State Homeless Hotline

Homeless Hotline

NJ 211 serves as the state homeless hotline and seeks to assist those experiencing homelessness by connecting them with community resources that may help them with breaking the cycle of homelessness. The local County Board of Social Services is the primary resource for individuals experiencing homelessness or those seeking emergency housing assistance. During business hours, individuals are directed to contact their local  County Board of Social Services. They will be screened for programs and guided to the right community organizations.

After business hours, on weekends, and on holidays, individuals are directed to contact NJ 211 by dialing 2-1-1.  On behalf of the county, NJ 211 arranges a one-time emergency placement through the statewide homeless hotline program, for those who are eligible, along with information and appropriate referrals for the individual's situation. 

Code Blue

When a county declares a Code Blue, NJ 211 can assist with arranging a placement after-hours for individuals who were previously placed. Appropriate sheltering options are pursued based on specific county-level Code Blue instructions. Therefore, placement instructions, Code Blue activations, warming center listings, and motel information are based on what each individual county has provided to NJ 211.