READY TO USE
Getting someone into the housing system (coordinated entry)
A client is homeless and needs to get on the path to a housing program.
What changed
Recent change
The regional DV hotline (SAFEDVS) closed in May 2026, but the regional Get Help page still listed it on October 4, 2026. For domestic violence, use the DV shelter guide instead.
Start here
Do this today
- 1
Confirm who is in the household: single adult, family with minor children, youth, veteran, or someone fleeing violence. Each has its own front door.
- 2
Send or bring them to the matching access point below and get the assessment done. Write down the date, the place, and who completed it.
- 3
Start a ready packet the same day: ID, Social Security card, birth certificate, and proof of income or no income. Housing offers move fast.
- 4
Set up at least two ways to reach them: their phone, a backup person, an email, and a place they check in.
- 5
Check in on a set schedule and update their contact details every time. Being on the list is not the same as being housed.
Real starting points
Who to call
Brian Garcia Welcome Center (single adults 18+)
- Phone
- 602-229-5155
- Hours
- Ask about assessment hours when you call. Published hours differ between sources.
- Who qualifies
- Single adults 18 and older experiencing homelessness. The regional Continuum of Care lists it as the front door for single adults.
- Next step
- Call before travel, then bring the client for an assessment.
Central Arizona Shelter Services, Glendale (single adults, West Valley)
- Phone
- 623-207-8902
- Hours
- Monday to Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM.
- Who qualifies
- Single adults in the West Valley who need a coordinated entry assessment.
- Next step
- Call to confirm the assessment process, then go to 7031 N 56th Ave, Glendale.
Families with minor children: call 2-1-1
- Phone
- 2-1-1
- Hours
- Ask for family shelter intake when you call.
- Who qualifies
- Households with minor children experiencing homelessness. The regional Continuum of Care routes families through 2-1-1.
- Next step
- Call 2-1-1, say it is a family with children, and ask for family shelter and housing intake.
Safe Place (youth 12 to 17)
- Hours
- Call or text.
- Who qualifies
- Young people ages 12 to 17 who need a safe place.
- Next step
- Call or text. For young adults 18 to 24, ask about youth shelters such as HomeBase in the directory.
Phoenix VA Community Resource and Referral Center (veterans)
- Phone
- 602-248-6040
- Hours
- Call for current hours.
- Who qualifies
- Veterans experiencing homelessness or at risk.
- Next step
- Call or go to 1500 E Thomas Rd, Phoenix. Bring a DD-214 if the veteran has one, but do not wait for it.
Native American Connections (Native American individuals)
- Hours
- Call for current hours.
- Who qualifies
- Native American individuals and youth who want a culturally specific access point.
- Next step
- Call to schedule the coordinated entry assessment.
Get ready
What to bring
- Photo ID, if they have one (do not delay the assessment without it)
- Social Security card and birth certificate, or a plan to replace them
- Proof of income or a statement of no income
- Disability or homelessness paperwork, if they have it
- Two or more ways to reach them, written down
Avoid a dead end
What usually goes wrong
- Losing contact. When a program cannot reach someone, the opening goes to the next person.
- Waiting passively. Treat the list as something you manage, not something you wait on.
- Not document ready when a match comes. Start the ready packet on day one.
- Sending a family to a single-adult door, or the reverse. Confirm the household first.
- Trying to go around coordinated entry for one client. Work the system and escalate through it.
Use your own words
What to say
I’m working with a [single adult / family / youth / veteran] who is experiencing homelessness. We need a coordinated entry assessment. When can they be seen, what should they bring, and how will you contact them about a housing match?
Check the fit
If your client is...
65+
Tell the access point about age, health, and mobility. They can affect which programs fit.
Families with kids
Use the family route through 2-1-1, and list every household member’s age.
Veterans
Start with the VA Community Resource and Referral Center. Veteran programs run alongside coordinated entry.
Disability
Make sure disability information is captured at the assessment. It can change which programs fit.
Has a record
A record does not keep someone out of coordinated entry. Ask each housing program about its own screening.
Limited English
Ask the access point for an interpreter for the assessment.
Youth 18 to 24
Ask about youth-specific shelter and housing. Native American Connections serves youth up to 26.
Keep a second door open
If this fails
If the right door is closed or you are unsure, call 2-1-1. If someone is in immediate danger, call 9-1-1. For a mental health crisis, call or text 9-8-8. Work short-term options in parallel, like family or friends, while the person waits for a match.
Practice itOne scenario, about 15 minutes
A fictional man, 58, was assessed four months ago. He has moved between a shelter, a tent, and a motel, and changed phones twice. He asks, “Why haven’t they called me?”
- What do you find out first?
Call the access point that assessed him and ask his status and what contact information they have.
- What probably went wrong?
Programs likely could not reach him after his phone changed. Update his contact details with two backups.
- What does he need ready for a match?
ID, Social Security card, and proof of income or no income. Start any replacements now.
After-action review
- What was supposed to happen?
- What happened?
- Why was there a difference?
- What will you do differently?