What we do
The Office of Homeless Services works with more than 60 homeless housing and service providers, as well as city, state, and federal governments. Together, we make up Philadelphia’s homeless service system.
This system provides homelessness prevention and diversion aid, as well as emergency and temporary housing, to people who are experiencing homelessness and those at risk of homelessness.
Get help
If you need help paying rent
You can apply for financial assistance to help pay for overdue rent or a security deposit to move into a new home. To learn how:
- Call the Homelessness Prevention InfoLine at (215) 686-7177 and follow the instructions; or
- Visit a City-funded homeless intake center.
If you still need help applying, email the OHS Prevention, Diversion, and Intake Unit at OHSPrevention@phila.gov.
If you’re living outdoors
If you are or see someone living outdoors, call the City’s Homeless Street Outreach Hotline at (215) 232-1984. The Outreach team can help you find or get to a City-funded homeless intake center. Anyone who needs shelter can visit the centers.
For all other questions, email us at OHS@phila.gov.
Connect
| Address |
1401 John F. Kennedy Blvd.
10th Floor Philadelphia, PA 19102 |
|---|---|
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ohs |
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| Phone |
(215) 232-1984
help a person on the street
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| Social |
Announcements
A Code Red will be in effect at 10 a.m. Wed., 7/15
Due to very high temperatures in the forecast, the Office of Homeless Services has declared a Code Red. It will be in effect from 10 a.m. on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, until further notice.
Help keep our most vulnerable Philadelphians safe. If you see someone sleeping or living outside in the heat, call the 24/7 Homeless Street Outreach Hotline, (215) 232-1984 to request an Outreach team at that location to offer water, ice, shelter, and other homelessness-related services.
Learn more about Code Red declarations and how to stay safe during extremely hot weather.
OHS declares Code Red on 7/1, until further notice
Due to weather forecasts of dangerously high temperatures, the Office of Homeless Services has declared a Code Red. It goes into effect at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, July 1, 2026, until further notice.
Help protect our most vulnerable residents. If you see someone sleeping or living outside in the heat, call the Homeless Street Outreach Hotline: (215) 232-1984.
