This study explores the process of exit from and re-entry to public family shelters for homeless families in New York City. Based on eight years of administrative data on public shelter utilization among homeless families from New York City, the study identified the effects of demographic, family structure, reason for homelessness, and time-related variables for different types of shelter discharge and shelter re-entry. The study specifically explored the significance of type of housing placement as a predictor variable for shelter re-entry. Findings indicated that various demographic and family structure attributes are linked with shelter exit and re-entry, including race/ethnicity, family size, age of family head, pregnancy status, and public assistance recipiency status. Findings also indicated that procurement of subsidized housing is associated with substantially lower probability of shelter readmission. Policy implications of these findings and future direction for research on the dynamics of family homelessness are discussed. (Authors)