Rental and Utility Assistance in Berks County: How to Apply

If you are behind on rent or a utility bill in Berks County, the four doors most likely to open in November 2026 are the county Redevelopment Authority's new Rental Assistance Program, which started taking applications Oct. 6; the state's Emergency Shelter Allowance of up to $400 through the Berks County Assistance Office; the Berks Community Action Program for a security deposit or first month's rent; and, for a gas or electric bill, your own utility's hardship fund and customer assistance program. Reading residents also have the city's Human Relations Commission and the Salvation Army; county residents outside the city have Catholic Charities. Nearly every program below pays the landlord or the utility rather than you (the ESA is usually paid to the landlord or vendor), and every one depends on money being left, so apply at more than one door at once.

The county's pandemic-era Emergency Rental Assistance Program, which the Redevelopment Authority last reopened to applications on April 1, 2022, has no application posted today. What exists now is smaller, document-heavy and first come, first served.

Start with 211 and the coalition

Dial 211 or text your ZIP code to 898-211. PA 211 East covers Berks County around the clock, connects residents to rental and utility assistance, and is the contracted screening partner for the Berks Coalition to End Homelessness. The coalition, at 600 Penn St., 3rd floor, Reading, 610-372-7222, is the county's lead agency for homeless services. Its Get Help page is the closest thing Berks has to an official referral list for rent and utility help, and its July 2026 resource brochure splits the agencies by where you live: BCAP for everyone, the Salvation Army and the city Human Relations Commission for city residents only, Catholic Charities and Family Promise for county residents outside the city.

The coalition is also the county's contact for the state-funded Homeless Assistance Program, which the county page says serves households at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty guidelines who are homeless or "near homeless," including anyone "facing eviction."

Rent: who pays and how to apply

Berks County Redevelopment Authority Rental Assistance Program

This is the newest money in the county. The authority's page says the Rental Assistance Program, run under the name of the Berks County Nonprofit Development Corporation, launched Oct. 6, 2026, and provides "short-term rental and housing assistance to eligible individuals and families who are experiencing homelessness or are at risk of losing their housing." Eligible uses are rent, rent arrears, mortgage arrears, mobile home rent and lot rent, utility bills, utility arrears, utility deposits and security deposits. The page and brochure give no income limit and no dollar cap; the brochure says only that assistance "is subject to qualification criteria and funding availability." The commissioners' Oct. 15 agenda carried a letter of support for the authority's $500,000 PHARE request for eviction prevention, as our recap reported; nothing posted says whether that request funds this program.

How to apply:

1. Download the application packet (last updated Oct. 6, 2026), or pick up a paper copy at 400 E. Wyomissing Ave., Ground Floor, Suite 2, Mohnton, PA 19540, Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
2. Gather the packet's document list, which runs from a Pennsylvania ID for every adult and 30 days of pay stubs to the lease, any eviction or shutoff notice, and a landlord ledger and W-9.
3. Email the packet and documents to mmartinez@berksredevelop.org; the page says returns are "via email only." Questions: 610-478-6325 or inquiries@berksredevelop.org.
4. Wait for an interview, which the brochure says is "by appointment only." Applications are processed "on a first come, first serve basis."

Nothing posted says how long a decision takes or how much one household can receive; ask at the interview.

Emergency Shelter Allowance: the state's $400

The Emergency Shelter Allowance (ESA) is a one-time state payment to stop an eviction or foreclosure, or to get into housing, paid by the Department of Human Services through the Berks County Assistance Office. The DHS page says the payment is "up to $400," that you must prove both the emergency and that $400 "will solve your housing crisis," and that it is available "only during one consecutive 30 calendar day period every 12 consecutive months."

The page gives the 80 percent rule but not the rule for adults without children. DHS's Cash Assistance Handbook sets the limit at 80 percent of the federal poverty guidelines for a person under 21 or a family with a child under 21; its Appendix F puts that at $12,768 a year for one person, $17,312 for two, $21,856 for three and $26,400 for four through June 30, 2027. Adults 21 and over with no child must instead qualify financially for General Assistance-related Medical Assistance; families on TANF with no other income are automatically income-eligible. The handbook caps the payment by purpose: $400 to stop an eviction or foreclosure ($300 for an all-adult household), $300 ($100) to get permanent housing, $100 for temporary shelter. The money can cover rent, a mortgage payment, rent that includes utilities, or a security deposit, but not a separate utility bill or property taxes. The landlord must agree to stop the eviction, and the office must find the payment will "prevent, not just delay" it, which usually means your income is more than your rent.

How to apply:

1. Call the Berks County Assistance Office at 610-736-4211 or 1-866-215-3912, or walk in at 625 Cherry St., Reading, PA 19602, listed as open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; a notice on COMPASS says the offices are closed until 1 p.m. on Thursdays. The handbook says anyone who comes in during business hours "must be allowed to apply for an ESA that day," and the interview can be by phone.
2. If you are not already on SNAP, Medicaid or cash assistance, file a benefits application on COMPASS or at the office; the ESA cannot be issued without one.
3. Bring the eviction notice or court judgment, rent receipts and the landlord's name and phone number. The office can confirm the facts by calling the landlord, so missing paperwork is not a bar.
4. Expect a written decision and, if approved, the payment within seven calendar days. A denial comes with the right to meet a supervisor within two workdays.

If $400 is not enough, the handbook tells the office's ESA coordinator to combine the payment with Homeless Assistance Program money. Our eviction guide shows where the ESA fits in the court timeline, and our assistance office guide covers what to expect at 625 Cherry St.

Berks Community Action Program

BCAP, at 645 Penn St., 3rd floor, Reading, 610-376-6571, runs a move-in fund. Its Homeless Assistance page says that after a household meets "income guidelines and the ability to maintain the rental agreement on an ongoing basis," BCAP pays the landlord directly "for a security deposit, first month's rent or both." The site does not print the income limit; BCAP's PA 211 listing says applicants "must fall under 125% of the Federal Poverty Income Guidelines," and the coalition's list describes the help as "one-time rental assistance." The pre-screening form also has a checkbox for "back rent owed to landlord," so ask about arrears.

How to apply:

1. Complete the pre-screening application: household size, monthly income by source, the amount you need and the reason, with proof of income and your eviction letter, shelter letter, foreclosure notice or condemnation letter attached. Incomplete forms "will not be accepted," and "appointments can only be scheduled after this completed screening form has been reviewed by a counselor."
2. If you receive cash assistance, the form says you "must apply first" to DHS's Emergency Shelter Allowance, above; BCAP's document list asks for the "denial letter from welfare regarding rental assistance."
3. Return the form to BCAP as soon as possible. Office hours are Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., closed 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.
4. Bring ID, 30 days of income proof, Social Security and medical cards, the lease and the eviction notice to the appointment; if you miss it, call to reschedule rather than walking in.

The pre-screening form is dated 2022 and the items list asks for "proof of income for 2022"; read that as current. The Spanish side of the items list also takes utility applications, asking for the latest utility bill showing the account 20 days or more behind. BCAP's separate Mortgage Diversion Program is for homeowners who have received a sheriff's Urgent Notice, who must call one of the counseling agencies on the notice within 10 days.

City of Reading Human Relations Commission

City residents can ask the Human Relations Commission, City Hall Room 1-21, 815 Washington St., 610-655-6141, fax 610-655-6262. Its page says requests "for utility and/or rental assistance will be reviewed on a case by case basis," by walk-in, phone, fax, mail or email, and that "our forms are not offered online," though the same page links to three applications. The rental application is still titled "Emergency Rental Assistance Program" and refers to the COVID-19 pandemic; it says the program serves "low to moderate income households," counts the income of every adult, pays the landlord, is "not first come/first served," and gives priority "to the neediest residents." The utility application asks for the shutoff amount and six months of bills. The city's PA 211 listing adds what the forms leave out: rental help requires an eviction notice, utility help requires a shut-off notice, both have income limits, and the office is open Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The coalition lists the commission for first month's rent or a security deposit on a city apartment, city utility bills and "limited financial assistance to eligible city residents facing eviction." Call before you go; the posted forms are old.

The Salvation Army Reading Citadel

The Salvation Army, 301 S. 5th St., Reading, 610-373-5208, is on the coalition's list for rent, mortgage and utility help "to prevent shut-off" and for move-in costs, marked for city residents. Its PA 211 listing describes two pots: federal Emergency Food and Shelter Program money for about one month of fuel oil or propane or one month of a water or electric bill, and Emergency Solutions Grant money for people facing eviction, a water or electric shutoff notice, or living in a shelter. Call for an appointment; hours are Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., the service area is ten city ZIP codes, 19601 to 19611 except 19608, and a "client portion" is "required for some assistance." The Salvation Army's own housing page describes only its longer-term housing programs.

Catholic Charities

For county residents outside Reading, the coalition's brochure lists Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Allentown, 234 Grace St., Reading, PA 19611. Its PA 211 listing for the Community Support Program names rent payment assistance and heating fuel, electric, gas and water payment assistance alongside case management, says services are free for Berks County residents, and gives hours of Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., by appointment. The phone numbers disagree: 610-435-1541 on the agency's site and the 211 listing, 610-376-7144 in the coalition's July 2026 brochure.

Family Promise: paused

The coalition still lists Family Promise of Berks County, 610-373-3323, for first month's rent, security deposits and utility bills outside the city, but Family Promise's own page says it is "not accepting applications for Rent & Utility Assistance" and refers callers to BCAP, the Human Relations Commission and the Salvation Army.

Security deposits only: the coalition's own fund

For people now homeless who have found a unit, the coalition's Security Deposit Assistance Program, "designed to assist individuals currently experiencing homelessness in securing housing units," pays a deposit equal to your expected monthly rent, "a dollar-to-dollar match," and nothing else (no first month, no utility deposit, no application fees), for households at or below 50 percent of area median income. Applications must be submitted in person at 600 Penn St., Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.; an appointment is "not required but strongly suggested." Bring photo ID for every adult, the lease or rental offer and 30 days of pay stubs or benefit award letters (child support does not count), and have your landlord ready to file the landlord application; room rentals and rent-to-own deals are excluded. The ESA, BCAP, the Redevelopment Authority, the Salvation Army and, inside the city, the Human Relations Commission list security deposits too.

Veterans

The Veterans Multi-Service Center's Supportive Services for Veteran Families program has a Reading office at 645 Penn St., Suite B, the same building as BCAP. Its SSVF page says the program serves low-income veteran households that are homeless or "at-risk of losing their leased homes," with case management, help getting VA benefits and "time-limited, temporary financial assistance," at no cost, Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The coalition lists the Reading line as 610-314-4741; VMC's page gives a Central Pennsylvania number, 844-226-0368. Catholic Charities runs a second SSVF program. The VA's National Call Center for Homeless Veterans is 877-424-3838.

Utilities: who pays and how to apply

LIHEAP first

For a heating bill, the first stop is LIHEAP, the federal grant the state pays straight to your utility or fuel dealer: the 2026-27 season runs Nov. 2, 2026, through April 23, 2027, and grants are $200 to $1,000, per the DHS page. Separate crisis grants cover a shutoff, an empty tank or a notice that service will be shut off within 60 days, per DHS's LIHEAP resource page; apply on COMPASS, by paper, or through the Berks County Assistance Office's LIHEAP line, 610-736-4228. Our LIHEAP guide covers the income table, the crisis amounts and the furnace-repair program.

Met-Ed customers

Met-Ed's assistance page and FirstEnergy's 2026 fact sheet (revised May 19, 2026) describe three programs, all applied for through the Dollar Energy Fund at 888-282-6816 or online at pabillassist.com:

• PCAP, the customer assistance program, for households at or below 150 percent of poverty ($23,940 for one, $49,500 for four). Your bill becomes a percentage of income, with a floor of $12 a month for non-electric heat and $45 for electric heat, and the balance you owe when you enroll is set aside and forgiven one-twelfth at a time with each paid bill. No deposits or late fees while enrolled. A pending application "does not stop the termination of service process," the PCAP brochure warns.
• The Dollar Energy Fund hardship grant, for households at or below 250 percent of poverty ($39,900 for one, $82,500 for four), up to $600, once per program year (Oct. 1 to Sept. 30). Dollar Energy's program page requires that you have paid at least $150 on the account in the past three months ($100 if 62 or older), owe at least $100, and attach your latest bill and proof of income or of a LIHEAP application. Until March 1 the fund takes only accounts that are off or in threat of termination (from Dec. 1 through Jan. 31, only accounts that are off); from March 1, anyone eligible can apply until the money runs out. Customers at or below 150 percent of poverty "must inquire about FirstEnergy's PCAP program before applying for a grant." Grants cannot pay security deposits but can pay reconnection fees, and if $600 will not restore service the application is denied until you pay the difference.
• WARM, free weatherization at or below 200 percent of poverty for homes using at least 500 kilowatt-hours a month; the brochure says PCAP enrollees must take it if eligible.

Met-Ed's own number is 800-545-7741; it will move the due date for customers 60 and over or on Social Security or disability.

PPL Electric customers

PPL's OnTrack sets a fixed monthly payment and forgives part of a past-due balance each month for households at or below $23,940 for one person plus $8,520 for each added person; the maximum yearly credit is $3,150 for electric heat and $1,950 for gas or oil, and you apply online through your PPL account. Operation HELP, PPL's hardship fund, gives grants that "do not need to be paid back" to households up to $39,900 for one person, $54,100 for two, $68,300 for three, $82,500 for four and $14,200 for each added person; PPL's page states no maximum grant. Apply through the online payment assistance application or the Berks intake agency, which PPL's agency list gives as Community Action Partnership of Lancaster County, 717-299-7301 or 800-732-0018, "various locations, call for nearest office."

UGI customers

UGI's CAP is a monthly payment based on income or average bill, whichever is lower, with the difference forgiven and a share of old debt forgiven with each on-time payment, for households at or below 150 percent of poverty ($23,940 for one, $49,500 for four, $8,520 per added person); customers who buy gas from a third-party supplier cannot enroll until they cancel. Operation Share, UGI's hardship fund, serves households at or below 250 percent ($3,325 a month for one, $6,875 for four). For both, UGI's agency list sends Reading-area ZIP codes, from Bernville and Kutztown to Boyertown and the city, to the Reading Salvation Army at 301 S. 5th St., 610-371-9956, a different number from the Salvation Army's main line; for both programs, northern Berks ZIP codes 19516, 19526 and 19541 go to the Hamburg Salvation Army, 700 S. 4th St., Suite C, 610-562-6840. Complete the application with proof of identity and income and send or drop it at the agency. UGI's customer line is 800-276-2722.

Water and sewer

The federal water program, LIHWAP, is gone. DHS's last announcement about it, in 2023, re-opened a second round of pandemic money; the state's water-help web address now lands on DHS's homepage, and no application page exists (checked Nov. 7, 2026). In Reading, the Reading Area Water Authority, 1801 Kutztown Road, 610-406-6300, says in its FAQ that "a payment plan can be granted to customers with reasonable terms" and that the city's Human Relations office "has programs to help owner occupied properties pay their bills during a difficult time." That is the city's Hardship Program: owner-occupied homes only, with last month's income for everyone, Social Security cards and ID, children's birth dates, a letter explaining the hardship, proof of ownership and an electric or gas bill, returned to 815 Washington St., Attn: Hardship Program, hardship@readingpa.gov or fax 610-655-6262. The city's 211 listing puts the water credit at up to $150 a year for RAWA customers who meet income guidelines and are current on existing bills. Tenants whose water is in the landlord's name should ask the Salvation Army or Catholic Charities, which both list water bill help.

Shutoff notices and the winter rules

The Public Utility Commission's February 2026 fact sheet lays out what a regulated electric, gas or water utility must do before it shuts you off: send a 10-day notice, then try to reach you at least three days before the shutoff. A termination notice is good for 60 days, so the shutoff can come any time from day 11 to day 60. From Dec. 1 through March 31 the winter moratorium bars termination without PUC approval, but the sheet says a utility can still shut off in winter if "your income is outside the utility company's income qualifying guidelines"; the sheet prints 150 percent and 250 percent columns without saying which governs the moratorium, and the $3,137-a-month figure for an individual that WHYY reported in December 2024 matches the 250 percent column ($3,325 for one person and $6,875 for four in 2026), not the 150 percent one. A letter from a physician, physician assistant or nurse practitioner stops a shutoff for 30 days, renewable, and during the moratorium service must be restored within 24 hours once you pay. The state law behind many of these rules, Chapter 14 of the Public Utility Code, expired Dec. 31, 2024, and WHYY reported that the moratorium stays in effect "because this and other protections are duplicated in another part of state code." Chapter 14 had not been renewed as of Nov. 7, 2026; the PUC's proposed rulemaking to write the former Chapter 14 provisions into its Chapter 56 regulations (Docket L-2025-3058767, order entered Feb. 19, 2026, published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin May 30, 2026) was still at the proposed stage, with public comment closed Oct. 13, 2026, per the Independent Regulatory Review Commission. Call the utility first for a payment arrangement, then the PUC at 1-800-692-7380 if you cannot agree.

Homeowners

The Pennsylvania Homeowner Assistance Fund, the federal mortgage program, is no longer accepting applications; its page says waitlisted files are processed only "if sufficient funding exists" and no forward mortgage payments cover any month after June 2025. The Redevelopment Authority's new program lists mortgage arrears among its uses, BCAP's Mortgage Diversion Program helps homeowners work out an arrangement with the lender, and the ESA can pay a mortgage payment on the same terms as rent. The state's PHARE fund, which the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency describes as realty transfer tax and Marcellus Shale money for affordable housing in all 67 counties, is the grant stream agencies such as the Redevelopment Authority apply for, not a program for households.

Which door is fastest

By the rules on paper, the Emergency Shelter Allowance is the fastest: a same-day interview, by phone if you want, and a decision and payment within seven calendar days, but only inside its narrow income lines and only up to $400. The utility customer assistance programs are applied for online or by phone. The Redevelopment Authority, BCAP, the Salvation Army and Catholic Charities all run on appointments after your paperwork is reviewed, so speed depends on how complete your first submission is. Everything except the ESA and the utility programs runs on grant money, which is why 211 and the coalition should be your first call.

FAQ

Where can I get emergency rent help in Reading, PA?

The Human Relations Commission at City Hall, 610-655-6141, reviews requests case by case and wants an eviction notice; the Salvation Army at 301 S. 5th St., 610-373-5208, takes city ZIP codes by appointment; and BCAP at 645 Penn St., 610-376-6571, pays a deposit or first month's rent after a pre-screening. The county Redevelopment Authority's new program and the state's $400 Emergency Shelter Allowance are open to city residents too.

Who helps pay an electric bill in Berks County?

LIHEAP, through the Berks County Assistance Office, 610-736-4228, if you heat with electricity or need a crisis grant. Then your utility: Met-Ed customers call the Dollar Energy Fund at 888-282-6816 for PCAP or a hardship grant of up to $600; PPL customers apply online for OnTrack or Operation HELP or through Community Action Partnership of Lancaster County, 800-732-0018; the city Human Relations Commission and the Salvation Army take utility requests from city residents with a shutoff notice.

I got a shutoff notice. What do I do?

Call the utility the day it arrives and ask for a payment arrangement and its customer assistance program; the shutoff cannot happen before day 11 and the notice is good for 60 days. Apply for LIHEAP crisis help, which counts a shutoff notice as an emergency, and for the utility's hardship fund. If anyone in the home is seriously ill, a medical certificate from a doctor, physician assistant or nurse practitioner blocks the shutoff for 30 days, and from Dec. 1 through March 31 income-eligible households cannot be shut off without PUC approval.

Is there security deposit help in Berks County?

Yes. For people now homeless, the coalition's Security Deposit Assistance Program at 600 Penn St. (deposit only, in person, 50 percent of area median income); for others, BCAP (deposit or first month's rent, 125 percent of poverty per its 211 listing), the Redevelopment Authority's new program, the Emergency Shelter Allowance (up to $300 toward permanent housing for a household with a child under 21), the Salvation Army and, inside the city, the Human Relations Commission; Family Promise's fund is paused. For a utility deposit, the Redevelopment Authority is the only one that lists it.

Is there rental assistance for veterans in Berks County?

The Veterans Multi-Service Center's SSVF program at 645 Penn St., Suite B, Reading, 610-314-4741, provides temporary financial assistance and case management to low-income veteran families who are homeless or about to lose a lease; Catholic Charities runs a second SSVF program in Reading. The VA's homeless veterans line is 877-424-3838.

Sources

• County of Berks: Redevelopment Authority Rental Assistance Program, its application packet and brochure; the Homeless Assistance Program; the March 31, 2022 ERAP reopening release; our Oct. 15 commissioners recap.
• Pa. Department of Human Services: Emergency Shelter Allowance, Cash Assistance Handbook Section 138.8 and Appendix F, the County Assistance Offices directory, COMPASS, Apply for LIHEAP, the LIHEAP resource page and the 2023 LIHWAP re-opening release.
• Berks Coalition to End Homelessness: Get Help, Security Deposit Assistance Program, Coordinated Entry and the July 2026 resource brochure. PA 211 East, Berks County.
• Berks Community Action Program: Homeless Assistance, pre-screening application, items needed, Mortgage Assistant, Contact Us and its PA 211 listing.
• City of Reading: Human Relations Commission, rental, utility and hardship applications, and its PA 211 listing. Reading Area Water Authority homepage and FAQ.
• Nonprofits: Salvation Army Reading PA 211 listing and housing page; Catholic Charities services and PA 211 listing; Family Promise Rent and Utility Assistance; Veterans Multi-Service Center SSVF.
• Utilities and regulators: PUC Protections for Responsible Utility Customers (February 2026) and Utility Assistance Programs; the PUC's proposed Chapter 56 rulemaking (Pennsylvania Bulletin, May 30, 2026) and its IRRC status page; WHYY, A Pa. utility shutoff law is expiring (Dec. 23, 2024); Met-Ed assistance programs, FirstEnergy's Pennsylvania Assistance Programs (rev. 05-19-26) and PCAP brochure (rev. 09-10-25); Dollar Energy Fund FirstEnergy Pennsylvania Hardship Program; PPL Operation HELP, OnTrack and agencies; UGI CAP, Operation Share and community agencies.
• Homeowners: Pennsylvania Homeowner Assistance Fund; PHFA PHARE.

Berks County Redevelopment Authority Rental Assistance Program: 400 E. Wyomissing Ave., Ground Floor, Suite 2, Mohnton, PA 19540; 610-478-6325; Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; applications by email to mmartinez@berksredevelop.org. Berks County Assistance Office: 625 Cherry St., Reading, PA 19602-1188; 610-736-4211 or 1-866-215-3912; LIHEAP 610-736-4228; 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursdays from 1 p.m. Berks Coalition to End Homelessness: 600 Penn St., 3rd floor, Reading; 610-372-7222; Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Coordinated Entry walk-ins 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Berks Community Action Program: 645 Penn St., 3rd floor, Reading, PA 19601; 610-376-6571; Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., closed 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Reading Human Relations Commission: City Hall Room 1-21, 815 Washington St., Reading, PA 19601; 610-655-6141, fax 610-655-6262; 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. per PA 211. Salvation Army Reading Citadel: 301 S. 5th St., Reading, PA 19602; 610-373-5208 (UGI applications 610-371-9956); Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. per PA 211. Catholic Charities: 234 Grace St., Reading, PA 19611; 610-435-1541 or 610-376-7144; Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. per PA 211. Veterans Multi-Service Center SSVF: 645 Penn St., Suite B, Reading; 610-314-4741 or 844-226-0368; Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. PA 211: dial 211 or text your ZIP to 898-211. Dollar Energy Fund: 888-282-6816. PUC consumer line: 1-800-692-7380. Corrections: corrections@berksbeat.com.