Welcome to Joseph's House and Shelter's website. Here you will find information about the programs and services we offer, general information about the organization, its history, and its management, and learn about ways you can help support our mission through donations and volunteer opportunities.

To contact us via email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , or by phone: (518)272-2544. To make a donation in person or by regular mail, our address is: Joseph's House & Shelter 74 Ferry Street, Troy, NY 12180

The Inn at Ferry Street was our first permanent supportive housing program.  It’s located on the first floor of the same building that houses our emergency shelter.  There are nine single rooms, each with a sink and a small refrigerator.  Bathrooms, living room and dining room are shared. Basic cable is free, and three meals a day are provided.  According to Gail Walls, the program’s coordinator, while both the Lansing Inn and the Inn at Ferry Street provide housing to persons with serious life challenges and long histories of homelessness, the tenants at Ferry Street often need more hands-on and intensive support. 

Some students of SAGE College in Troy recently visited Joseph’s House and left with a whole new perception of who and what homeless people are. They then raised nearly a thousand dollars for the shelter and also designed a web site about homelessness called gotshelter. You can visit their site at: http://www.sage.edu/gotshelter and you can visit their Facebook page by searching for Got Shelter?

In 2009 the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act made available $1.5 Billion for Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-housing. The intent of these funds is to provide temporary financial assistance and/or services to help individuals and families gain housing stability.

In August 2008, Affordable Housing Finance magazine wrote a feature story on the nation's shrinking affordable housing supply. According to the article, there are only 38 affordable and available units for every 100 extremely low-income households, accounting for a nationwide deficit of 6 million units.

Even for those earning up to 50 percent of their area's median income, the deficit is still a 5 million available, affordable units. Additionally, the number of households with "worst case" housing needs increased nearly 20 percent from 2001 to 2005.