families get assessed for longer-term housing help. The RTFH publishes a list of Coordinated Entry System Access Sites by region. Central Region sites on the February 2026 list include:
The Salvation Army Door of Hope, 2799 Health Center Dr., (858) 279-1100, Mon–Fri 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
Alpha Project for the Homeless, 3737 5th Ave., (619) 542-1877.
Catholic Charities Diocese of San Diego, 3888 Paducah Dr., (619) 323-2841, Mon–Fri 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
Veterans Village of San Diego, 4141 Pacific Highway, (619) 393-2000, Mon–Fri 7 a.m.–4 p.m. (veteran singles and families only).
Dreams for Change Safe Parking Program, (619) 497-0236, for people living in a vehicle; phone screening required.
RTFH's own cautions: Each site offers different things, so call ahead. Connecting with an access site doesn't guarantee housing or shelter. Stay in regular contact and report major changes.
Documents to Bring (If You Have Them)
Don't let missing papers stop you from calling. Bring what you can:
ID for adults.
Birth certificates or other proof of each child's identity and relationship to you.
Social Security cards or numbers.
Benefit letters: CalFresh, Medi-Cal, CalWORKs, SSI.
Proof of income, if any.
An eviction notice, a lockout notice, or a letter from the person you were staying with, if you have one.
Children's school information and medication lists.
Store photos of these on your phone in case originals are lost.
Money Help for Families on CalWORKs
If your family gets CalWORKs or may qualify, ask the County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) about CalWORKs Homeless Assistance. It can pay for temporary shelter and help with permanent housing costs for eligible families.
Check current rules. CDSS issued a new letter on October 9, 2026 (ACL 26-69) about implementing Senate Bill 1415 in the Homeless Assistance program. Ask HHSA how the current rules apply to your family before you count on a set number of days or dollars.
Keeping Kids in School
Children experiencing homelessness have education rights under the federal McKinney-Vento Act, including staying in their school of origin when that's in their best interest. Ask your child's school for its homeless liaison.
Common Mistakes
Going shelter to shelter in person. Families waste a day this way. City beds go through coordinated intake.
Calling 2-1-1 late in the afternoon. Intake runs 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Missing outreach's callback. Keep your phone charged and answer unknown numbers.
Bringing too much. Shelters have storage limits; ask outreach about off-site storage.
Treating an access site as a guaranteed bed. RTFH says it isn't.
Not applying for CalWORKs or CalFresh while staying in shelter.
FAQ
How do I get into a family shelter in San Diego? Call 2-1-1 San Diego and ask to be connected with an outreach team for a Coordinated Shelter Intake referral.
What hours does intake run? The City says seven days a week, 8 a.m.–3 p.m., except City holidays. Special circumstances may allow other times.
How long does the match take? The City says it typically takes 30 minutes to an hour.
Can I contact the Family Shelter directly? Alpha Project lists familyshelter@alphaproject.org, and says intakes go through the coordinated process via 2-1-1.
Does going to an access site get me housing? Not necessarily. RTFH says it's a starting point and doesn't guarantee assistance.
Related Guides
Sources
City of San Diego, Coordinated Intake System: https://www.sandiego.gov/homelessness-strategies-and-solutions/services/coordinated-intake-system
Alpha Project, Family Shelter: https://alphaproject.org/what-we-do/programs-services/family-shelter.html
Regional Task Force on Homelessness, Coordinated Entry System Access Sites (Feb. 2026): https://www.rtfhsd.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Access-Sites_Feb-2.27.26.pdf
CDSS, CalWORKs Homeless Assistance: https://www.cdss.ca.gov/inforesources/cdss-programs/housing-programs/calworks-homeless-assistance
National Center for Homeless Education (U.S. Dept. of Education), School Selection & Best Interest: https://nche.ed.gov/school-selection/
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