Hotel Vouchers for Homeless in Savannah, Georgia

Savannah is one of the most-visited cities in the American South — its Spanish moss-draped squares, antebellum architecture, and riverfront draw millions of tourists annually. That tourism economy employs thousands of hotel workers, restaurant staff, and hospitality workers who earn wages that have not kept pace with Savannah’s rapidly rising rental costs, driven partly by Airbnb displacement of long-term housing stock and partly by an influx of remote workers and retirees drawn by the city’s beauty and relatively mild climate.

The Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) — with over 14,000 students — adds another layer: student rental demand inflates costs in neighborhoods near campus, and young artists who come to Savannah for school and stay after graduation often cycle through housing instability as they try to build careers in a city without deep arts-economy job infrastructure.

The Port of Savannah — the largest and fastest-growing container port on the East Coast — employs thousands in logistics, transportation, and warehousing. Port work is cyclical, and workers who lose employment during slow cycles often face sudden housing crises in a market with few affordable options.

Approximately 700 people experience homelessness on any given night in Chatham County. Savannah’s homeless services system is smaller than most cities in this series but functional, anchored by a small number of key organizations.

This page covers Savannah and Chatham County. For all Georgia programs, see our Georgia hotel vouchers for homeless page.

Need a hotel voucher in Savannah tonight? Call 211 — available 24 hours in Chatham County. Union Mission at 912-236-7423 is the primary shelter anchor. Veterans call 877-424-3838.

Savannah Emergency Housing Providers at a Glance

Union Mission — The Anchor Shelter

Union Mission is Savannah’s largest and most comprehensive emergency shelter organization, operating facilities for men and families alongside day services.

• Phone: 912-236-7423
• Address: 120 Fahm St, Savannah, GA 31401
• Website: unionmission.org
• Intake: Daily — call first for hours and availability
• Who they serve: Men and families in separate facilities
• Note: Union Mission staff maintain real-time knowledge of motel voucher availability across Chatham County — the most important first call alongside 211

Emmaus House

Day services, meals, and emergency referrals — a critical secondary hub for real-time information on available funds.

• Phone: 912-232-3000
• Address: 120 MLK Jr Blvd, Savannah, GA 31401
• Services: Meals, emergency financial assistance, and housing referrals

Tourism, Port Work, and Sudden Housing Crisis

Savannah’s three largest employment sectors — tourism/hospitality, port logistics, and construction — share one characteristic: employment is variable, and housing instability follows employment disruption closely.

For hospitality workers who lost income:

Hotel and restaurant employment in Savannah drops significantly in the summer months (June–August) when extreme heat reduces tourism, and surges during peak seasons (St. Patrick’s Day in March, fall festival season). Workers who budget around peak-season income and face off-season income drops often fall behind on rent.

Step Up Savannah (912-232-6747) specifically addresses economic mobility for Savannah’s working poor — they understand the hospitality and port economy and connect clients to emergency assistance alongside workforce development. If you are employed or recently employed and lost housing, Step Up is worth calling directly alongside 211.

For port workers facing cyclical unemployment:

The Port of Savannah handles container volume fluctuations that affect longshoremen and logistics workers. Georgia Department of Labor at 912-651-2000 handles unemployment claims — apply immediately if laid off, since unemployment income strengthens your case for rental assistance programs.

The Airbnb Displacement Problem

Savannah’s historic district has one of the highest concentrations of short-term rental properties of any comparably sized American city. Long-term rental housing stock has been converted to tourist accommodation at a scale that materially reduces affordable housing availability for residents.

This is not incidental — many people experiencing homelessness in Savannah today lost housing directly because their long-term rental was converted to an Airbnb. If this is your situation, say so when you call for assistance. Step Up Savannah (912-232-6747) and Catholic Social Services (912-201-4070) have experience with this specific displacement pattern and can sometimes access emergency funds faster for people who were stably housed until conversion.

Georgia-Specific Programs That Apply in Savannah

Georgia Gateway — TANF and Food Assistance

Georgia’s TANF program — Temporary Assistance for Needy Families — can authorize emergency hotel placements for eligible families with children through Chatham County DFCS.

How to access: Call Chatham County DFCS at 912-356-1700 and ask specifically about TANF emergency housing authorization. Bring ID, proof of children, and any income documentation.

Apply for Georgia food assistance (SNAP) and Medicaid at gateway.ga.gov or call 1-877-423-4746. Zero income qualifies for the maximum food assistance benefits and expedited 7-day SNAP processing.

Important: Georgia has not expanded Medicaid. Most adults without dependent children do not qualify for Georgia Medicaid regardless of income. For healthcare without insurance, the Curtis V. Cooper Primary Health Care Center at 912-527-2500 is a Federally Qualified Health Center providing sliding-scale care in Savannah.

Georgia Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG)

Georgia distributes federal ESG funds through local organizations. Chatham County receives ESG funds administered through the Savannah-Chatham CoC — these flow to organizations like the Salvation Army and Catholic Social Services for hotel vouchers and rapid rehousing.

SCAD Students and Young Artists in Housing Crisis

SCAD’s 14,000-student enrollment shapes Savannah’s rental market in the historic district and midtown neighborhoods significantly. Young artists who complete SCAD programs and stay in Savannah often face a specific challenge: arts careers rarely pay living wages in cities without strong arts-industry economies, and Savannah’s rental market — driven partly by SCAD student demand — is increasingly unaffordable for early-career artists.

For current SCAD students experiencing housing instability:

SCAD Student Affairs at 912-525-5100 maintains emergency assistance for enrolled students — contact them before using the public shelter system.

For recent SCAD graduates:

Union Mission (912-236-7423) and Step Up Savannah (912-232-6747) are the most practical resources. Step Up specifically helps young adults build economic stability — their workforce development programs understand creative-economy career trajectories.

Veterans in Savannah

VA Savannah Community-Based Outpatient Clinic

• Phone: 912-920-0461
• Address: 1170 Shawnee St, Savannah, GA 31419
• HUD-VASH referrals and SSVF rapid rehousing through the broader Georgia VA network

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

Savannah-Chatham CoC — Coordinated Entry

The Savannah-Chatham Continuum of Care, coordinated through United Way of the Coastal Empire at 912-651-7700, manages all housing resources across Chatham County. Coordinated entry is accessed through 211 or Union Mission.

A vulnerability assessment determines your priority for rapid rehousing and permanent supportive housing. Enter on Day 1 of any motel placement — Savannah’s CoC is small enough that case managers are accessible, which is an advantage if you engage early.

What to Do Once You Have a Placement

Apply for Georgia SNAP and Medicaid at gateway.ga.gov or call 1-877-423-4746. Zero income qualifies for the maximum food assistance benefits and expedited 7-day processing. Note that Georgia has not expanded Medicaid — most adults without dependents won’t qualify.

Enter Savannah-Chatham CoC coordinated entry through 211 or Union Mission at 912-236-7423 on Day 1. This is your pathway to rapid rehousing and emergency rental assistance.

Apply for Section 8 through the Housing Authority of Savannah: 912-236-0431. Also explore other housing voucher programs in parallel. Understanding how Section 8 works from application through lease-up prevents the mistakes that cost people their position in a line they may wait years to reach.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I get a free hotel voucher for homeless in Savannah, GA?

Call 211 first — available 24 hours in Chatham County. Contact Union Mission at 912-236-7423 — staff have real-time knowledge of motel voucher availability. The Salvation Army at 912-232-6605 and Catholic Social Services at 912-201-4070 also maintain emergency housing funds. Emmaus House at 912-232-3000 is the best day-services first stop. Call before 9 AM — Savannah’s voucher funds are limited and run out faster than in larger cities.

My Airbnb conversion evicted me — is there help specifically for that?

Yes. Savannah has one of the highest short-term rental conversion rates of any mid-sized American city, and several organizations understand this specific displacement pattern. Say explicitly that your housing was converted to a short-term rental when you call — Step Up Savannah at 912-232-6747 and Catholic Social Services at 912-201-4070 have experience with this situation and can sometimes access emergency funds faster for people who were stably housed before conversion.

I’m a hotel or restaurant worker who lost income in the off-season — what help is available?

Savannah’s tourism employment is seasonal, and housing instability following income drops is common. Step Up Savannah at 912-232-6747 specifically serves Savannah’s working poor and understands the hospitality economy — they connect emergency assistance with workforce development. Also apply for Georgia unemployment immediately at dol.georgia.gov if you’ve lost hours or employment — receiving unemployment income strengthens your case for rental assistance programs.

Are there hotel vouchers for homeless families in Savannah?

Yes. Families with children receive priority through Chatham County DFCS — call 912-356-1700 and ask about TANF emergency hotel authorization. Union Mission operates family-specific programs (912-236-7423). Catholic Social Services at 912-201-4070 also serves families. DV survivors with children should call Safe Shelter at 912-629-8888 (24 hours), which operates through a separate confidential shelter system.

Savannah is near Fort Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield — does that affect veteran resources here?

Yes — Savannah’s proximity to Fort Stewart (about 40 miles southwest) and Hunter Army Airfield (within city limits) means a large veteran population and an active VA CBOC. The VA Savannah CBOC at 912-920-0461 serves both active-duty transition cases and veterans experiencing homelessness, with HUD-VASH referrals processed through the broader Georgia VA network. Veterans should call 877-424-3838 to be connected directly to VA homeless resources rather than going through general 211 routing — the military connection here means faster navigation than in cities without nearby installations.

Georgia hasn’t expanded Medicaid — what are my healthcare options in Savannah?

Georgia has not expanded Medicaid, so most adults without dependent children don’t qualify regardless of income. Curtis V. Cooper Primary Health Care Center at 912-527-2500 is Savannah’s Federally Qualified Health Center — it provides sliding-scale care based on income, at or near free for people with zero income. Call 211 for additional free clinic locations in Chatham County.

What is Step Up Savannah and how is it different from a shelter?

Step Up Savannah at 912-232-6747 is not a shelter — it’s an economic mobility organization that works specifically with Savannah’s working poor, including people experiencing housing instability. They connect emergency financial assistance with workforce development, understanding Savannah’s hospitality and port economies. If you are employed or recently employed and lost housing, Step Up often moves faster than organizations focused on chronically homeless adults.

I’m a SCAD student or recent graduate who lost housing — what are my options?

Current SCAD students should contact SCAD Student Affairs at 912-525-5100 first — emergency housing assistance exists outside the public shelter system for enrolled students. Recent graduates should call 211 and contact Step Up Savannah at 912-232-6747, which understands creative-economy career trajectories and has workforce development programs relevant to arts-adjacent careers. Union Mission is the general emergency shelter option if immediate housing is needed.