Resources

Resources

Fair Housing

In you live in the City of Philadelphia or Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Lehigh, Northampton, or Montgomery Counties, you can contact the Housing Equality Center for technical assistance with fair housing issues including evaluating reasonable accommodation and modification requests. Fair housing posters and additional copies of this guide and other resources are available at no cost. You can also request training on fair housing. Call 267-419-8918 or 866-540-FAIR (3247) or email info@equalhousing.org or visit www.equalhousing.org

Housing Choice Voucher Program
HUD Fair Market Rents
Local Code Enforcement Official

Each municipality has their own Code Enforcement Department. To contact your local Code Enforcement Official call the municipality (Township, Borough or City) in which you live.

Magisterial District Court
To Find the Magisterial District Court in Your Area, go to www.pacourt.us, Click on ‘Minor Courts’ and then click on ‘Magisterial District Judge’. You can search by county or zip code to get the contact information for the Magisterial District Judge servicing your area.
PA Law Help

For Information regarding Legal Issues including Landlord/Tenant, Consumer, Children and Families, Employment, Health Law, Housing and Shelter, Public Benefits, Disability, Elder Law, Immigration Issues, Migrant Issues, and Veterans and Military visit the website: PALawHELP.org

Pennsylvania Bar Association

The PBA Lawyer Referral Service (LRS) refers callers to lawyers in the counties that do not have a referral service of their own. This service covers 45 of the 67 counties in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and can be reached by calling 800-692-7375 (for in-state callers only), 717-238-6807 or www.pabar.org.

Pennsylvania Local Lawyer Referral Services

Allegheny County, Pittsburgh
(412) 261-5555

Beaver County, Beaver
(724) 728-4888

Berks County, Reading
(610) 375-4591

Blair County, Hollidaysburg
(814) 693-3090

Bucks County, Doylestown
(215) 348-9413
(888) 991-9922

Butler County, Butler
(724)-841-0130

Carbon County, Lehighton
(610) 379-4950

Chester County, West Chester
(610) 429-1500

Cumberland County, Carlisle
(717) 249-3166

Dauphin County, Harrisburg
(717) 232-7536

Delaware County, Media
(610) 566-6625

Erie County, Erie
(814) 459-4411

Franklin County, Chambersburg:
(717) 267-2032

Lackawanna County, Scranton
(570) 969-9600

Lancaster County, Lancaster
(717) 393-0737

Lebanon County, Lebanon
(717) 273-3133

Lehigh County, Allentown
(610) 433-7094

Luzerne County, Wilkes-Barre
(570) 822-6029

Mercer County, Mercer
(724) 342-3111

Monroe County, Stroudsburg
(570) 424-7288

Montgomery County, Norristown
(610) 279-9660

Northampton County, Easton
(610) 258-6333

Philadelphia County, Philadelphia
(215) 238-6333

Washington County, Washington
(724) 225-6710

Westmoreland County, Greensburg
(724) 834-8490

York County, York
(717) 854-8755

Resources To Provide To Tenants

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity (FHEO)

To file a housing discrimination complaint based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status, disability, or LGBTQ+ status: Call FHEO at 1-888-799-2085. To file an online complaint: visit www.hud.gov and click on “File a Discrimination Complaint.” You may also email a complaint to complaintsoffice03@hud.gov or mail a complaint to FHEO, Attn: Intake Branch, 100 Penn Square East, Philadelphia, PA 19107. FHEO’s TDD number is 1-800-877-8339. Complaints of housing discrimination must be filed with FHEO within 1 year from the date of the incident.

Fair Housing Accessibility FIRST is an initiative sponsored by HUD to promote compliance with the Fair Housing Act design and construction requirements. The initiative offers a toll-free information line and website with technical guidance for communities and developers. For more information, contact: (888) 341-7781 or www.fairhousingfirst.org.

Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Bureau of Consumer Protection

This entity investigates consumer complaints, attempts to mediate and correct the problems for you. The Consumer Protection Hotline is 1-800-441-2555.

Senior LAW Center

The Senior Law Center serves Pennsylvanians 60 years of age and older. Legal advice, counseling, information, and referral services are available at 1-877-PASRLAW (727-7529) or www.seniorlawcenter.org

To Check Eligibility for Public Benefits, such as LIHEAP (Energy Assistance), Food Stamps, Medical Assistance, CHIP, Cash Assistance, Child Care Works Program, School Meals,
Long Term Living Services, and Early Intervention, Intellectual Disability or Autism Services, visit www.compass.state.pa.us If you need help filling out a COMPASS application, call the HELPLINE at 1-800-692-7462 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:45 p.m., Monday through Friday. If you are hearing impaired, call TTY/TTD at 1-800-451-5886. If you have a question during non-business hours or prefer to use e-mail, you may contact them by email through their website.

PA Housing Search

The Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency’s search tool helps people search for housing by topics such as rent amount, area of interest, accessibility, or availability of public transportation. On the website, you can also find additional statewide information and resources, including a rental checklist, rent calculator, information on services, transportation, Frequently Asked Questions related to renting, and much more by visiting the “Info and Links” section of the website.

www.pahousingsearch.com Toll-Free: 1-877-428-8844. TTY is 7-1-1.

Public Housing Authorities

If you need public housing assistance or information about public housing programs, such as Housing Choice Vouchers (HCVs), please contact your local public housing authority (PHA). The HCV program is the federal government’s major program that assists very low-income families, older adults, and individuals with disabilities with obtaining decent, safe, and sanitary housing in the private housing market. If you need assistance locating your local public housing authority, call 2-1-1 (United Way) for information.

Quick Start Housing Resources
  • www.phfa.org/mhp/serviceprovider
  • Use this webpage to find the contact information, by county, for a variety of housing providers including housing authorities, homeless providers, community action agencies, and more. Click on the “Hot Topics” button to see a drop down menu of counties in Pennsylvania and select the county to view.
Accessibility Modifications

If you have a disability and need to make modifications to your home or need assistive technology devices or services to improve the quality of your life, the PA Assistive Technology Foundation can help people with disabilities and older Pennsylvanians get the assistive technology they need with low[1]interest and 0% interest financial loans, information and assistance about possible funding resources including public and private grants, financial education through various publications and individual counseling. The PA Assistive Technology Foundation helps Pennsylvanians of all ages, all income levels and all disabilities. www.patf.us

Pennsylvania Assistive Technology Foundation

1004 West 9th Avenue #130
King of Prussia, PA 19406
(484) 674-0506 (voice)
(888) 744- 1938 (toll free)
(484) 674-0510 (fax)
patf@patf.us

Self-Determination Housing of Pennsylvania

A statewide non-profit organization that works to expand housing options for people with disabilities in Pennsylvania. SDHP provides information and resources to people with disabilities and their families about housing options. SDHP also administers several statewide and/or county-wide housing programs including the Regional Housing Coordinator Program and the PA Accessible Housing Program, a grant program for home modifications. www.inglis.org/programs-and-services/inglis-community-services/self-determination-housing-of-pennsylvania-sdhp

(610) 873-9595 (voice)
SDHPInfo@inglis.org

Pennsylvania LINK to Aging and Disability Resources
  • Toll Free HELPLINE: 1-800-753-8827
  • Aging and Disability Resource Centers (ADRC) are a nationwide effort to assist older adults and individuals with disabilities who need help with activities of daily living. The ADRC in Pennsylvania is known as the Link.
  • The PA Link can: easily connect you to local services through any LINK partner agency; help you explore existing options to ensure a secure plan for independence; assist you with applications to determine eligibility; and help you remain in, or return to, your community.
Pennsylvania Utility Law Project

Facing a utility shut off? Already without service? Pennsylvania residents may be eligible for free legal help. Call 1-844-645-2500 or email utilityhotline@palegalaid.net

Pennsylvania Utility Commission

Utility customers may call the PUC’s hotline at 1-800-692-7380 regarding complaints, terminations or payment arrangements. They ask that you first call your utility to try to resolve the problem. www.puc.state.pa.us

2-1-1 United Way

www.pa211.org or dial 2-1-1. PA 2-1-1 is a free resource and information hub that can connect you with customized health, housing, and human services information. By calling 211, you can receive information related to food, housing, employment, health care, along with a variety of other services.

National Domestic Violence Hotline

1-800-799-7233 (SAFE)
1-800-787-3224 (TTY)
Text “START” to 88788

Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence

Among the services provided to domestic violence victims are: crisis intervention; counseling; accompaniment to police, medical, and court facilities; and temporary emergency shelter for victims and their dependent children. Prevention and educational programs are provided to lessen the risk of domestic violence in the community at large. www.pcadv.org

1-800-932-4632

Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network, Inc.

If you think you may qualify for free legal assistance, the Legal Aid office near you can be located by going to www.palegalaid.net. Scroll down the page and click on Legal Aid Providers in Pennsylvania, then search by your county. Or you can call 717-236-9486 and follow the prompts to hear the contact information for the Legal Aid office in your county.

If you do not qualify for legal aid or if the Legal Aid office you contact cannot help you for any reason, please check out PALawHELP.org to see what additional legal resources and information are available to you.

More About Landlord’s Responsibilities in PA