Central Arizona Shelter Services

What Central Arizona Shelter Services does

Central Arizona Shelter Services (CASS) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1984 and headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona. It is the largest and longest-serving homeless emergency shelter provider in Arizona, operating a multi-site system that includes the 600-bed Single Adult Shelter (Arizona's largest), the 36-unit Vista Colina Family Shelter, the 130-unit The Haven (Arizona's first emergency shelter exclusively for adults 55 and older), and the Norton and Ramsey Social Justice Empowerment Center (NREC) in Glendale. Together these facilities represent approximately 25% of Maricopa County's 3,642 emergency shelter beds. CASS also operates Rapid Re-Housing & Prevention programs, the Thirst Responder heat-relief initiative, and a wholly-owned housing subsidiary, Arizona Housing Initiative (AHI), which oversees five affordable housing properties for formerly homeless tenants.

Services are delivered through physical facilities and human case management rather than a technology platform; the underlying operating system is HMIS (Homeless Management Information System) software implemented in 2003 for coordinated care. Annual impact metrics include sheltering 4,585 people, providing 252,350 nights of shelter, serving 167 veterans, and moving 626 individuals into permanent housing, with a cost-efficiency ratio of 84 cents of every dollar directed to programs and services.

CASS's revenue model is a hybrid of donation fundraising (individual donors, corporate giving, planned giving, the Dinner for Dignity gala, and Arizona's Qualifying Charitable Organization tax credit program with code 20328), grant funding from 40+ named foundations, and government contracts with municipal (City of Phoenix, Maricopa County, City of Glendale, plus eight other Valley municipalities) and state (Arizona Departments of Housing, Economic Security, and Veterans Services) entities. The customer base—individuals and families experiencing homelessness—accesses services at no cost through 24/7 walk-in intake or the 211 Arizona coordinated entry system. Notable accountability designations include a 4-Star Charity Navigator rating and a Platinum Seal of Transparency from Candid.org.

Name

Central Arizona Shelter Services

Legal name

Central Arizona Shelter Services, Inc.

Website

https://cassaz.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Central Arizona Shelter Services (CASS) is Arizona's largest nonprofit emergency shelter provider, operating 850+ beds across single adult, family, and senior shelters in Phoenix and Glendale, serving 4,585 people annually through case management, rapid re-housing, and heat-relief programs funded by donations, grants, and government contracts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Homeless Shelter Services

NAICS

Temporary Shelters (624221), Community Housing Services (62422), Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Homelessness Prevention, Shelter & Supportive Housing Services (BPAIANAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Housing Assistance & Homeless Services (BPAGAEAB)

Keywords

• Emergency shelter services
• Homeless services
• Rapid re-housing
• Case management
• Family shelter programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Phoenix

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: CASS receives contributions from individual donors through online donations, mailed checks, and planned giving. Donors can make one-time or recurring gifts.
2. Corporate Giving: Corporate partners support CASS through donations, event sponsorships, cause marketing campaigns, employee matching gifts, and in-kind donations.
3. Foundation Grants: CASS receives grant funding from foundations including Arizona Community Foundation, Lodestar Foundation, Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust, and others.
4. Government Contracts and Grants: CASS receives funding from government entities including City of Phoenix, Maricopa County, Arizona Department of Housing, Arizona Department of Economic Security, and Arizona Department of Veterans Services.
5. Arizona Tax Credit Program: As a Qualifying Charitable Organization (QCO Code: 20328), CASS participates in Arizona's charitable tax credit program allowing donors to receive dollar-for-dollar credit on state taxes.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Central Arizona Shelter Services is the largest and longest-serving homeless emergency shelter provider in Arizona, operating a network of 24/7 emergency shelters (Single Adult Shelter of 600 beds, Vista Colina Family Shelter with 36 private family units, and The Haven with 130 private units for adults 55+) along with Rapid Re-Housing, case management, employment support, and heat relief services delivered at no cost to clients. Funding is sourced from individual donations, foundation grants, corporate giving, and government contracts and grants from entities such as the City of Phoenix, Maricopa County, and Arizona state agencies.

Product overview

Central Arizona Shelter Services (CASS) operates a multi-site shelter system providing emergency housing and support services for individuals and families experiencing homelessness. The organization offers three core shelter programs: the Single Adult Shelter (Arizona's largest, 600-bed capacity), Vista Colina Family Shelter (36 private family units), and The Haven (Arizona's first senior shelter, 130 beds for adults 55+). These shelters operate alongside Rapid Re-Housing programs, the Thirst Responder heat relief initiative, and the West Valley Norton and Ramsey Social Justice Empowerment Center. All programs provide case management, healthcare navigation, and pathways to permanent housing, functioning as a unified platform delivering shelter, stabilization, and rehousing services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Thirst Responder: CASS' heat relief effort focused on reducing heat-related deaths in the community through hydration support, cooling stations, and heat relief kit distribution.
• Vista Colina Family Shelter
• The Haven
• CASS Kits for A Cause
• Norton and Ramsey Social Justice Empowerment Center (NREC)

Products and services

• Single Adult Shelter Arizona's largest single adult emergency shelter with 600-bed capacity, open 24/7, 365 days a year, providing immediate low-barrier access, showers, meals, and case management for single men and women experiencing homelessness.
• Vista Colina Family Shelter Family shelter providing 36 private family units with a food pantry, clothing closet, individualized family-centered case management, school enrollment support, transportation assistance, and housing navigation for parents and children experiencing homelessness.
• The Haven Arizona's first emergency shelter designed exclusively for adults 55 and older, with 130 private non-congregate units, age- and accessibility-informed design, comprehensive wraparound case management, medical care connections, behavioral health services, and specialized housing navigation.
• Rapid Re-Housing & Prevention Programs helping individuals and families secure or retain housing through short-term rental and utility assistance, security deposit support, case management, tenancy skills training, landlord mediation, and benefits enrollment, connected through the county's Coordinated Entry System.
• Thirst Responder Heat relief effort providing cooling stations, hydration support, water distribution, cooling resources, and heat relief kit distribution during Arizona's hottest months to reduce heat-related deaths among vulnerable populations.
• Norton and Ramsey Social Justice Empowerment Center (NREC) West Valley navigation hub serving approximately 500 people monthly, providing street outreach, job services, coordinated entry, and 24/7 service line coordination for Glendale residents at risk of or experiencing homelessness.

Quantifiable outcome

• 4,585 people sheltered annually
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and supporting.

• The Arizona RepublicmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia partner providing coverage and support. Recognized as a partner giving $10,000 or more.
• 211 ArizonacoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorStatewide information and referral service connecting individuals to shelter and services through coordinated entry system.
• Glendale Community Action ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization providing housing assistance and coordinating services with CASS for Glendale residents.
• Arizona Pet ProjectsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership supporting individuals experiencing homelessness who also have pets, addressing the whole person approach.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Phoenix Rescue Mission: Phoenix-based nonprofit providing emergency shelter, transitional housing, and recovery services for individuals and families experiencing homelessness and addiction. Operates in the same Phoenix metro service area as CASS with overlapping shelter and case management offerings, and shares executive talent (Nathan Smith and Nicole Peña previously worked there).
• UMOM New Day Centers: Phoenix-based nonprofit operating the largest family homeless shelter in Arizona, providing emergency shelter, transitional housing, and rapid re-housing. Directly competes with CASS for family and single-adult clients in Maricopa County and coordinates through the same Human Services Campus / coordinated entry system.
• St. Vincent de Paul Phoenix: Faith-based Phoenix nonprofit providing emergency shelter, transitional housing, and homeless outreach services including a 320-bed family shelter. Comparable operating model (shelter + case management + housing navigation) and serves overlapping client populations in the same regional service area as CASS.
• Catholic Charities Community Services: Arizona-wide faith-based nonprofit offering emergency assistance, housing support, and refugee/immigrant services including homeless prevention and rapid re-housing. Operates in the same Phoenix metro and Arizona regional market with overlapping emergency services and federal/state funding streams.
• Salt Lake City Rescue Mission: Faith-based Utah nonprofit operating emergency shelters, transitional housing, and recovery programs for men, women, and families experiencing homelessness. Similar mid-sized multi-program shelter model with comparable scale, geography, and donor-funded operating structure.

Others

• Human Services Campus (Phoenix): Co-located campus of 14+ partner agencies (including CASS) serving single adults experiencing homelessness in downtown Phoenix. Functions as an ecosystem partner and coordinated entry hub rather than a direct competitor, but its member agencies (e.g., Lodestar Day Resource Center) provide overlapping day services.
• National Alliance to End Homelessness: Washington D.C.-based nonprofit policy and advocacy organization that does not operate shelters but shapes federal funding, technical assistance, and best-practice frameworks that CASS relies on (coordinated entry, HMIS, rapid re-housing). Functions as an ecosystem enabler rather than a competitor.

Broad incumbents

• Shelter Network: California-based nonprofit operating multiple emergency shelters and rapid re-housing programs across the Bay Area. Larger and more geographically dispersed than CASS but operates a comparable multi-site shelter + housing navigation model, useful as a comparable for multi-jurisdiction expansion.
• The Los Angeles Mission: Long-standing Los Angeles nonprofit providing emergency shelter, recovery programs, and meal services for individuals experiencing homelessness. Operates at significantly greater scale than CASS in a denser urban market, making it a useful comparable for how a mature shelter provider scales programs and fundraising.
• Family Promise: National nonprofit network focused on preventing and ending family homelessness through shelter, housing stabilization, and case management across 200+ affiliates. Comparable mission and family-focused service mix, with a broader geographic footprint and stronger brand awareness than CASS.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CASS_AZ

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Central Arizona Shelter Services