Housing Services
PHFA believes that services for residents play a critical role in the success of affordable rental housing. No matter how that success is defined, whether in terms of resident quality of life and self-sufficiency or in the financial health of the development, services can make the difference between success and failure. That is why PHFA encourages developers, owners, and property management companies to integrate supportive services.
Home4Good Homeless Initiative
Home4Good is a newly created program developed by the Federal Home Loan Bank Pittsburgh and PHFA to address unmet and critical needs in the existing Continuums of Care across the Commonwealth. The initiative will provide a flexible source of funding for organizations working to address homelessness in Pennsylvania with the primary objective of ensuring that if an individual is faced with homelessness it is rare, brief and non-recurring.
The Continuum of Care approach to program service coordination is proving to be successful but there are still areas of additional need and enhancement to ensure they are addressing the most vulnerable populations, have the needed case management and other forms of assistance to fully deploy their resources.
The Home4Good Program Request for Proposals will be looking for innovative applications to ensure the comprehensive and coordinated effort being implemented by communities can be achieved.
Hot Topics
Helpful Information
- Becoming a Great Tenant
- Electric Shopping - A Handbook for Affordable Housing Professionals
- Energy Assistance Program
- Fair Housing and Reasonable Accommodations
- Hoarding and Housekeeping
- Housing Health Partnership Guide (used with permission by Leading Age (tm))
- Memorandum of 62+ Understanding
- Memorandum of Understanding
- Pension Poaching Awareness Campaign
- Resident Organizations
- Working with Low Literacy Clients
Quick Start Housing Resources
PHFA and the Self Determination Housing of Pennsylvania’s (SDHP) Regional Housing Coordinators have complied information about specific social service and housing resource agencies throughout the Commonwealth.
Regional Housing Coordinators are available to assist service providers in identifying local, regional, and statewide resources for their consumers. RHC’s are well connected across the Commonwealth and will be able to assist in finding the most appropriate resources. Please use the following information to connect with SDHP:
Virtual Network Program (VNP) and Social Media Platform
Your survey participation helped PHFA Housing Services to identify if there was a shared interest and benefit for the Virtual Network Program (VNP) and Social Media Platform, in connection with PHFA’s Caught-In-The-Act Program (CITA).
Are you a Resident Service Coordinator looking to virtually connect with your peers across the region?
The Virtual Network Program and Social Media Platform will provide an opportunity for Supportive Service Coordinators to virtually share resources, inspired content and safe space discussions, consisting of quarterly network meetings and Facebook social media access.
Yes. I am interested, how do I virtually connect?
- For your specific region, a Volunteer Regional Lead(s) is designated to coordinate and host the Supportive Services Coordinator (quarterly) meetings. Stay tuned for future outreach!
- A FB group page is designated to access immediately for posting current activities, events, resources, and shared content to peers within your region. Your Volunteer Regional Lead(s) will provide member access and management.
Search Facebook.com to locate your group web page address, specific to your region:
- PA Central South Region SS Virtual Network Group
- PA East Region SS Virtual Network Group
- PA West Region SS Virtual Network Group
- PA South East Region SS Virtual Network Group
- PA Central North Region SS Virtual Network Group
To confirm you are added to the Supportive Services Coordinator outreach list or if you have questions in general, please connect with your designated Volunteer Regional Lead or assigned PHFA Housing Services Representative.
Multifamily Affordable Housing Conference
Housing Services and Housing Management offer educational opportunities for managers and service coordinators to increase capacity to design and implement effective service programs. These trainings and forums expose staff to resources, strategies, and best practices in service-enriched housing.
Visit our Conference page for up-to-date information.
Housing Services Training Events
PHFA has partnered with Pennsylvania Western University to offer 2 certificates for Service Coordinators that work in Affordable Housing. The Certificate in Elder Service Coordination (CESC) and the Certificate in Family Service Coordination (CFSC) provide affordable training opportunities for new and experienced Service Coordinators. Each certificate consists of 20 hours of training, covers 13 core areas and starts with the Annual Multifamily Affordable Housing Conference. The remainder of the training is completed throughout the year by webinars. The focus of the Certificate Programs is to improve Service Coordinators, Property Managers, and Service Providers expertise in residential setting and will establish a base level knowledge to improve service delivery. This training is co-sponsored by the MSW Program at Pennsylvania Western University. The MSW Program has been designated as a pre-approved provider of professional continuing education for licensed Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists and Professional Counselors, by the PA State Board of Social Workers, Marriage & Family Therapists and Professional Counselors. This training is approved for 20 CEUs.
Certificate Programs
Regional Trainings
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Webinars
Questions or comments regarding Housing Services videos should be directed to Alicia Spencer at 610.270.1989.
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Additional videos can be found on our Housing Management YouTube Channel.
Start-up Information for New Service Coordinators
- Housing Services Representative Territory Map
- How To Get Started
- Plan of Services Template
- Referral to Service Coordinator
- Resident Strengths Questionnaire for a Family Development
- Resident Strengths Questionnaire for a Senior Development
- Resident Survey Form for a Family Development
- Resident Survey Form for a Senior Development
- sample introduction letter
- Tips to Boost Resident Survey and Activity Participation
Developing & Running a Supportive Services Program
Supportive Services Program Requirements & Reporting
Service Coordinator Forms & Resources
- Agreement for Contracted Services
- Breaking Cycles of Violence
- Checklist for Agreements for Contracted Services
- Community & Resident Engagement in the Age of Social Distancing
- Community Engagement and Residential Boredom Busters
- Crisis Resources
- Cycles of Violence
- Human Needs During Disruption
- Job Description for Service Coordinator for a Family Development
- Job Description for Service Coordinator for a Senior Development
- Resident Intake Form for a Family Development
- Resident Intake Form for a Senior Development
- Strategies for Trauma and Resilience