Hotel Vouchers for Homeless in Madison, Wisconsin

Madison is one of the most educated and prosperous mid-sized cities in the United States — home to the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the state capitol, and a tech and biotech economy that produces high median incomes. It is also a city with one of the most severe racial disparities in homelessness of any metropolitan area in the country. Black residents make up roughly 7% of Madison’s population but account for more than 50% of its homeless population — a disparity driven by decades of discriminatory housing policy, concentrated poverty, and a rental market that has grown more expensive than most Black Madisonians can access.

Understanding this disparity matters for anyone navigating the system — not because the services are different based on race, but because Madison’s homeless services organizations have developed specific cultural competency programs, partnerships with Black-led organizations, and racial equity frameworks that shape how they operate.

Approximately 1,000 people experience homelessness on any given night in Dane County. Madison has a progressive policy environment with stronger tenant protections than most Wisconsin cities, and its CoC is one of the better-funded per capita in the state.

This page covers Madison and Dane County. For all Wisconsin programs, see our Wisconsin hotel vouchers for homeless page.

Need a hotel voucher in Madison tonight? Call 211 — available 24 hours in Dane County. Porchlight Inc. at 608-255-8509 is the primary shelter anchor. Veterans call 877-424-3838.

Madison Emergency Housing Providers at a Glance

Porchlight Inc. — The Shelter System Anchor

Porchlight is Madison’s largest emergency shelter organization, operating the men’s emergency shelter and coordinating the broader shelter network for Dane County.

• Phone: 608-255-8509
• Address: 306 N Brooks St, Madison, WI 53715
• Website: porchlightinc.org
• Services: Men’s emergency shelter, transitional housing, supportive housing, and emergency referrals
• Note: Porchlight staff maintain real-time knowledge of motel voucher availability — the most important first call for single adults alongside 211

Beacon House Day Resource Center

The primary day services hub in Madison — coordinated entry intake and real-time motel voucher information.

• Phone: 608-661-5555
• Address: 615 E Washington Ave, Madison, WI 53703
• Services: Meals, showers, mail, case management, and coordinated entry intake for Dane County

Who Provides Hotel Vouchers in Madison

Salvation Army of Madison

Emergency housing assistance including hotel vouchers for individuals and families.

• Phone: 608-250-2115
• Address: 621 Wisconsin Ave, Madison, WI 53703
• Hours: Monday–Friday, 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Catholic Charities Diocese of Madison

Emergency assistance including housing help for anyone regardless of faith.

• Phone: 608-826-2900
• Website: diosceseofmadison.org/catholic-charities
• Who they serve: Individuals and families; strong programs for immigrants

Community Action Coalition (CAC) of South Central Wisconsin

Rapid rehousing, homelessness prevention, and emergency housing assistance.

• Phone: 608-246-4730
• Website: cacscw.org
• Note: CAC is one of Madison’s most active rapid rehousing organizations — worth calling directly alongside 211

Dane County Department of Human Services (DHS)

Administers Wisconsin Works (W-2/TANF) emergency housing funds for eligible families.

• Phone: 608-261-2000
• Website: danecountyhumanservices.org

The Racial Disparity — What It Means for the System

Madison’s homeless services organizations have invested significantly in racial equity frameworks because the disparity is so severe that a color-blind approach produces inequitable outcomes. Practically, this means:

Urban League of Greater Madison (608-729-1200) specifically provides culturally specific services for Black Madisonians experiencing housing instability — including housing navigation, financial coaching, and emergency assistance that understands the specific structural barriers this community faces.

Nehemiah Community Development Corporation — a Black-led community development organization that provides housing programs and financial empowerment specifically for Madison’s Black community:

• Phone: 608-204-7200
• Website: nehemiahmadison.org

Wisconsin Community Services (WCS) — operates reentry and housing programs with strong racial equity practice:

• Phone: 608-257-3722
• Website: wcswi.org

Calling these organizations is not about separate services — it is about accessing organizations whose staff understand specific structural barriers and have programs designed around them.

Wisconsin-Specific Programs That Apply in Madison

Wisconsin Works (W-2) — TANF Emergency Assistance

Wisconsin’s TANF program — Wisconsin Works, or W-2 — can authorize emergency hotel placements for eligible families with children through Dane County DHS.

How to access: Call Dane County DHS at 608-261-2000 and ask specifically about W-2 emergency housing authorization. Bring ID, proof of children, and any income documentation.

Important note: Wisconsin has not expanded Medicaid. Most adults without dependent children do not qualify for Wisconsin Medicaid regardless of income. For healthcare without insurance, the UW Health Clinic at 608-263-6400 provides sliding-scale care, and Access Community Health Centers at 608-443-5480 is a Federally Qualified Health Center with income-based fees.

Wisconsin Emergency Assistance for Families

In addition to W-2, Wisconsin administers an Emergency Assistance program specifically for families with children facing homelessness or utility shutoff — a separate, sometimes faster pathway than the standard W-2 process. Ask Dane County DHS specifically about Emergency Assistance (not just W-2) when you call.

UW-Madison and the Student Housing Market

The University of Wisconsin-Madison has an enrollment of over 47,000 students — the largest in the Big Ten — and its rental market effects are felt throughout Madison and into Dane County suburbs. Studio apartments near campus routinely rent for $1,200–$1,800, setting a floor for the entire Madison rental market that service workers and low-wage employees cannot reach.

For current UW-Madison students experiencing housing instability:

UW-Madison Dean of Students — Student Affairs Emergency Fund: 608-263-5700 — provides emergency housing assistance for enrolled students outside the public shelter system.

UW-Madison Multicultural Student Center — can connect students of color experiencing housing instability to culturally specific support before they need the public shelter system.

For people priced out by the student rental market (non-students):

CAC’s homelessness prevention programs (608-246-4730) specifically target people who had stable housing before the rental market shifted. Applying before losing housing is faster than recovering afterward.

Journey Mental Health — Behavioral Health Integration

Madison’s Journey Mental Health at 608-280-2700 is the primary behavioral health organization integrated into the homeless services system. For people whose housing instability is connected to mental illness or substance use, Journey has housing programs that combine clinical care with housing placement — the combination is faster than pursuing housing and treatment separately.

Journey operates the Homeless Outreach Program — mobile outreach to unsheltered individuals in Madison — which can connect people who haven’t entered the shelter system to services where they are.

Veterans in Madison

VA Madison CBOC

• Phone: 608-256-1901
• Address: 10 W Mifflin St, Madison, WI 53703
• HUD-VASH referrals and SSVF rapid rehousing through the broader Wisconsin VA network (main facility in Milwaukee)

Veterans call 877-424-3838 to connect directly to VA homeless resources.

Dane County CoC — Coordinated Entry

The Dane County Continuum of Care coordinates all housing resources across Madison and Dane County. Beacon House Day Resource Center (608-661-5555) is the primary coordinated entry access point — a vulnerability assessment there determines priority for rapid rehousing and permanent supportive housing.

Enter on Day 1 of any motel placement — not when you’re running out of time.

What to Do Once You Have a Placement

Apply for Wisconsin FoodShare (SNAP) at access.wi.gov or call 608-261-2000. Zero income qualifies for the maximum food assistance benefits and expedited 7-day processing.

Apply for Wisconsin Medicaid at the same portal — note Wisconsin has not expanded Medicaid, so eligibility is primarily for families with children, pregnant women, and people with disabilities. Uninsured adults should contact Access Community Health Centers at 608-443-5480.

Enter Dane County CoC coordinated entry through Beacon House at 608-661-5555 or 211 on Day 1. This is your pathway to rapid rehousing and emergency rental assistance.

Apply for Section 8 through the Madison Community Development Authority: 608-266-4675. Also explore other housing voucher options in parallel. Understanding how Section 8 works from application through lease-up prevents errors that cost people their place in a line they may wait years to reach.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I get a free hotel voucher for homeless in Madison, WI?

Call 211 first — available 24 hours in Dane County. Contact Porchlight Inc. at 608-255-8509 for single adults and Beacon House at 608-661-5555 for coordinated entry and current motel voucher information. The Salvation Army at 608-250-2115 and Community Action Coalition at 608-246-4730 also maintain emergency housing funds. Call before 9 AM — Madison’s daily voucher funds run out faster than in larger cities.

Why does Madison have such a severe racial disparity in homelessness?

Black residents make up roughly 7% of Madison’s population but over 50% of its homeless population — a disparity driven by decades of discriminatory housing policy including redlining, exclusionary zoning, and discriminatory lending that prevented Black families from building the housing stability and wealth that white families accumulated. The current rental market continues to create barriers. The Urban League of Greater Madison at 608-729-1200 and Nehemiah Community Development at 608-204-7200 provide culturally specific services designed around these structural realities.

Are there hotel vouchers for homeless families in Madison?

Yes. Families with children receive priority through Dane County DHS — call 608-261-2000 and ask about both W-2 emergency housing authorization and the separate Wisconsin Emergency Assistance program for families. Catholic Charities at 608-826-2900 and CAC at 608-246-4730 also serve families. DV survivors with children should call DAIS at 608-251-4445 (24 hours), which operates a separate confidential shelter system.

Wisconsin hasn’t expanded Medicaid — what are my healthcare options in Madison?

Wisconsin is one of the remaining non-expansion states. Most adults without dependent children do not qualify for Wisconsin Medicaid. Access Community Health Centers at 608-443-5480 is a Federally Qualified Health Center providing income-based sliding-scale care — at or near free for people with zero income. UW Health’s sliding-scale clinic at 608-263-6400 is also available. Call 211 for additional free clinic options in Dane County.

What is Beacon House and why should I go there first?

Beacon House Day Resource Center at 608-661-5555 is Madison’s primary day services hub at 615 E Washington Ave — and the coordinated entry access point for Dane County’s CoC. It provides meals, showers, mail, and case management, and entering coordinated entry there is the step that connects you to rapid rehousing and long-term housing resources. Staff there have real-time knowledge of daily motel voucher availability. Go on Day 1 of any crisis.

I’m a UW-Madison student who lost housing — should I use the public shelter system?

Contact UW’s Dean of Students Emergency Fund at 608-263-5700 first — the university maintains emergency housing assistance for enrolled students outside the public shelter system and it typically moves faster. If you’re a student of color, the Multicultural Student Center can connect you to additional culturally specific support. If you’ve already left UW, call 211 — the pathway differs depending on whether you’re currently enrolled.

What is Journey Mental Health’s role in homeless services?

Journey Mental Health at 608-280-2700 is Madison’s primary behavioral health organization integrated into the homeless services system. For people whose housing instability is connected to mental illness or substance use, Journey has housing programs that combine clinical care with housing placement — and a mobile Homeless Outreach Program that finds unsheltered people where they are. Tell 211 if your housing need is connected to a mental health condition — this routes you to Journey’s integrated services.

How does Madison’s tenant protection policy affect homeless people?

Madison has stronger tenant protections than most Wisconsin cities — including longer notice requirements before eviction proceedings and stronger protections against retaliation. This means if you receive an eviction notice, you likely have more time than you think. Contact Tenant Resource Center at 608-257-0006 to understand your specific rights before vacating — staying through the legal process while simultaneously applying for rental assistance often produces better outcomes than leaving immediately.