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Office of Homeless Services

Providing emergency housing and other services to people who are homeless and to those at risk of homelessness.

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Office of Homeless Services

Services

Prevent homelessness
Find emergency and temporary shelter
Get help with domestic violence
Find free food and meals
Code Blue
Code Red

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’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.

If you’re facing homelessness

  1. Call the Homelessness Prevention InfoLine at (215) 686-7177 and follow the instructions.
  2. Visit a City-funded homeless intake center.
  3. If you still have questions, email the OHS Prevention, Diversion, and Intake Unit at OHSPrevention@phila.gov.

Connect

Address
1401 John F. Kennedy Blvd.
10th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19102
Email ohs@phila.gov
Phone: (215) 686-7175 ask a question
(215) 232-1984 help a person on the street
Social
Twitter

Announcements

Announcement

Office of Homeless Services Code Red to end at 8 p.m., Friday, July 18

The Code Red the Office of Homeless Services declared on Friday, July 11, will end on Friday, July 18, at 8 p.m.

To get help for someone who is living or sleeping outside in the heat during or after a Code Red, call the Homeless Street Outreach Hotline at (215) 232-1984.

Anyone who needs shelter placement or prevention services should visit a City homeless intake center for help.

To learn more about Code Red, visit the City’s safety and emergency preparedness Code Red page.

Announced on: Office of Homeless Services

Posts

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Events

  • Jul
    15
    Event
    Kensington Service Connection/Site Clean-ups
    All Day
    Multiple locations
    Event

    Kensington Service Connection/Site Clean-ups

    July 15, 2025
    All Day
    Multiple locations
    map

    Service Connection/Site Clean-ups will occur today at these Kensington locations:

    • 3611 Aramingo Avenue (former Rite Aid)
    • 707-711 E. Allegheny Avenue
    • 800-811 E. Allegheny Avenue
    • Reach Street and Allegheny Avenue
    • 3241 Kensington Avenue
    • 1800 E. Clearfield Street
    • 3066-3072 Kensington Avenue
    • 2814-2824 Kensington Avenue
    • 1800 E. Orleans Street
    • 1800 E. Cambria Street
    • 2899 Ruth Street and Hart Lane (both sides)
    • 1800-1813 E.Hart Lane (both sides)
    • 1800 E. Somerset Street (both sides)
    • 400 E. Somerset Street (both sides)
    • 2700 Emerald Street
    • 2000 E. Sterner Street
    • 2000 E. Silver Street
    • 2600 Kensington Avenue (across from the Huntingdon El-stop, building 1801)

    About Service Connection/Site Clean-up Days 

    Office of Homeless Services Encampment Resolution Team (ERT) staff members join the Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services’s (DBHIDS) Homeless Street Outreach Team (Outreach) and the City’s Sanitation Department to conduct *Service Connection/Site Clean-up Days. OHS’s ERT staff schedules and leads service connection clean-ups at various selected outdoor encampment locations in Philadelphia. 

    How it Works 

    The teams post signs in advance to alert people living in tents, RVs, makeshift shelters, or none at all, on sidewalks, under bridges, in parks, empty fields, lots, etc., of upcoming service days. Each service day, the teams visit the encampment sites to offer individuals services, such as rides to a City intake center where staff can help find shelter space, Stranded Traveler Assistance, behavioral health, drug or medical treatment, and other similar services. The Sanitation Department team further assists by cleaning up accumulated trash. 

    * Service days are not the same as formal, encampment resolutions, which, while social services-led, involve many more City of Philadelphia departments and nonprofit partners and follow specific protocols regarding personal property storage, notification, and other requirements. 

  • Jul
    15
    Event
    OHS Service Connection/Site Clean ups
    All Day
    Multiple locations
    Event

    OHS Service Connection/Site Clean ups

    July 15, 2025
    All Day
    Multiple locations
    map

    A Service Connection/Site Clean-up will occur today at: 

    • Logan Circle (200 N. 19th Street)
    • 5th Street and Callowhill Street
    • 6th Street and Callowhill Street
    • Schuylkill River Trail

    About Service Connection/Site Clean-up Days 

    Office of Homeless Services Encampment Resolution Team (ERT) staff members join the Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services’s (DBHIDS) Homeless Street Outreach Team (Outreach) and the City’s Sanitation Department to conduct *Service Connection/Site Clean-up Days. OHS’s ERT staff schedules and leads service connection clean-ups at various selected outdoor encampment locations in Philadelphia.  

    How it Works 

    The teams post signs in advance to alert people living in tents, RVs, makeshift shelters, or none at all, on sidewalks, under bridges, in parks, empty fields, lots,etc., of upcoming service days. Each service day, the teams visit the encampment sites to offer individuals services, such as rides to a City intake center where staff can help find shelter space, Stranded Traveler Assistance, behavioral health, drug or medical treatment, and other similar services. The Sanitation Department team further assists by cleaning up accumulated trash. 

     * Service days are not the same as formal, encampment resolutions, which, while social services-led, involve many more City of Philadelphia departments and nonprofit partners and follow specific protocols regarding personal property storage, notification, and other requirements. 

  • Jul
    16
    Event
    OHS Service Connections/Site Clean-ups
    All Day
    Multiple locations
    Event

    OHS Service Connections/Site Clean-ups

    July 16, 2025
    All Day
    Multiple locations
    map

    A Service Connection/Site Clean-up will occur today at:

    • Camac Street and Race Street
    • 8812 Frankford Avenue

    About Service Connection/Site Clean-up Days 

    Office of Homeless Services Encampment Resolution Team (ERT) staff members join the Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services’s (DBHIDS) Homeless Street Outreach Team (Outreach) and the City’s Sanitation Department to conduct *Service Connection/Site Clean-up Days. OHS’s ERT staff schedules and leads service connection clean-ups at various selected outdoor encampment locations in Philadelphia.  

    How it Works 

    The teams post signs in advance to alert people living in tents, RVs, makeshift shelters, or none at all, on sidewalks, under bridges, in parks, empty fields, lots,etc., of upcoming service days. Each service day, the teams visit the encampment sites to offer individuals services, such as rides to a City intake center where staff can help find shelter space, Stranded Traveler Assistance, behavioral health, drug or medical treatment, and other similar services. The Sanitation Department team further assists by cleaning up accumulated trash. 

     * Service days are not the same as formal, encampment resolutions, which, while social services-led, involve many more City of Philadelphia departments and nonprofit partners and follow specific protocols regarding personal property storage, notification, and other requirements. 

  • Jul
    17
    Event
    OHS Service Connections/Site Clean-ups
    All Day
    Multiple locations
    Event

    OHS Service Connections/Site Clean-ups

    July 17, 2025
    All Day
    Multiple locations
    map

    A Service Connection/Site Clean-up will occur today at: 

    • PATCO Train Station (13th/15th Locust Street)

    About Service Connection/Site Clean-up Days 

    Office of Homeless Services Encampment Resolution Team (ERT) staff members join the Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services’s (DBHIDS) Homeless Street Outreach Team (Outreach) and the City’s Sanitation Department to conduct *Service Connection/Site Clean-up Days. OHS’s ERT staff schedules and leads service connection clean-ups at various selected outdoor encampment locations in Philadelphia.  

    How it Works 

    The teams post signs in advance to alert people living in tents, RVs, makeshift shelters, or none at all, on sidewalks, under bridges, in parks, empty fields, lots,etc., of upcoming service days. Each service day, the teams visit the encampment sites to offer individuals services, such as rides to a City intake center where staff can help find shelter space, Stranded Traveler Assistance, behavioral health, drug or medical treatment, and other similar services. The Sanitation Department team further assists by cleaning up accumulated trash. 

     * Service days are not the same as formal, encampment resolutions, which, while social services-led, involve many more City of Philadelphia departments and nonprofit partners and follow specific protocols regarding personal property storage, notification, and other requirements. 

  • Jul
    18
    Event
    OHS Service Connections/Site Clean-ups
    All Day
    Multiple locations
    Event

    OHS Service Connections/Site Clean-ups

    July 18, 2025
    All Day
    Multiple locations
    map

    A Service Connection/Site Clean-up will occur today at: 

    • Camac Street and Race Street
    • 1700 Ranstead Street
    • Broad Street and Snyder Avenue
    • Broad Street and Passyunk Avenue

    About Service Connection/Site Clean-up Days 

    Office of Homeless Services Encampment Resolution Team (ERT) staff members join the Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services’s (DBHIDS) Homeless Street Outreach Team (Outreach) and the City’s Sanitation Department to conduct *Service Connection/Site Clean-up Days. OHS’s ERT staff schedules and leads service connection clean-ups at various selected outdoor encampment locations in Philadelphia.  

    How it Works 

    The teams post signs in advance to alert people living in tents, RVs, makeshift shelters, or none at all, on sidewalks, under bridges, in parks, empty fields, lots,etc., of upcoming service days. Each service day, the teams visit the encampment sites to offer individuals services, such as rides to a City intake center where staff can help find shelter space, Stranded Traveler Assistance, behavioral health, drug or medical treatment, and other similar services. The Sanitation Department team further assists by cleaning up accumulated trash. 

     * Service days are not the same as formal, encampment resolutions, which, while social services-led, involve many more City of Philadelphia departments and nonprofit partners and follow specific protocols regarding personal property storage, notification, and other requirements. 

  • Jul
    18
    Event
    Kensington Service Connection/Site Clean-ups
    All Day
    Multiple locations
    Event

    Kensington Service Connection/Site Clean-ups

    July 18, 2025
    All Day
    Multiple locations
    map

    Service Connection/Site Clean-ups will occur today at these Kensington locations:

    • 3241 Kensington Avenue
    • 1800 E. Clearfield Street
    • 3066-3072 Kensington Avenue
    • 2814-2824 Kensington Avenue
    • 1800 E. Orleans Street
    • 1800 E. Cambria Street
    • 2899 Ruth Street and Hart Lane (corner)
    • 1800-1813 E. Hart Lane (both sides)
    • 1800 E. Somerset Street (both sides)
    • 400 E. Somerset Street (both sides)
    • 2700 Emerald Street
    • 2000 E. Sterner Street
    • 2000 E. Silver Street
    • 2600 Kensington Avenue (across from the Huntingdon El-stop, building 1801)

    About Service Connection/Site Clean-up Days 

    Office of Homeless Services Encampment Resolution Team (ERT) staff members join the Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services’s (DBHIDS) Homeless Street Outreach Team (Outreach) and the City’s Sanitation Department to conduct *Service Connection/Site Clean-up Days. OHS’s ERT staff schedules and leads service connection clean-ups at various selected outdoor encampment locations in Philadelphia. 

    How it Works 

    The teams post signs in advance to alert people living in tents, RVs, makeshift shelters, or none at all, on sidewalks, under bridges, in parks, empty fields, lots, etc., of upcoming service days. Each service day, the teams visit the encampment sites to offer individuals services, such as rides to a City intake center where staff can help find shelter space, Stranded Traveler Assistance, behavioral health, drug or medical treatment, and other similar services. The Sanitation Department team further assists by cleaning up accumulated trash. 

    * Service days are not the same as formal, encampment resolutions, which, while social services-led, involve many more City of Philadelphia departments and nonprofit partners and follow specific protocols regarding personal property storage, notification, and other requirements. 

See all events

Press Releases

See all Press releases

Programs

PEACE Program

Securing housing for older adults with histories of homelessness and complex physical or behavioral health needs.
Philadelphia rowhomes.

OHS Landlord Engagement Program

Connecting landlords with families and individuals experiencing homelessness.

Landlord Gateway

Centralizing information for landlords to navigate the City’s property management resources.

Resources

OHS mailing list
Get information about success stories, events, and ways to get involved.
Volunteer at a meal site
Serving individuals and community members who are experiencing hunger and homelessness.
2022 annual report
A report on the Office of Homeless Services' efforts to make homelessness rare, brief, and non-recurring in Philadelphia.
OHS flyers
These flyers provided by OHS contain information about various programs and how to get connected to services.

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