What to do
Sign up for a shelter bed at one of the following adult shelters:
- Next Door: 525 5th Street (at Bryant)
- MSC-South: 201 8th Street (at Howard)
- Sanctuary: 1001 Polk St. (at Geary)
1. Check if you are eligible
You must be an adult (age 18 and over) who is experiencing homelessness and:
- Do not have children with you
- Do not currently live at another shelter
- Can get on and off your bunk bed without help
- Can take care of your hygiene on your own (bathing, dressing, and using the bathroom)
2. Make a reservation
We will ask you about:
- Yourself
- Your contact info (use any phone number you have access to)
- Your shelter choice
You are likely to get a bed faster if you select all 3 shelters when you register.
After you make a reservation
Check your position on the waitlist
- It is your responsibility to know your position on the waitlist.
- You will see instructions next to your Waitlist ID when you are at the top of the list. Follow these instructions within 3 days.
- Look up your position on the waitlist
Be reachable by phone
- A Shelter Reservation Agent must be able to reach you by phone within 3 days of when you reach the top of the waitlist.
- We will call you between 10:00am and 12:00pm from 415-861-5000 (this number does not accept calls). We recommend adding this number to your contacts list.
- If we cannot reach you, we will remove you from the waitlist. You will be able to re-enter the waitlist, but you will move to the bottom.
Claim your bed
- The Shelter Reservation Agent will tell you which shelter bed is available and when you can show up.
- Your reservation is indefinite as long as you check in on time. You will get specific shelter rules at check-in.
- You will need to move into the shelter the same day. Check-in schedule:
- Sanctuary: 9am to 10pm
- MSC South: 9am to 10pm
- Next Door: 24 hours
Special cases
Shelter selection and wait times
Shelter selection and wait times
Shelter selection
- You can select which of the 3 shelters you are willing to stay at when you register.
- We can offer you a bed faster if you are willing to stay at all 3 of the shelters.
Wait times
- New sign ups are randomized by the system and added to the bottom of the waitlist the following day by 9:00am.
- Wait times depend on how many people are on the list and how many beds are available.
- You are likely to get a bed faster if you select all 3 shelters when you register.
You can only have one entry on the waitlist at a time.
Check-in times and late passes
Check-in times and late passes
Check-in times by shelter
- Sanctuary: 9:00am to 10:00pm
- Next Door: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
- MSC-South: 9:00am to 10:00pm
Late passes
Shelter Reservation Agents can only grant a late pass for your intake on the first night of your reservation.
What you can bring to your reservation
What you can bring to your reservation
Bags
- MSC South and Next Door:
- Up to 2 medium (approximately 30-gallon) bags
- 1 tent (if rolled up)
- Sanctuary: 1 bag the size of a carry-on suitcase
Beds
- Each bed is for 1 adult only
- There are no partner rooms or beds at the participating shelters.
Bikes
- Next Door: you can bring one fully assembled bike
- MSC South and Sanctuary: you cannot bring bikes
Lockers
- Sanctuary provides a dresser with a padlock
- Next Door provides a locker and lock
- MSC-South provides a drawer attached to the bed
Pets
- Pets are permitted at all shelters
Cancel or change your reservation request
Cancel or change your reservation request
Call 628-652-8000 to cancel your request or make any changes to your reservation. This includes changing your phone number and updating your shelter selection.
Hours: 9:00am to 5:00pm, Monday through Friday.
You cannot change or cancel your request online.
Your Waitlist ID
Your Waitlist ID
In most cases, your Waitlist ID is your date of birth and 2 initials.
For example, Michael Jackson with date of birth 8/19/1958 will have a Waitlist ID of 08191958MJ.
If you provided a different date or name and cannot remember it, we have no way to help you locate your record.
Transportation help
Transportation help
Financial help
- Glide offers Muni tokens to people who need help getting to the shelters.
Get help
Phone
You can also make a reservation by phone by calling us between 9:00am and 5:00pm Monday to Friday.
Last updated October 21, 2024