Resources
Resources
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
If You Believe You Have Experienced Housing Discrimination or Would Like to Report Housing Discrimination
Housing Equality Center
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 assistance in filing a housing discrimination complaint:
- Call 267-419-8918 or 866-540-FAIR (3247) or email info@equalhousing.org or visit www.equalhousing.org
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
- Call HUD 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 HUD FHEO, Attn: Intake Branch, 100 Penn Square East, Philadelphia, PA 19107.
- HUD’s TDD number is 1-800-877-8339.
Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission
To file a housing discrimination complaint based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability, familial status, age (over 40), or because you are a user, handler, or trainer of assistance animals for person with disabilities:
- Call 215-560-2496 or visit www.phrc.pa.gov to download complaint forms.
Complaints must be filed with the PA Human Relations Commission within 180 days of the incident.
Magisterial District Court
To Contact Your Local Code Enforcement Official
Each municipality has their own Code Enforcement Department. Call the municipality (Township, Borough or City) in which you live.
Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Bureau of Consumer Protection
Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Bureau of Consumer Protection investigates consumer complaints, attempts to mediate and correct the problems for you.
- The Consumer Protection Hotline is 1-800-441-2555.
Senior LAW Center
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
Disability Rights PA
Disability Rights PA protects and advocates for the rights of people with disabilities so that they may live the lives they choose, free from abuse, neglect, discrimination, and segregation. Visit the website www.disabilityrightspa.org, email intake@disabilityrightspa.org or contact the office closest to you:
Harrisburg Office
301 Chestnut Street,Suite 300
Harrisburg, PA 17101
1-800-692-7443 (voice)
1-877-375-7139 (TDD)
(717) 236-8110 (voice)
(717) 236-0192 (fax)
drnpa-hbg@drnpa.org
Philadelphia Office
The Philadelphia Building
1315 Walnut Street, Suite 500
Philadelphia, PA 19107-4798
(215) 238-8070 (voice)
(215) 772-3126 (fax)
drnpa-phila@drnpa.org
Pittsburgh Office
429 Fourth Avenue, Suite 701
Pittsburgh, PA 15219-1505
(412) 391-5225 (voice)
(412) 467-8940 (fax)
drnpa-pgh@drnpa.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 http://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
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 Click on Service/Staff Locator, and then on your county in Pennsylvania. Or you can 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.
Pennsylvania Utility Law Project
Facing a utility shut off? Already without service? Pa residents may be eligible for free legal help.
- Call 1-844-645-2500 or email utilityhotline@palegalaid.net
PA Housing Search
- www.pahousingsearch.com
- Toll-Free: 1-877-428-8844. TTY is 7-1-1.
- 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.
Public Benefits
To See If You Are Eligible 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 your 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.
2-1-1 United Way
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 web page 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
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
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.
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
Other Disability Services
The Self-Determination Housing Project (SDHP) of Pennsylvania is 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.sdhp.org
711 East Lancaster Ave.
Downingtown, PA 19335
(610) 873-9595 (voice)
1-877- 550-7347 (toll free)
(610) 873-9597 (fax)
National Domestic Violence Hotline
1-800-799-7233 (SAFE)
1-800-787-3224 (TTY)
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.
1-800-932-4632 (in Pennsylvania)
1-800-537-2238 (national)
