If you're a transition-age young person navigating homelessness, foster care exit, or housing instability in Alameda County, it helps to understand how the housing system actually works before you start the process. This page is a plain-language overview — not a substitute for speaking with a case manager or Coordinated Entry access point, who can walk you through your specific situation.
Coordinated Entry (CE) is the single, countywide process Alameda County uses to assess, prioritize, and connect people experiencing homelessness to housing resources — including shelter, transitional housing, rapid rehousing, and Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH). Instead of applying separately to each program, CE is designed to be one entry point into the system. Access happens through Housing Resource Centers (HRCs) located throughout the county.
HMIS (Homeless Management Information System) is the database Alameda County and most Continuums of Care use to record information collected during the Coordinated Entry process — your assessment answers, your place in the system, and your housing history within the CE process. It's how the county tracks who is in the system and how referrals are made.
This is important to understand clearly: having a disability, a mental health condition, a chronic health condition, or a substance use history does not automatically place you in a Permanent Supportive Housing queue. What actually happens is more specific:
If you have a verifiable disability — including ADHD, autism, a developmental disability, a chronic health condition, or a substance use history, past or present — it's worth discussing this openly with your Coordinated Entry access point or case manager, because it may affect your assessment and where you land in the process. But this is your choice to share, at your pace, and a case manager or service cordinater can walk you through what disclosure actually involves and how your information is protected.
Housing Resource Centers (HRCs) are where Coordinated Entry actually happens — where you complete assessments, get connected to shelter, and get placed on housing queues. Alameda County is divided into five service regions, and TAY-specific access points are available for young people ages 18–24.
If you're unsure which center is right for you, or you have any questions, call 211. If you are in immediate danger, call 911. If you are fleeing domestic violence, sexual assault, or human trafficking, call 211, 1-800-799-7233, or 1-800-787-3224 (TTY).
Note: Operating times and days are subject to change. If you have access to a phone, call ahead to confirm before visiting.
This page reflects Alameda County's Coordinated Entry process and Housing Resource Center directory as of August 18, 2026. Policies and hours can change, and your case manager or access point is always the most current and accurate source for your specific situation.
