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Housing Issues

Legal Information

• Housing Rights of Domestic Violence Survivors

  This classroom offers information from several sources on the housing rights of domestic violence survivors. Read More

• How to Prepare for Landlord-Tenant Court if You are Facing Eviction (Video)

  Video from Community Legal Services of Philadelphia, in conjunction with the Philadelphia Eviction Prevention Project, providing a description of your rights when being evicted and about how the eviction process works. Specific information is included about the eviction process that is followed in Philadelphia, along with some resources for people facing eviction in Philadelphia. Read More

  By:

  Community Legal Services of Philadelphia

  Read this in:

  Spanish / Español

• Tenants! Being Evicted?

  Information from Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network, Inc. on the rights of tenants who are being evicted. Read More

  By:

  Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network, Inc.

  Read this in:

  Spanish / Español

  Russian / Pусский

  Vietnamese / Tiếng Việt

• Emergency Rental Assistance Program

  The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 included funding for states to establish Emergency Rental Assistance Programs (ERAP). ERAP is now taking applications. ERAP helps tenant households with paying rent, past-due rent balances (also known as arrears), utility and home energy costs, utility and home energy cost arrears, and other expenses related to housing. Content Detail

  By:

  Pennsylvania Department of Human Services

• Eviction Process in Pennsylvania (Video)

  Video from the Allegheny County Department of Human Services explaining the eviction process in Pennsylvania. Read More

  By:

  Allegheny County Department of Human Service

• Housing Navigator Unit (Allegheny County)

  The Allegheny County Department of Human Services Housing Navigator Unit was established in 2018 to help homeless persons served by DHS find and maintain safe, affordable housing in the private market. The Housing Navigator Unit works toward this goal by recruiting and supporting landlords in the private market who rent to DHS tenants. The unit also works with the agencies charged with providing support services to the tenants. This public/private partnership aims to speed up access to private rental properties, improve communication and trust, resolve concerns and complaints, and increase accountability among all parties - the landlords, the service providers and the tenants. Content Detail

  By:

  Allegheny County Department of Human Service

• Housing Resourses for Victims of Crime from PASafeLaw.org

  Victims of crime often have a hard time finding or keeping housing. The following resources are intended to assist you in obtaining housing and avoiding an improper eviction. Content Detail

  By:

  PASafeLaw

• PAHousingSearch.com

  The Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency provides this simple-to-use housing locator Web site that lets you define what you want in your next living space, and then it does all the research – presenting you with the relevant housing vacancies that best fit your parameters in the community where you want to live. Content Detail

  By:

  Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency

• The Dangers of Rent-to-Own Agreements (Video)

  This video from Community Legal Services of Philadelphia explains some potential problems that may present themselves in a Rent-to-Own arrangement to purchase a house, whereby you live in the house as a tenant, pay rent each month, and have the rent count toward the purchase of the property. Read More

  By:

  Community Legal Services of Philadelphia

• Deceptive Home Improvement Contractors Complaints

  Information for home owners with HUD insured loans on avoiding deceptive home improvement contractors. Content Detail

  By:

  U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

  Read this in:

  Spanish / Español

• Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act

  Informational booklet on the Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act that creates safeguards for consumers who hire contractors for home remodeling projects. [PDF] Content Detail

  By:

  Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General

  Read this in:

  Spanish / Español

• Victim Service Programs

  If you are a victim of crime or have been affected by a crime, you may receive help from an advocate from a Victim Service Program. The following link provides information on local programs that offer help. Read More

  By:

  Pennsylvania Office of Victim Services

• Additional Resources on Housing and Shelter from PALawHelp.org

  Full listing of resources on Housing and Shelter appearing on PALawHelp.org Content Detail

  By:

  PALawHELP.org

• Can I Be Evicted During the COVID-19 Crisis in Pennsylvania

  Information from Neighborhood Legal Services on when you can be evicted in Pennsylvania under the current moratoriums that are in place during the COVID-19 crisis. Read More

  By:

  Neighborhood Legal Services Association

• Criminal Justice Advocacy & Support Directory - Guide to Services for Pennsylvania Inmates, Victims of Crime & Their Families

  The purpose of this directory is to provide a comprehensive listing of agencies in Pennsylvania, and to some extent nationally, which serves the needs of inmates, ex-offenders, victims of crimes and their families, criminal justice professionals, volunteers and support persons. Content Detail

  By:

  CentrePeace and Pennsylvania Institutional Law Project