Shelter Services

Through the State Grant-in-Aid (SGIA) program, New Hampshire's Bureau of Homeless Services (BHS) oversees 18 housing programs across 14 unique agencies. These programs offer low-barrier shelter and related services to help meet the needs of individuals, youth, and families experiencing homelessness.

Emergency Shelter 

In addition to providing low-barrier access to beds and helping meet the basic needs of shelter guests, Emergency Shelter (ES) programs may also provide additional services such as meals, assistance accessing affordable housing and mainstream resources, and/or comprehensive case management to work with guests to develop a plan for exiting homelessness.

Transitional Housing

Some Emergency Shelters may also have a Transitional Housing (TH) component, whereby guests receive additional support and skill-building training to ensure they will be ready to maintain their home once permanent housing has been secured. TH programs have specific admission requirements that guests must meet to be enrolled. 

Specialty Shelters

Specialty Shelters are programs intended to provide emergency shelter to specific subpopulations experiencing homelessness. The supports and resources available at these shelters are designed to meet the unique needs of those being served.

BHS also contracts with the New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence (NHCADSV) to provide funding to several Domestic Violence (DV) shelters statewide. NHCADSV is a statewide network of local crisis centers providing safe and empowering environments for victims and survivors of domestic and sexual violence. Guests served by these DV programs may also have ES or TH access, as well as other critical support services.

Cold Weather Shelter

Through the Cold Weather Shelter program, additional statewide shelter opportunities and related services have been made more accessible during the winter months. Each county across the state has a unique plan in place and resource access may vary across counties.