From Street to Home: How the Haven Night Shelter Enables Reintegration for Adults who are Unhoused in Cape Town

Unhousedness in Cape Town represents a multifaceted social challenge with far-reaching implications for health, dignity, and social inclusion. Within this landscape, The Haven Night Shelter serves as a cornerstone of the city’s response – one that views unhousedness not as a fixed identity but as a transitional phase toward reintegration. This case study explores how The Haven’s tiered shelter system, guided by individualized Personal Development Plans, supports adults experiencing unhousedness in navigating barriers to healthcare access, employment, and stability. Drawing on field interviews with social workers, shelter managers, and hosts across multiple Haven branches, the research illuminates the emotional and structural dimensions of service delivery. The findings reveal that empowerment, responsibility, and dignity are central to sustainable reintegration, yet persistent gaps, such as limited healthcare integration, mental health support, and family accommodation, can hinder progress. By situating The Haven within South Africa’s evolving unhousedness environment, this study underscores the need for stronger intersectoral collaboration and trauma-informed, gender-sensitive approaches to service delivery. Ultimately, the report positions The Haven as a model of a developmental, outcomes-based approach: where shelter becomes not an endpoint, but the first step toward reclaiming agency, belonging, and home.