A home, not a shelter
SOLACE homes are ordinary houses in real neighborhoods — six beds, two to a room — renovated to safety codes, furnished by our community, and run with the people who live there.
Match. House. Belong.
Match
Every applicant receives a personalized list of the assistance programs they may qualify for. We walk them through each application step by step, flag the documents they’ll need, and track progress so a case manager can advocate for them.
House
Residents move into a renovated six-bed home configured for their program — inspected and up to code before anyone moves in.
Belong
A psychologist-designed community, democratic house governance, and a resident House Manager. People stay because they belong.
Homes for veterans
Many homeless veterans are entitled to VA housing support they never receive. A SOLACE veterans home is for veterans only, close to the VA, with help securing the benefits they have earned and a household of people who understand service.
For veterans, we help connect residents with programs such as VA Grant and Per Diem transitional housing, HUD-VASH vouchers, VA healthcare enrollment, veterans employment services, disability compensation, and referrals to veterans service organizations.
Who a veterans home serves
- Veterans with a DD-214 or VA verification
- Who are homeless or at risk of homelessness
- Who are sober or in active recovery
Target stay: 3–12 months, working toward permanent housing.
Partners we plan to work with include the VA, American Legion, VFW, and Volunteers of America.
One home, one population
Each SOLACE home is dedicated to a single group of residents. Every housing program sets its own rules about who may live in a home, what services are provided, and how the space is set up — a veterans home, a confidential home for survivors, and a reentry home each carry different obligations. Single-population homes let us tailor the environment, staffing, and support to the people in them.
| Who | Who is eligible | Target stay |
|---|---|---|
| Homeless veterans | DD-214 or VA verification; homeless or at risk; sober or in active recovery | 3–12 months |
| Survivors of domestic violence | Documented history of domestic violence; safety assessment; referral from a DV hotline or shelter | 3–18 months |
| Returning citizens | Single prior conviction only; no sex offenses; released within the past 12 months; parole or probation referral | 6–12 months |
| General transitional housing | Income-qualified; homeless or at imminent risk; no active substance abuse | 3–12 months |
| Women-only housing | Designated women-only (or women-and-children) homes, never mixed with co-ed housing | 1–12 months, by track |
| Medical family housing | Family members supporting a loved one during a hospital stay or treatment | Duration of treatment |
Our first home will serve one of these groups, depending on which housing program opens first. Recent graduates facing housing instability are an emerging group we also plan to serve. Home health and hospice care settings are future programs planned for 2029 and beyond.
Safe, supported, self-determined
Safe
Zero tolerance for illegal drugs or alcohol, violence or threats, and theft. Smoke detectors, egress maps, and annual inspections. Homes for survivors of domestic violence are at confidential locations with safety protocols and restricted visitor access.
Supported
Weekly case management, an individual case plan within 72 hours of move-in, job-search help, transportation planning, and a 24/7 assistant that escalates sensitive issues to a person — with crisis resources and an on-call staff alert if someone’s safety is at risk.
Self-determined
Residents vote on who joins, set their own quiet hours, chore schedules and kitchen standards, and hold each other accountable. New residents see exactly which house agreements they are joining before they sign.
A household, run together
The House Manager
Every home has one House Manager — a current resident who serves as the bridge between the household and SOLACE staff. The role is voluntary, rotates about every six months to develop leadership, and is a facilitator, not a supervisor: running house meetings at least twice a month, organizing new-resident votes, and raising concerns to staff.
Psychologist-guided standards
A consulting psychologist designs each home’s community standards — communication, conflict resolution, shared spaces, privacy, and respect — and trains House Managers and case managers in trauma-informed de-escalation. The goal is a home where residents follow the rules because they understand and believe in them.
Welcomed by the household
After staff confirm eligibility, a prospective resident meets the current residents in a structured session. Residents vote privately, and a unanimous yes is needed to join that home. A “no” never turns anyone away from SOLACE — staff look for another home in the network. For urgent safety needs, such as a survivor who needs same-day placement, staff can approve a 72-hour emergency placement, with the vote held within that window.
Fair, with safeguards
Concerns are handled through structured mediation first. If removal is ever considered, it takes a 75% vote of residents, the Program Director reviews every decision and can overturn any vote based on bias or insufficient cause, and the resident receives at least seven days of active help relocating — often to another SOLACE home.
Clear expectations, shared by everyone
Every resident signs their home’s rules at move-in. The rules below are examples; the rules in each home are finalized with its housing program, our consulting psychologist, and the residents themselves.
| Rule | What happens if it’s broken |
|---|---|
| No illegal drugs or alcohol on the premises | Zero tolerance: removal upon a confirmed violation |
| No physical violence or threats | Zero tolerance: removal; police involvement if applicable |
| No theft | Zero tolerance: removal; restitution |
| Curfew: 10 PM Sunday–Thursday, 11 PM Friday–Saturday (adjustable per case plan) | Warning, then a written plan |
| Keep personal and shared areas clean | Warning system; chore assignments |
| Attend the weekly case management meeting | Required for continued residency |
| No overnight guests without prior approval | Written warning |
| Actively pursue employment, education, or treatment goals | Case plan review |
| Respect all residents, regardless of background | Harassment leads to immediate corrective action |
Help that follows the person
Moving to a new city shouldn’t mean the bottom of a new waitlist. As SOLACE grows, a resident’s case file, eligibility documents, and program enrollment move with them to any SOLACE home — so a veteran who gets a job in another city, or a survivor who needs to relocate, doesn’t have to start over.
- Each home has a program level, from more structure (Level 1) to near-independent living (Level 3), and residents move between levels as their needs change.
- Safety transfers for survivors of domestic violence or residents facing threats happen the same day.
- Where SOLACE doesn’t operate yet, we work with local agencies and charity partners to keep a resident’s support in place.
Help open the first home
Your gift buys, renovates, and furnishes a home — and once it opens, it keeps welcoming people for years.
