COVID-19: Support for the unhoused

Below are resources to support Berkeley's unhoused residents and homeless service providers.

• City-wide homeless services
• Berkeley Emergency Storm Shelter (BESS)
• Resources for homeless service providers
• Handwashing stations & restrooms

City-wide homeless services

Many non-profits providing services for unhoused residents have modified their programs to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Information below outlines current services available throughout the community.

• Berkeley Community Resource Center/Dorothy Day House

  Breakfast/lunch box style to go. Served on parking lot side at 8:15am and 12:30pm. Open 7 days a week. Sign-up in courtyard side between 8:15-9am every morning for next day service of 16 showers (including 3 laundry) at 9-11am and 1-3pm. Contact Robbi Monoyoya, (510) 705-1325 & (510) 228-7587. 1391 Center St.  

• Berkeley Drop-In Center

  Payee services & mail services Monday & Thursday, 10am-3pm. Peer support assistance by phone, hygiene products. Drop in facility closed for public gatherings. NO bathroom accessibility. Contact info@acnetmhc.com, (510) 653-3808. 3234 Adeline.  

• Berkeley Food and Housing Project Community Meal

  Lunch bag to go service provided Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Spaghetti dinner on Wednesday 3:30-4:45 pm. Contact (510) 649-4965. 1744 University Ave.

• Berkeley Mental Health

  Doors are open Monday-Thursday 10am-12pm and Fridays from 1pm-3pm to conduct client assessments. Contact (510) 981-5280. 1521 University Ave.  

• Downtown Streets Team

  Case management and employment services by phone. Continuing to provide weekly basic needs stipends for existing Team Member participants. Phone only. Contact Victor Mavedzenge, (510) 390-3512.

• Homeless Action Center

  No drop-in services except to receive mail. Disability hearings are phone hearings only. Email Amy Orgain if you have clients who have problems receiving their SSI, GA, Food stamps, or Medi-Cal benefits. Email only. Contact Amy Orgain, aorgain@homelessactioncenter.org.

• Lifelong Medical Center

  Closed to in-person visits until further notice. Call 510-981-4100 to schedule a phone visit with a doctor. Lifelong is doing COVID testing for symptomatic patients - call the main line to go through a phone screening before being referred to a testing site in Oakland or Richmond. Phone only. Contact Mukund Raguram, (510) 932-3962.

• North County Housing Resource Center

  No walk-in service. Call (510) 495-0131 for assessments by phone Monday, Wednesday, Friday 9am–12pm.

• UC Berkeley Homeless Outreach

  Limited morning/late morning outreach to provide information, hand sanitizer, basic needs, hear and communicate needs/concerns to the city. Available other times by phone/text. Contact Ari Neulight, (510) 365-4394.

• West Campus Shower Program

  New expanded shower program. Monday – Friday, 9:00am - 12:00pm. Saturday–Sunday, 3:00pm-6:00pm. 2100 Browning Street.

• Willard Pool Shower Program

  Expanded hours now available. Towels and soap are provided. Monday – Friday, 5:30–8:30pm. Saturday–Sunday, 9am-12pm. 2701 Telegraph Ave.

• Women's Daytime Drop-In Center

  Referrals and assistance by phone Monday-Friday 8am-4pm. To-go food options, hygiene products, diapers. Limited staff on site. Drop-In facility not open for public gathering. Contact (510) 548-2884 or contact Leslie Berkler at (510) 479-4573, help@womensdropin.org. 2218 Acton Street.

Berkeley Emergency Storm Shelter (BESS)

The City of Berkeley funds BESS, an overnight shelter with 28 mats for people who are living on the streets in Berkeley. The shelter is located at Old City Hall, 2134 Martin Luther King Jr. Way.

The shelter will open when:

• The nighttime low temperature is forecasted to fall below 45°F; or
• Overnight rain is forecast with a greater than 50% certainty; or
• The Air Quality Index (AQI) is forecasted to be higher than 151 at night.

Vacant beds are filled on a first-come, first-serve basis at 7pm each night the shelter is open.

If the shelter is scheduled to open, it will be noticed online by noon, Monday-Friday. For information about whether the shelter will be open on a Saturday or Sunday night, please call (510) 705-1516.

COVID-19 resources for homeless service providers

Please visit the the below websites for regularly-updated guides of key resources, emerging and recommended practices, and templates for homeless service providers

• Homebase
• Alameda County Healthcare for the Homeless
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Handwashing stations and restrooms

Public restrooms throughout the City are closed in accordance with public health protocols. The City is maintaining portable toilets and hand-washing stations throughout Berkeley to meet the community’s needs. See an online map of restrooms, portable toilets, and handwashing stations.

Last updated July 1, 2020