An Emergency Shelter is a place where homeless people facing a housing crisis or fleeing an unsafe situation can live temporarily. Emergency shelters provide critical services to individuals and families in crisis. In an effective crisis response system, emergency shelters help people quickly exit homelessness. The Office of Supportive Housing collaborates with many service providers to operate two kinds of emergency shelters throughout the Santa Clara County - Year-round shelters and Cold Weather Shelters. While year-round emergency shelters operate all through the year, seasonal/cold weather Shelters provide a respite from the cold weather to homeless individuals and families in the Santa Clara County.