Julia Anderson
When you’re homeless, you have little time to waste, especially if you have a family to take care of. You need to make moves quickly to ensure your family has a roof over their head and so you can begin your path towards becoming independent once again.
Since living on the streets is extremely dangerous, unsanitary, and unstable, you’ll need to do everything you can to find housing. But housing can be expensive and may require some savings, so your two most common options will be a homeless shelter or hotel/motel vouchers if you can’t temporarily stay with friends or family.
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What’s the difference between a shelter and a voucher? And which is more ideal for your situation? Let’s take a look at that now.
The Pros of Homeless Shelters
A homeless shelter is the most common option for someone who doesn’t have a home. It can provide cover from the elements and extreme weather, while also offering some stability so you can work your way back towards independence.
Since homelessness is such a common issue, there are homeless shelters spread out from coast to coast. In other words, you can probably find a shelter near you to serve as temporary housing.
Some shelters also offer other resources that can help you get back on your feet. You may find counselors who can help you find work so you can generate income. You may also find mental health resources to help you get by and food to ensure your nutrition doesn’t lack.
The Cons of Homeless Shelters
Living in a shelter can be quite the frightening experience if you come across any of the following issues that may be typical to such a setting:
- Alcohol abuse
- Drug abuse
- Theft
- Violence
- Sanitary issues
- Overcrowding
For those reasons, many prefer to avoid homeless shelters and seek hotel vouchers.
The Pros of Hotel/Motel Vouchers
Getting to stay in a hotel or motel offers peace, calm, and privacy that a shelter cannot provide.
It can be a much safer and more sanitary environment too. You can also have an easier time collecting yourself in a hotel or motel, whereas a shelter may be too overwhelming and add to your already high anxiety levels.
The Cons of Hotel/Motel Vouchers
As you can imagine, getting a voucher is quite the goal for many homeless people. Combine that with the fact that hotel vouchers are limited, and you may have a hard time finding one.
Also, motel vouchers are very temporary. You may get a voucher for a maximum of three nights, which will force you to find other housing quite quickly.
Even though their stays may be short, getting a hotel voucher is still your best bet if you’re homeless and seeking safe housing for the moment. To find a motel voucher, try these resources:
- Salvation Army
- Catholic Charities
- Dial 211 on your phone
- Do an Internet search for homeless assistance in your city, county, or state
- Contact your nearest homeless shelter and ask where you can find hotel vouchers
