Pennsylvania Housing Resources & Tenant Rights

Pennsylvania’s rental rules come from the Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951 (68 P.S. § 250.101 and following). Protections are moderate and uneven — deposits and notice periods are spelled out by statute, but there is no statewide rent control and no statewide source-of-income protection. Philadelphia adds the most: a source-of-income ordinance and a mandatory eviction-diversion program. The Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency (PHFA) is the state housing agency. This page covers the statewide rules, what Philadelphia adds, the eviction timeline, and links to every Pennsylvania city we cover.

Public Housing & Vouchers in Pennsylvania

Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers and public housing are run by local authorities — the Philadelphia Housing Authority (the fourth-largest in the nation), the Allegheny County Housing Authority and Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh, and dozens more. The Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency (PHFA) finances affordable apartments, runs Section 811 project rental assistance for people with disabilities, and allocates Low-Income Housing Tax Credits — search HUD’s LIHTC database or read how to find LIHTC housing.

Apply to several authorities at once. Use HUD’s PHA directory or our how to find your PHA and how to apply for Section 8 guides. City waitlist status is on the city pages below.

Source of Income & Rent Control

Pennsylvania has no statewide source-of-income protection, so in most of the state a landlord can refuse a Housing Choice Voucher. A few places have passed local protection: Philadelphia (under the Fair Practices Ordinance, with expanded enforcement by the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations beginning December 2024) and State College Borough. Pittsburgh passed one, but it was struck down in court. Check your locality before assuming a refusal is legal, and read our source-of-income protections guide.

There is no statewide rent control in Pennsylvania and no rent stabilization. Your protection against an increase comes from your lease term and the required notice.

Emergency Rental Assistance in Pennsylvania

• Dial 211 to reach local emergency rental and prevention funds and your regional Coordinated Entry for shelter and rapid re-housing
• In Philadelphia, the Eviction Diversion Program and targeted financial assistance (rent-assist.phila.gov) can resolve nonpayment before a case is filed — participation is required before a landlord can file
• County assistance offices and Community Action Agencies run crisis help and LIHEAP for utilities — see utility assistance programs
• PHFA and partner nonprofits (Salvation Army, Catholic Charities, St. Vincent de Paul) provide one-time help

See our emergency rental assistance guide for the national picture.

Pennsylvania Tenant Law: Key Protections at a Glance

Security deposits

Under 68 P.S. 250.511a, a landlord may collect no more than two months’ rent in the first year and no more than one month’s rent from the second year onward. A deposit over $100 must be held in a state or federal institution; once you are into the third year of the lease, it must sit in an interest-bearing escrow account, and the landlord must pay you the interest each year. The deposit must be returned within 30 days with an itemized list (68 P.S. 250.512), and a landlord who wrongly withholds can owe double the amount. See how to recover your security deposit.

Eviction process & how long it takes

Self-help eviction is illegal; the landlord must go to court and a constable or sheriff carries out any lockout. The sequence:

• Notice to quit — 10 days for nonpayment (15 or 30 days for end-of-term, depending on lease length) unless your written lease waives the notice
• In Philadelphia, the landlord must first engage the Eviction Diversion Program and apply for assistance before filing
• Complaint filed in the Magisterial District Court (Municipal Court in Philadelphia); you get a hearing date
• Judgment, then a 10-day window to appeal; if you do not appeal or move, the landlord requests an order for possession and a writ, which the constable enforces

An uncontested Pennsylvania eviction commonly runs about one to two months from the notice, longer in Philadelphia because of diversion. Appear at your hearing with your lease, receipts, and photos. Get help at PALawHELP.org and read how to avoid eviction.

Other Housing Programs in Pennsylvania

• Public housing — government-owned affordable apartments run by local authorities; the waitlist is separate from Section 8
• Section 811 / HUD-VASH — PHFA project rental assistance for people with disabilities, and vouchers paired with VA case management; see how to apply for HUD-VASH
• Emergency Housing Vouchers & rapid re-housing — access through Coordinated Entry by calling 211
• Eviction prevention — our eviction prevention hub explains what to do before your court date

Major Pennsylvania Cities We Cover

• Philadelphia affordable housing resources

Where to Get Help in Pennsylvania

Free legal aid: PALawHELP.org connects renters to Community Legal Services of Philadelphia, Regional Housing Legal Services, and other offices.

State housing agency: PHFA for affordable housing, Section 811, and LIHTC.

Find your local PHA: HUD’s PHA directory or our how to find your PHA guide.

211 helpline: dial 2-1-1 or visit 211.org for rental help, shelters, and utility assistance.

HUD fair housing: file at hud.gov/reporthousingdiscrimination or call 1-800-669-9777.

Next Steps

Not sure where to start? Our Where to Start tool routes you to the right mix of Pennsylvania programs in about two minutes.

If you have a notice to quit, do not wait: get help at PALawHELP.org and, in Philadelphia, ask about the Eviction Diversion Program. Read eviction prevention too.