emergency shelter
Disaster relief accommodation
Emergency shelter is temporary housing provided to people in crisis—those fleeing domestic violence, experiencing homelessness, or displaced by natural disasters.
Unlike transitional housing, emergency shelters typically offer short-term stays of days to weeks: The city opened an emergency shelter when temperatures dropped below freezing.
The term covers everything from Red Cross facilities after hurricanes to overnight homeless shelters.
Removal from danger
- disasterSudden ruinous event
- reliefEasing of distress
- rescueSave from harm
- triageSeverity-based prioritization
first responders · operations · coordination · preparedness · drill · casualties · deployment · mobilization
Lacking stable housing
- homelessWithout a dwelling
- rough sleepingSleeping outdoors without housing
- displacedShifted from proper location
- encampmentTemporary military or refugee settlement
street people · transient · warming center · soup kitchen · outreach · beds · cots · intake
Protected sacred space
- havenShelter from danger
- asylumShelter from persecution
- safe havenProtected place of shelter
- respiteShort pause from hardship
escape · protection · safety · security · temporary housing · refugee camp · safe house · harbor
evacuation
Removal from danger
triage · first responders · operations · coordination · preparedness · drill · casualties · deployment · mobilization · staging area
unhoused
Lacking stable housing
- homelessWithout a dwelling
- rough sleepingSleeping outdoors without housing
- displacedShifted from proper location
encampment · street people · transient · warming center · soup kitchen · outreach · beds · cots · intake · services
sanctuary
Protected sacred space
- havenShelter from danger
- asylumShelter from persecution
- safe havenProtected place of shelter
respite · escape · protection · safety · security · temporary housing · refugee camp · safe house · harbor · bolt-hole
tent
Portable fabric shelter
makeshift · temporary · portable · prefabricated · trailer · gymnasium · armory · community center · warehouse · church basement
- temporary settlementsrefugee camp, tent city, base camp, mining camp, military camp
- emergency aiddisaster aid, relief funding, relief funds, disaster relief, disaster response
- orphan careorphanages, orphans, foundlings, foster care, foster homes
- relief sitesrefugee camp, relief camp, evacuation center, transit camp, reception center
- space coloniesmoon base, lunar colony, lunar base, space station, space habitat
- victim servicesvictim support, victim advocate, victim assistance, crisis intervention, safe house
emergency shelterpermanent home
Lasting place of residence
forever home · permanent residence · family home · homestead · home
emergency shelterdream home
Imagined perfect residence
vacation home · second home · country house · summer house · pied-à-terre
shelter, emergency, sheltered, shelters, emergent, sheltering, emergencies, unsheltered, emergency room