In 2003, at the urging of several community advocates including Sister Mary Scullion of Project H.O.M.E. and Robert Hess, Philadelphia’s Deputy Managing Director for Special Needs Housing, HAP set up a new project to address the needs of homeless families and individuals who, for a variety of reasons, are denied admission to, have difficulty obtaining services in, or are prematurely discharged from emergency shelter in Philadelphia. Seed money for the Shelter Advocacy Project was provided by the Samuel S. Fels Fund.

HAP has found that skilled advocates – generally, HAP staff attorneys – are usually able to satisfactorily resolve many of the problems consumers encounter as they make their way through the system.

For more information or to volunteer for this project, please call 215-523-9595, or email HAP's Executive Director, Marsha Cohen, at marsha@philalegal.org.