How We Built Instant Shelter Booking Platform for US Social Services
About the Client
ReloShare is a Chicago-based technology company dedicated to revolutionising emergency housing access for vulnerable populations. Beyond their hotel booking platform, they identified a critical gap in the shelter ecosystem: agencies had no way to see real-time bed availability across shelters.
Launch Results
20,000+
shelter beds managed
95%
reduction in placement time
700+
agencies connected
How we approached challenges uniquely
Real-Time Availability
Implemented an event-driven architecture with instant updates that ensures agencies always see current bed counts, not stale data from hours ago.
Privacy Protection
Built de-identified referral workflows that allow placements without exposing sensitive client information, crucial for domestic violence survivors and those fleeing dangerous situations.
Flexible Filtering
Created flexible filtering that accounts for age restrictions, gender requirements, family configurations, accessibility needs, sobriety requirements, and other shelter-specific criteria.
Intuitive Interface
Designed an intuitive interface that makes updating availability as simple as possible, reducing the administrative burden on already-stretched shelter staff.
Our process that built a scalable solution
- Discovery - We conducted extensive research into the shelter ecosystem, understanding how agencies place clients through manual phone calls, identifying gaps in real-time availability visibility.
- Design - We created intuitive interfaces for shelter providers to update live bed counts and agency case managers to search the entire network simultaneously with flexible filtering.
- Development - We built an event-driven architecture ensuring agencies always see current availability rather than stale data, with real-time updates that reduce placement time from hours to seconds.
- Integration - We implemented privacy-preserving de-identified referral workflows that protect client identities throughout the placement process, plus automated reporting tools for compliance documentation.
Technology we chose for this project
React
Next.js
Chakra UI
Google Maps
Vercel
Figma
What We Did
We partnered with ReloShare to design and build The Grove—the nation's first real-time shelter availability platform. The platform operates as a two-sided network: shelter providers access a streamlined dashboard to update live bed counts in seconds, while agency case managers can query the entire network simultaneously with a single search.
We built flexible filtering that accounts for demographics, family size, services offered, accessibility needs, and other shelter-specific criteria. De-identified referral workflows protect client identities throughout the process, a critical safeguard for domestic violence survivors and trafficking victims. We implemented an event-driven architecture ensuring agencies always see current availability.
Result & Impact
The Grove has eliminated the exhausting manual process of calling shelters one by one. What previously took hours now takes seconds. Real-time visibility across the entire network has reduced placement time by 95%, meaning people in crisis reach safety faster.
With over 20,000 shelter beds managed across the network and 700+ agencies connected, The Grove has become the central coordination layer for emergency shelter placement in the United States. To accelerate adoption, ReloShare launched a 12-month free access program for eligible shelter organizations.
For domestic violence survivors, trafficking victims, and others who depend on anonymity for safety, the de-identified referral system means agencies can complete a placement without ever exposing sensitive client details.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the shelter platform differ from the hotel booking platform?
The hotel booking platform is for emergency hotel accommodations when shelter isn't available or appropriate. The shelter coordination platform provides real-time visibility into bed availability across the shelter network. Together, they give agencies comprehensive options for placing clients in crisis.
How do shelters update their availability?
Shelter staff access a simple dashboard where they can update bed counts, mark beds as available or occupied, and specify any requirements or restrictions. The interface is designed to take seconds, minimising the administrative burden on shelter staff who are already stretched thin.
How does the de-identified referral system work?
When an agency finds an appropriate shelter through the platform, they can initiate a referral that shares only essential information—bed requirements, timing, and basic demographics—without exposing the client's identity. This protects vulnerable populations, especially domestic violence survivors who need anonymity for safety.
Can the platform integrate with existing shelter management systems?
Yes, the platform is designed to complement existing systems. We built APIs that can sync with popular shelter management software, and the platform can feed data into HMIS (Homeless Management Information System) for compliance reporting.
What is the typical timeline for building a platform like this?
The shelter platform was developed as part of our ongoing partnership with the client, building on the architectural patterns established with the hotel booking platform. New shelter coordination features typically take 4-8 weeks from design to deployment, with continuous iteration based on user feedback from shelters and agencies.