Homeless prevention programs in Bucks County.
In an emergency, some lower to moderate income renters in Bucks County may be able to receive eviction prevention assistance. The programs, which include financial aid, counseling, and free legal support, are used to reduce the amount of homelessness in the community. The components of the eviction prevention services include some or all of the following.
- -Lawyers can contest an illegal eviction, advise the tenant on their housing rights, and represent them in housing court.
- -Professional, independent mediation can help resolve any landlord-tenant disputes.
- -Counselors can help the family and property owner with entering into payment plans for a back rent or electric or water bills that are due to the local utility company.
- -In some cases, financial aid for paying rent, deposits or other costs may be available in Bucks County from non-profits.
- -If all else fails, the eviction prevention will also incorporate rapid rehousing from the Department of Public Welfare, which will find the family a more sustainable home or apartment to live in.
Those are some examples of what is available in Bucks County to prevent an eviction. The exact type of assistance available will be determined by many factors. Two of the critical ones will be does the applicant have enough of a weekly income to sustain their monthly rent payment on their own, and the second is does the applicant have a history of homelessness/living beyond their means. Those are a couple key criteria.
Financial assistance to stop an eviction
In general, financial aid from programs such as Emergency Shelter Allowance (ESA), Bucks County United Way funded programs, Opportunity Council, or even charitable donations will be for a crisis only. That money can stop an eviction if the clients has a job and stable source of income. The ESG program is one time assistance and can fill the gap in any rental or utility arrears if the applicant has an unexpected crisis, such as their car breaking down, a medical emergency, or the death of a spouse.
Tenants that need money, but have no way to support themselves the next and following months, will rarely be assisted from a grant. As they need a way to sustain the housing on their own, without depending on a safety net program. While financial in these scenarios is rare, maybe a loan can be issued in the Bucks County as a form of homeless prevention.
Legal, counseling, and mediation eviction prevention services in Bucks County
The non-monetary assistance in Bucks County can also be effective at stopping an eviction. The three main parts of this include landlord – tenant mediation, legal advice, and more general counseling. The services are generally organization by Continuum of Care affiliated agencies in Bucks County, such as pro-bono law firms, Catholic Charities, and the Department of Public Welfare ESA among others.
This approach can often be more effective at preventing homelessness. One big reason is that any government grants for directly paying housing expenses are very limited. Another reason that mediation can be effective is that it can be expensive for a landlord to go through the legal process in Bucks County to formally evict the family. It is also a loss of income for them when the property is vacant and they need to lease it out again.
Eviction help can also be arranged by local law firms. This will not help for a strictly rent issue, but if the vacate notice was sent for reasons such as lack of repairs to the apartment, disputes, noise disturbance, discrimination, etc. an attorney can assist. The process will include a review of the lease, representation in court, and much more. Locate free legal help in Pennsylvania for housing matters.
When all else fails, Bucks County based agencies such as the Opportunity Council will try to rehouse the family. Some financial help from Emergency Shelter Allowance can help pay moving costs or a security deposit. There are housing counselors that will help the now homeless individual or family find a new, permanent home to live in. Sometimes this is often a multiple step process, such as placement into transition housing, a job program, and then, when all is said and done, a new home.
The eviction prevention as well as rapid rehousing program offered will usually vary from one applicant to another. It is common for each person to get help in some way that is unique to them. For more information, or assistance, dial Bucks County.
To apply for Emergency Shelter Allowance or other aid, dial the Bucks County Opportunity Council (upper 215-536-0353 or lower county residents 215-781-2661). Or the Department of Public Welfare ESA can be reached at 800-362-1291.
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