Pennsylvania Housing and Shelter
Pennsylvania Housing, Shelter & Reentry-Friendly Options
This directory highlights emergency shelters, transitional programs, and reentry-friendly housing leads across Pennsylvania. Availability changes quickly, and many programs have waitlists, curfews, or eligibility rules. Always check your judgment and sentence, probation or parole rules, and get approval before moving or changing your address.
Philadelphia & Southeast Pennsylvania
Counties: Philadelphia, Delaware, Montgomery, Bucks, Chester
✅ Reentry / justice-focused Transitional & supportive housing
Project HOME – Supportive Housing (Philadelphia)
Provides housing and services for people experiencing homelessness in Philadelphia. Some programs work with justice-involved residents.
Provides housing and services for people experiencing homelessness in Philadelphia. Some programs work with justice-involved residents.
Philadelphia
Reentry & Sober-Living Houses (SE PA)
Various nonprofit and faith-based programs offer structured housing for people coming home from prison or treatment.
Various nonprofit and faith-based programs offer structured housing for people coming home from prison or treatment.
Review rules on visitors, curfews, and employment with your officer.
SE PA
🛠️ General shelter & housing City & county systems
Philadelphia Office of Homeless Services – Shelter Intake
Coordinates emergency shelter placements for individuals and families in Philadelphia.
Coordinates emergency shelter placements for individuals and families in Philadelphia.
Ask for documentation you can share with your officer to explain any address changes.
Philadelphia
Local Housing Authorities (SE PA)
Administer public housing and Housing Choice Vouchers (Section 8). Waitlists may be long or periodically closed.
Administer public housing and Housing Choice Vouchers (Section 8). Waitlists may be long or periodically closed.
Confirm whether your charges affect eligibility before applying.
SE PA counties
Pittsburgh & Southwest Pennsylvania
Counties: Allegheny, Washington, Westmoreland, Fayette, Beaver
✅ Reentry / justice-focused Transitional housing & missions
Light of Life Rescue Mission – Residential Programs
Faith-based programs that include shelter, recovery, and transitional housing, sometimes serving people with justice involvement.
Faith-based programs that include shelter, recovery, and transitional housing, sometimes serving people with justice involvement.
Pittsburgh
Sober-Living & Recovery Houses
Structured living environments for people in recovery, sometimes used as part of court or probation conditions.
Structured living environments for people in recovery, sometimes used as part of court or probation conditions.
Bring your rules to your officer; some houses are not approved for certain offenses.
SW PA
🛠️ General shelter & housing County & nonprofit network
Emergency & Family Shelters (Allegheny & Nearby)
Nonprofit and faith-based shelters offer short-term beds and sometimes housing case management.
Nonprofit and faith-based shelters offer short-term beds and sometimes housing case management.
Call ahead and ask about curfews, length of stay, and any fees.
SW PA
Central Pennsylvania / Harrisburg Region
Counties: Dauphin, Cumberland, York, Lancaster, Lebanon
✅ Reentry / justice-friendly Missions & transitional housing
Local Rescue Missions & Transitional Programs
Provide shelter, meals, and structured programs that may accept justice-involved residents.
Provide shelter, meals, and structured programs that may accept justice-involved residents.
Ask if they can give letters verifying participation for court or probation.
Central PA
🛠️ General shelter & housing Housing authorities & 211
County & City Housing Authorities
Administer public housing and vouchers; many have long waits but can be part of a long-term housing plan.
Administer public housing and vouchers; many have long waits but can be part of a long-term housing plan.
Ask about criminal-record policies and background checks.
Central PA
2-1-1 Housing & Shelter Referrals
Calling 2-1-1 connects you with local shelters, transitional housing, and rental assistance resources.
Calling 2-1-1 connects you with local shelters, transitional housing, and rental assistance resources.
Tell them you’re on supervision so they understand documentation needs.
Regionwide
Northeast Pennsylvania & Lehigh Valley
Counties: Lehigh, Northampton, Luzerne, Lackawanna, Monroe
✅ Reentry / justice-friendly Missions & supportive housing
Local Missions & Supportive Housing Programs
Missions and supportive housing programs in Allentown, Bethlehem, Scranton, and Wilkes-Barre often work with people facing multiple barriers, including recent release.
Missions and supportive housing programs in Allentown, Bethlehem, Scranton, and Wilkes-Barre often work with people facing multiple barriers, including recent release.
Ask if they coordinate with probation or parole in your county.
Lehigh & NEPA
🛠️ General shelter & housing Emergency beds & landlord leads
Emergency Shelters & Landlord Referrals
Shelters and community action agencies can sometimes refer you to landlords open to renting to people with records.
Shelters and community action agencies can sometimes refer you to landlords open to renting to people with records.
Have honest conversations about your record; hiding it can cause evictions later.
NEPA / Lehigh Valley
Pennsylvania Statewide Housing Resources
Covers: statewide programs & info sources
✅ Reentry / justice-friendly Statewide agencies & reentry orgs
Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency (PHFA)
Provides information on rental housing, homebuyer programs, and counseling across the state.
Provides information on rental housing, homebuyer programs, and counseling across the state.
Statewide
🛠️ General housing help Hotlines & statewide navigation
2-1-1 Pennsylvania – Housing & Shelter
Statewide helpline that can search local shelters, transitional housing programs, and rental-assistance resources by ZIP code.
Statewide helpline that can search local shelters, transitional housing programs, and rental-assistance resources by ZIP code.
Dial 2-1-1 or search online; good starting point when you’re not sure who to call.
Statewide
Important: A “✅ Reentry / justice-friendly” note means a program is known to have worked with justice-involved people, not that it must accept every applicant. Many programs review charges, behavior, and current risks.
Address changes: Always follow the exact rules on your probation or parole order for address updates. Some people must get approval before moving; others must report within a short time frame.
Legal disclaimer: OACRA does not place people in housing, is not a landlord, and does not guarantee that any housing option will be approved by supervision, courts, or immigration authorities.
