Families with Children: Applying for Temporary Housing Assistance - DHS

Department of Homeless Services

Serving New Yorkers with Care & Compassion


Families with Children

Families with Children
Adult Families

Families with Children

Adult Families


Families with Children: Applying for Temporary Housing Assistance

Where do families with children apply for shelter?

All families with children must apply for shelter at DHS' Prevention Assistance and Temporary Housing (PATH) intake center. PATH, located in the Bronx, is a state-of-the-art and eco-friendly facility that has been specifically sized, staffed, and laid out to meet the demand for homeless services. At nearly 77,000 square feet, the Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED)-certified facility measures 213 percent larger than the previous intake center. With a discreetly located medical suite, storage availability, and spacious waiting areas on each floor, complete with security kiosks and audio-visual notification systems, the center aims to engage clients and make them feel secure in their surroundings, from entry to departure.
Prevention Assistance and Temporary Housing (PATH)
151 East 151st Street
Bronx, NY

PATH is open 24 hours per day, including weekends and holidays.

PATH processes applications during business hours (9 a.m. to 5 p.m.)

The main telephone number for PATH is 718-503-6400.

How to Get There:

Subway: Take the 2, 4, or 5 train to 149th Street/Grand Concourse Station. Head west on East 149th Street toward Grand Concourse. Walk north on Grand Concourse two blocks, to East 151st Street and turn left. Walk two blocks to Walton Avenue. The PATH office is located at the corner on your right.
To learn more about PATH, download our brochure

What do families need to bring to PATH in order to apply for shelter?

All families who are applying for shelter at PATH must have proper identification for all members of their household, such as:

Any form of ID with a picture and proof of age, such as a welfare ID card, green card, driver's license, passport or visa, or picture employment card

Birth certificate

Social Security card

Medicaid card

Identity card in the Public Assistance system

If working, your most recent pay stub

Family workers are available on-site to help families obtain necessary information and documents from government agencies and third parties, to the extent reasonably possible.

Families with Children in need of shelter:

Your children ages 0-17 are not required to accompany you during the application process at PATH. However, PATH staff must be able to view your child or children remotely. You must bring your children to the shelter by curfew the day following your shelter placement.

For example, if you receive your shelter placement on a Monday, you must bring your children to the shelter by curfew the following day on Tuesday.

What if I don’t speak English?

Interpreter assistance will be made available for individuals who do not speak English.

What is involved with the application process at PATH?

Families with children must apply for shelter in order to ensure that they do not have an alternative housing option available to them. DHS firmly believes that families are best served in their communities through prevention efforts, and that they should only utilize temporary emergency shelter as a last resort when they are experiencing an immediate housing crisis.
Once a family arrives at PATH, they will first be interviewed by Social Services Staff who collaborates with the Human Resources Administration (HRA) caseworker remotely. They inquire about the living situation and explain the services that may help them avoid entering shelter- including family mediation, anti-eviction legal services, out-of-city relocation assistance, Family Eviction Prevention Supplement (FEPS), or a one-shot deal through HRA.
If these services do not apply to a family’s specific circumstances, a DHS family worker interviews the family to obtain information about their prior living situation. Families may be assigned a temporary shelter placement for up to 10 days while DHS investigates the information provided during the interview. Based on the investigation, DHS determines whether the family is eligible or ineligible for shelter, based on whether they have fully cooperated with the application and eligibility process and/or have other housing options available to them.

What if I don’t agree with the Agency’s eligibility determination?

Every household has a right to a legal conference at PATH if they are found ineligible and disagree with the decision. In addition, they have 60 days after being found ineligible to request a Fair Hearing from New York State.
Again, the eligibility process is designed to ensure that resources are being preserved for those who are truly in need, and that families with housing alternatives can remain stably housed in the community. While shelter is a valuable resource to those in need, it should never be considered a home.