FAQs

For emergent threats to public safety, call 911.

With the closing of the Emergency Winter Shelter, Missoula is seeing an increase of people looking for shelter in the urban area. 

• Learn more about the City's response and how to report concerns.
• View weekly urban camping reports
• See options for available shelter.

There are multiple options available for our unhoused population.  View the list of shelter options.

Missoula has a Coordinated Entry System, which is a program that coordinates all community housing resources at a single point of entry.  It helps us reduce duplication of services and provides us with data to help improve our outcomes. Of the people in that system who reported a most recent residence, approximately 70% are from Montana.

Johnson Street Temporary Emergency Shelter is an additional shelter that is open year-round to keep neighbors safe from severe weather and to increase shelter beds in Missoula in an effort to decrease urban camping. The shelter is operated by the Poverello Center. This program is funded jointly by the City of Missoula and Missoula County through August 2024 and is funded through American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars.

Please see Johnson Street Shelter FAQ Flyer for additional information.

Johnson Street Temporary Emergency Shelter is now open in place of Emergency Winter Shelter. Please see What is Johnson Street Temporary Emergency Shelter? for additional information.

Emergency Winter Shelter was an additional shelter that opens during the cold months to increase shelter beds in Missoula and keep neighbors safe from harsh winter weather. The life-saving program has been jointly funded by the City and County since 2020, with additional funding from Human Resource Council. The Poverello Center operates the shelter. 

City contributions to fund Emergency Winter Shelter are as follows: 

Winter 2020-2021 = $442,543.90 from Federal CDBG-CV* grant money 

*Community Development Block Grant-COVID

Winter 2021-2022 = $436,000 from Federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars

Winter 2022-2023 = $385,506.35 from Federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars 

Please refer to this resource list for information about who to call with any concerns relating to the shelter.