What We Do

End homelessness in Northern Arizona for good!

Our Mission

The mission of Flagstaff Shelter Services is to provide individuals and families experiencing homelessness with emergency shelter and the tools to achieve housing stability; regardless of faith, sobriety or mental health.

Experiencing homelessness in Northern Arizona is a matter of life and death.

With temperatures regularly dipping into the single-digits at night, winters here are deadly for those who do not have shelter. Deaths from exposure are completely preventable – all it takes is a safe place to sleep. That is why Flagstaff Shelter Services provides emergency shelter 365 days a year to anyone experiencing homelessness or otherwise in crisis.

We are the first and last line of defense for Northern Arizona residents who are most likely to die on the streets tonight. Anyone in crisis can spend the night, get a hot shower and food, use our computers to access job services, do their laundry and store their belongings.

But our services include much more than an emergency shelter. Our mission is to help people in crisis to move out of homelessness permanently.

Housing is a human right

There are a number of reasons why someone might be experiencing homelessness. Regardless of any of these, we believe housing is a human right. Everyone deserves a safe place to sleep, without exception.

The reality is that poverty in Northern Arizona far surpasses the national average. The high cost of living in Northern Arizona, combined with high unemployment and lack of affordable housing, among other factors, makes it tough for many families to get by.

When you are living paycheck to paycheck, an extended illness, unexpected bill or pink slip could quickly turn life upside down. And once you lose your home, finding your way back to a stable living situation is harder than you think.

People experiencing homelessness in Northern Arizona face staggering challenges that keep housing far out of reach. Bad credit, unemployment, criminal records, lack of transportation, mental health, and substance abuse issues are pretty substantial obstacles that stand in the way of anyone trying to turn their life around.

Studies have shown that the fastest, most cost-effective way to stop the cycle of homelessness is to provide housing first. That’s why, since 2015, Flagstaff Shelter Services has assigned case managers to help our clients quickly transition out of our emergency shelter and into permanent housing.

Housing First means giving someone in crisis an opportunity to find stability. Once a client is housed, we coordinate with our community partners to provide the specific resources needed to keep the client stably housed.

And it works.

“More than 86% of those we have rehoused do not return to homelessness.”

Everyone faces challenges in life. Some of us have a wider network of people we could lean on if things ever went south.

Flagstaff Shelter Services exists for those who don’t have anywhere else to go.

Our history

2006

Concerned citizens, business owners, and faith-based organizations establish Flagstaff Shelter Services as a seasonal operation to provide emergency shelter and basic services to any person experiencing a crisis in homelessness during the frigid winter months.

2014

Shelter opens year-round

2015

Launched housing first initiative

2017

Formed the collaborative Front Door intake program, Coconino County’s coordinated entry process that ensures individuals and families facing a housing crisis are referred to the most appropriate agency, thus ending their experience in homelessness faster and more effectively

2019

Our shelter is expanded through the addition of a second story, adding 77 more beds and bringing our nightly capacity to 170, enabling us to help more people in crisis. This expansion also provided the space for our new and innovative Housing as Healthcare Program, which provides housing services and connects participants to coordinated medical and mental health care through robust community partnerships.

2020

In a swift response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Flagstaff Shelter Services begins using rented motel rooms to provide non-congregate shelter.

2022

Flagstaff Shelter Services purchases and opens a 58-unit hotel, now called The Crown, to provide non-congregate shelter to older adults, medically vulnerable individuals, and entire families.

2023

Flagstaff Shelter Services purchases a 103-unit hotel, now called The Lantern, to provide non-congregate shelter to adults. This third location is expected to open in 2025.

Meet the people we serve and how you can end homelessness in Northern Arizona for good.

Better together

Small acts of kindness can make big things happen. Check out some simple things you can do that will get us one step closer to eliminating homelessness in Northern Arizona.