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
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
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.
