Homeless Assistance Program for People Facing Homelessness in Berks County
The Homeless Assistance Program, known as HAP, pays for housing, homelessness prevention and case management for people who are homeless or close to losing their housing. To ask about it, contact the Berks County Coalition to End Homelessness at 610-372-7222.
The state Department of Human Services provides HAP funding to counties, and the money pays for a continuum of services for homeless and near homeless individuals and families. The aims are to help people avoid homelessness through prevention services that help them keep affordable housing, to help people who are already homeless find refuge and care, and to help people move toward self-sufficiency, with a permanent living arrangement as the final goal.
To qualify for any part of HAP you must be low-income and either homeless or near homeless, and you must also meet the eligibility rules for the particular service component you are asking for. Low income means at or below 200% of the Federal Income Poverty Guidelines. That income test does not apply if you need HAP services because of a disaster or domestic violence, or if you are seeking emergency shelter services; in those cases eligibility is based solely on need.
You count as homeless if you are living in a group shelter, a domestic violence shelter, a hotel or motel paid for with public or charitable funds, a mental health, drug or alcohol facility, a jail, or a hospital with no place to reside. You also count if you are living in a home but need a safe place to stay because of domestic violence; if you have received verification that your children face foster care placement solely because of a lack of adequate housing, or you need housing to allow reunification with children in foster care; if you are living in a doubled up arrangement for six months or less on a temporary basis; if you are living in a condemned building or in housing whose physical plant presents life or health threatening conditions; or if you are living on the streets, in cars, doorways and similar places.
You count as near homeless if you are facing eviction, meaning your landlord has told you in writing or verbally that you will lose your housing unless some type of payment is received. A verbal notice must be followed up with written documentation.
People 17 years of age and younger who are not living as part of a family unit and are not emancipated are not eligible for HAP services. A person 17 or younger who is married, separated from a spouse or has children may be considered an emancipated minor.
The page gives little beyond this. It does not say how much help you can get, how long it lasts, what documents to bring, what any part of it costs, or whether there is a wait, and it does not list hours for the phone line or an office to walk into. Ask those questions when you call 610-372-7222.
Source: berkspa.gov/departments/mental-health-developmental-disab…, read September 18, 2026.
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This does not apply to those who need HAP services due to a disaster or domestic violence or persons seeking Emergency Shelter services, in these cases, eligibility is based solely on need. People 17 years of age and younger not living as part of a family unit or not emancipated are not eligible for HAP services. However, a person 17 years of age and younger who is married, separated from a spouse or has children may be considered an emancipated minor. Individuals or families are homeless if they: are residing in a group shelter; domestic violence shelter; hotel or motel paid for with public or charitable funds; a mental health, drug, or alcohol facility; jail; or hospital with no place to reside; or living in a home, but due to domestic violence, needs a safe place to reside have received verification that they are facing foster care placement of their children solely because of lack of adequate housing, or need housing to allow reunification with children who are in foster care placement are living in a "double-up" arrangement for six months or less on a temporary basis are living in a condemned building are living in housing in which the physical plant presents life and/or health threatening conditions are living on the streets, in cars, doorways, etc. Individuals and families are near homeless if they: are facing eviction (having received either written or verbal notification from the landlord that they will lose their housing unless some type of payment is received. Verbal notification must be followed up with written documentation)
In Berks County Mental Health / Developmental Disabilities Program’s words
Funding for the Homeless Assistance Program (HAP) is provided to Counties by the State Department of Human Services. It makes available a continuum of services to homeless and near homeless individuals and families. HAP funds help to assure 1) homelessness can be avoided through a variety of prevention services assisting clients to maintain affordable housing; 2) people who are homeless can find refuge and care; and 3) homeless and near homeless clients are assisted in moving toward…
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Berks County Mental Health / Developmental Disabilities Program
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This listing summarizes publicly available information from berkspa.gov/departments/mental-health-developmental-disab…. Last recorded review: September 18, 2026. Contact the provider to confirm eligibility, hours and availability before you go. If something here is wrong, tell us.