Information for tenants
Rental Assistance Philadelphia is a private filing service hired by property owners. We can't file for you, and we don't want you to spend time on a form that won't help. Below are the free Philadelphia services that do help renters directly. Please use them. They cost nothing, and they are the right people.
What to know
Philadelphia's Eviction Diversion Program can pay past-due rent directly to your landlord: up to $3,500, plus two months of future rent, provided the tenant stays in the unit for those two months. It is real money and it is free to apply for.
But the landlord files it, not you. The City's Eviction Diversion Program application is submitted by the property owner. That is why we can't do it for you, and it is why the most useful thing you can do is get your landlord to apply. The tenant hotline below can explain the program to you and help you raise it with them.
Who to call
For tenants who want to understand the Eviction Diversion Program, get connected to a housing counselor, or ask about Targeted Financial Assistance.
Run by a collaboration of Philadelphia legal-services and tenant-advocacy organizations. Call them about an eviction notice, repairs, your lease, rental assistance, or subsidized housing.
Free, confidential referrals for rent, utilities, food, and housing across Pennsylvania. Dial 211 from any phone, or search their directory online.
If you already have a court date or an eviction notice in hand, call the Philly Tenant Hotline first: (267) 443-2500. Free legal help is available to eligible Philadelphia tenants facing eviction, and the earlier you call, the more they can do.
Questions from tenants
No. We are hired by property owners to prepare and manage their filings. The Eviction Diversion Program application is filed by the landlord, so there is nothing we can file on your behalf.
No. We only act for owners who have engaged us. The Eviction Diversion Program tenant hotline (215-523-9501) can explain the program to you so you can raise it with your landlord yourself.
No. The City's Eviction Diversion Program and Targeted Financial Assistance are free to apply for. Our fee is charged to owners who hire us to handle their paperwork, never to tenants.
No. Rental Assistance Philadelphia is a brand of Rental Assistance Services LLC, a private company. We are not a government agency, not affiliated with the City of Philadelphia, and not a law firm.