Why Safe Doors Still Feel Closed
Shelters are supposed to offer refuge to people who have nowhere else to go. All too often, these places that are supposed to be ‘safehavens’ are not the most reliable nor equipped to meet people where they’re at. A consultation conducted by the City of London found that many people avoid shelters because of “too many rules”, “limits on personal belongings”, and other restrictions.
The curfews, strict regulations around personal items, and mandatory program requirements can make the shelter environment deeply stressful. After a long day outside, many just want to rest- but instead lie awake worrying about the few things they own or being turned away for a minor rule infraction. For people who have already experienced loss and instability, it can feel like stepping into yet another precarious situation.
Why shelters fail to feel like “safe spaces”
Many shelters struggle with overcrowding, limited privacy, and environmental health risks. A study found that poor ventilation, unhygienic bedding, and crowding significantly increase the risk of communicable disease and other harms (Zhu et al, 2023). Even before COVID-19, shelter design standards were widely critiqued; minimum space requirements or bed-to-bed distances rarely guarantee true personal space or privacy (Chin & Shewchuk, 2020).
Safety concerns are another major reason shelters do not always feel safe, especially for marginalized groups. A recent review found that fears of violence, harassment and overdose are common among shelter users. Shelter policies, the physical environment, interpersonal dynamics, and availability of drugs influence whether a shelter feels dangerous. 2SLGBTQ+ individuals are also at heightened risk of victimization in shelters (Kerman et al., 2023).
Rules that clash with lived realities
Strict shelter rules, lack of accommodation for pets, family, or partners, and limited support for people with substance abuse or disabilities are among the most commonly reported reasons for avoiding shelters. Many individuals experiencing homelessness report that shelter environments do not match the complex realities of street life- for example, being unable to keep important belongings or being separated from partners or pets. People with disabilities are often affected at a higher degree, as many shelters lack proper accommodation (space, physical accessibility, supportive design) to serve individuals with physical or cognitive disabilities (Tsai et al., 2024).
Why many remain unsheltered- and why shelters cannot be the only solution
Shelter environments need to balance being welcoming and inclusive with maintaining safety and order- an often difficult balance when resources are limited and demand is high. While shelters and emergency programs may address immediate access needs (food, sleep, safety for a night), they seldom address structural causes of homelessness.
What needs to change- towards dignity, choice and long-term solutions
Shelter systems must incorporate trauma-informed, inclusive, and flexible designs: low-barrier access, fewer punitive restrictions (on belongings, pets, partners), privacy, accessible infrastructure for people with disabilities and culturally safe spaces.
Shelters remain a critical lifeline for people experiencing homelessness, offering immediate safety, shelter and basic needs. Yet for many, the issues that come with shelters trump the immediate offerings they may bring. The gap between what shelters provide and what people need is part of the reason many avoid them altogether, choosing to remain unsheltered despite the risks.
References
Health and Homelessness Whole of Community System Response: Research & Evaluation Report- September 2025
https://london.ca/sites/default/files/2021-07/Emergency%20Shelter%20Consultation-final.pdf
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1047279722000382
Alice Zhu, Eva Bruketa, Tomislav Svoboda, Jamie Patel, Nika Elmi, Graziella El-Khechen Richandi, Stefan Baral, Aaron M. Orkin,
Respiratory infectious disease outbreaks among people experiencing homelessness: a systematic review of prevention and mitigation strategies, Annals of Epidemiology, Volume 77,2023,Pages 127-135,ISSN 1047-2797,https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annepidem.2022.03.004.
(https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1047279722000382)
Kerman N, Kidd SA, Voronov J, Marshall CA, O'Shaughnessy B, Abramovich A, Stergiopoulos V. Victimization, safety, and overdose in homeless shelters: A systematic review and narrative synthesis. Health Place. 2023 Sep;83:103092. doi: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2023.103092. Epub 2023 Jul 27. PMID: 37515964.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0277953624006324?utm_source
Jack Tsai, Gabrielle Haley, Rebecca L. Kinney,
Why some homeless individuals are unsheltered: A narrative review of self-reported reasons, Social Science & Medicine, Volume 358, 2024, 117179, ISSN 0277-9536,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2024.117179.
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