Modern Brooklyn Shelter Prioritizes Trauma-Informed Care for Women Experiencing Homelessness
A new 200-bed women’s shelter, HELP Women’s Center, opened in East New York, Brooklyn, on March 24, 2026, and will begin operations on March 30, 2026. The facility, located at 114 Snediker Ave., is designed as an intake and assessment center focused on providing trauma-informed support to women entering the New York City shelter system.
A Modern Approach to Intake and Assessment
The five-story, 60,000-square-foot center is a collaboration between HELP USA, Camber Property Group, and the New York City Department of Social Services. Unlike many older shelters, this facility was specifically designed to support person-centered intake, assessment, and care, prioritizing safety, privacy, accessibility, and stability, according to officials. The center aims to streamline access to care and housing pathways by bringing intake services, support, and daily assistance together in one location.
Comprehensive On-Site Services
HELP Women’s Center will offer a range of on-site services, including medical and clinical care. Additional amenities include media and computer rooms, support for employment and housing searches, and wellness and healthy living programs. Rooms will accommodate no more than five women each to reduce crowding and stress. The facility also features a medical clinic, a lactation room, an art therapy room, an outdoor courtyard for gardening, and a fully operating professional kitchen.
City and Nonprofit Partnership
The $89.5 million facility is managed by HELP USA, a nonprofit organization that has handled intake services for single women in New York City since 2005. HELP USA currently operates a women’s intake center in the Bronx and anticipates approximately 4,000 women will seek shelter beds at the Brooklyn facility annually. Women will stay at the center for an average of three weeks before being placed in more permanent shelter locations.
A Shift in City Shelter Philosophy
“The first point of interaction with our system should be welcoming and supportive,” said Department of Social Services Commissioner Erin Dalton in a statement. “That is what New Yorkers will experience when they walk through the doors of HELP Women’s Center.” The project aligns with the city’s broader efforts to modernize its aging shelter system and create more welcoming spaces for New Yorkers experiencing homelessness. The city is also redeveloping the former intake facility on Williams Street.
Focus on Trauma-Informed Design
The design of the new center emphasizes trauma-informed principles. Features like taller dividers in rooms and a calming environment with natural light are intended to help women feel safe and begin their recovery from homelessness. “When you’re in the biggest trauma, in a crisis, the first thing people say is grab a breath. But if you could take a breath in a space that is calm with natural light, taking that breath is an easier thing to do,” said Helen Arteaga, the city’s deputy mayor for health and human services.