City shelter dropouts left empty (5)
I believe the answer is:
leeds
'city' is the definition.
(Leeds is an example)
'shelter dropouts left empty' is the wordplay.
'shelter' becomes 'lee' (as in lee side, the side sheltered from wind).
'left empty' suggests removing the centre (the word is emptied out).
'dropouts' with its middle taken out is 'ds'.
'lee'+'ds'='LEEDS'
(Other definitions for leeds that I've seen before include "22 [FA CUP] runners-up" , "Yorkshire city - Kent castle" , "Soccer team" , "British city and premier division football club" , "W Yorkshire city" .)