How We Built Hotel Booking Platform for Emergency Stay for US Social Services
We partnered with ReloShare from their early days as a two-person startup to build a revolutionary platform that transforms how social service agencies secure emergency hotel accommodations for vulnerable populations. As an extension of their development team, we helped them grow into a 40-person company. The platform now serves over 700 agencies, has facilitated 500,000+ safe nights, and partners with 20,000+ hotels including major chains like Choice Hotels, Wyndham, and Extended Stay America—reducing booking time from hours to seconds while protecting client identities.
700+
agencies onboarded
500,000+
safe nights provided
20,000+
hotel partners
“They cared about the work we were doing, and we considered them part of our team.”
John Moats
CTO, ReloShare
MTechZilla provides UI/UX design and custom software development services for ReloShare. Our team has collaborated on multiple projects as an extension of their development team, helping them grow from a two-person startup to a 40-person company. We've defined sprints, delivered tasks on time, and consistently found the right developers to meet their evolving needs.
Client Introduction
ReloShare is a Chicago-based technology company dedicated to revolutionising emergency housing access for vulnerable populations. They work at the intersection of social services and hospitality, partnering with government agencies, healthcare providers, victim services organizations, and nonprofits to provide immediate, safe accommodations. Their flagship product allows agencies to book hotel rooms under aliases without requiring client IDs, credit cards, or deposits—removing critical barriers for domestic violence survivors and others in crisis situations.
- Industry: Social Services Technology / Hospitality
- Region: United States (Nationwide operations)
- Company Stage: Growth-stage startup (2 to 40+ employees)
- Primary Users: Social workers, case managers, victim advocates, shelter administrators
What We Did
We served as an extension of our client's development team, providing UI/UX design and custom software development services across multiple projects. Our primary focus was building an emergency stay platform that enables instant hotel bookings under aliases. We developed features including no-fee booking, alias-protected reservations, consolidated monthly billing, instant availability search, check-in confirmation calls, and a protection plan for predictable pricing. We also contributed to a real-time shelter availability platform that helps agencies find shelter beds instantly.
How We Did It
Our engagement started when our client was just a two-person team with a vision to transform emergency housing. We embedded ourselves as part of their development team, defining sprints and delivering tasks on time throughout our ongoing partnership since January 2023. The development followed an agile methodology with bi-weekly sprints, allowing rapid iteration based on agency feedback. We built a serverless architecture for scalability during crisis periods, implemented sophisticated hotel partnership integrations with major chains, and ensured the interface remained intuitive enough for use during high-stress situations. Our team consistently matched the right developers to their needs as they scaled.
Tech Stack & Integrations
Overcoming Challenges
- Alias bookings while satisfying hotel requirements: We built a backend identity management system that allows clients to check in under fake names while the platform maintains secure records, satisfying hotel compliance needs without compromising client safety.
- Eliminating barriers for vulnerable populations: Designed the booking flow to require no credit cards, IDs, or deposits from clients—removing the friction that previously prevented crisis interventions.
- Consolidated billing across hundreds of agencies: Built an automated billing engine that reconciles reservations across thousands of hotels, generating single monthly invoices per agency with detailed breakdowns.
- Unpredictable hotel charges and disputes: Developed a fixed-fee protection plan covering linen, smoking, and cleaning fees—eliminating surprise charges and billing disputes for agencies.
- 24/7 crisis availability: Implemented round-the-clock support integration with instant notifications and check-in confirmation calls to ensure smooth handoffs between agencies and hotels.
Result & Impact
The platform has fundamentally transformed how social service agencies access emergency accommodations across the United States. What previously required hours of phone calls, credit card authorizations, and identity verification now takes seconds through the platform. The elimination of ID and credit card requirements has removed critical barriers for domestic violence survivors and other vulnerable populations who need anonymity for safety.
Qualitative Wins
- Client grew from 2-person startup to 40+ person team
- Partnered with major hotel chains: Choice Hotels, Wyndham, Extended Stay America
- Enabled instant crisis response with 24/7 booking capabilities
- Launched nationwide real-time shelter availability platform
- Consistent on-time delivery with well-defined sprint cycles
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the platform protect client identities?
The platform allows agencies to book hotel rooms under aliases—clients can check in using fake names without providing photo ID, credit cards, or deposits. The platform maintains secure backend records while ensuring the client's real identity is protected, which is crucial for domestic violence survivors and others in danger.
What makes this different from standard hotel booking platforms?
Unlike consumer platforms, this solution addresses unique social services needs: no credit cards or deposits required, alias-approved bookings for safety, consolidated monthly agency billing, 24/7 crisis support with check-in confirmation calls, and specialised reporting for grant compliance. There are no minimum booking, membership, or sign-up fees.
How does the consolidated billing work?
All reservations with check-out dates within a billing period are consolidated into a single monthly invoice per agency. This streamlines accounting, reduces administrative burden, and enables detailed usage reporting for grant requirements. Payment is accepted via ACH wire or check.
Can government agencies use this platform?
Yes! The platform is designed to support government agency partners with services tailored for safety, confidentiality, and cost-effectiveness. It can complete vendor paperwork and provides all necessary documentation for procurement requirements.
What is the typical timeline for building a platform like this?
Our partnership has been ongoing since January 2023, starting when the client was a two-person team. We took an iterative approach—launching core booking functionality quickly and continuously adding features like the protection plan, shelter platform, and hotel chain integrations based on agency feedback and business growth.
Ready to Build Your Social Impact Platform?
Whether you're transforming social services delivery or building technology for vulnerable populations, we have the expertise and commitment to create solutions that make a real difference.