Setting Up Your Household
Before you can apply for shelter, you must complete the household setup form. This is a 3-step process that helps shelters understand your needs and match you with appropriate beds.
You'll see a progress bar at the top showing which step you're on.
Step 1: Basic Information
Header: "Tell us about your housing situation"
You'll be asked for:
First Name
Your first name (may be pre-filled from your account)
Last Name
Your last name
Date of Birth
Your date of birth
Gender
Male, Female, Non-binary, Prefer not to say, or Other
Current Housing Status
Where you're currently staying (required)
Number of Children
Separate counts for ages 0-5, 6-12, and 13-17
County
Which county you last lived in (required)
Housing Status Options
At risk within 7 days of homelessness
Staying in car
Sleeping on street
Staying with family or friends
Fleeing domestic violence
County Options
Oakland County
Wayne County
Macomb County
Livingston County
Genesee County
St. Clair County
Monroe County
Other
Click Continue when finished.
Step 2: Additional Questions
Header: "Help us understand your needs better"
Annual Household Income
Select the range that applies (varies by household size)
Employment Status
Full-time, part-time, unemployed, retired, student, etc.
Transportation
How you get around
Ethnicity
Hispanic/Latino, Not Hispanic/Latino, or Prefer not to say
Veteran Status
Yes or No
Disability Status
Not disabled, Partially disabled, Disabled, or Prefer not to say
Race
Select all that apply (checkboxes)
Income Sources
Select all that apply (checkboxes)
Race Options (Select All That Apply)
White
Black or African American
American Indian or Alaska Native
Asian or Pacific Islander
Multiracial
Other
Income Source Options (Select All That Apply)
No Financial Resources
Earned Income
SSI
SSDI
TANF
Unemployment Insurance
Child Support
Alimony
Retirement Income from Social Security
Pension
VA Disability Compensation
Worker Compensation
And more...
Click Continue when finished.
Step 3: Household Members
Header: "Add any additional household members"
If you're applying alone, you can skip this step. If family members will be staying with you, add them here.
Adding a Member
Click Add Member
Fill in their information:
First Name (required)
Last Name (required)
Date of Birth (required)
Gender
Disability Status
Ethnicity
Race (checkboxes)
Repeat for each person in your household
Removing a Member
Click the Remove button on any member card to remove them.
Completing Setup
When you've added all members (or if you're applying alone), click Complete Setup.
You'll see a loading message "Creating Household..." and then be redirected to the home page where you can apply for shelter.
Important Notes
Household size matters: Your total household size affects which shelters can accommodate you. Family shelters typically accept households with children.
Be accurate: The information you provide helps shelters match you with appropriate resources.
You can update later: After setup, you can edit your household information from your Profile page.
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