Homeless Advocacy Project

Homeless Advocacy Project HAP is a nonprofit organization providing free legal services to reduce homelessness in Philadelphia

Established in 1990, HAP is the only legal services organization dedicated to providing direct civil legal services to individuals and families experiencing homelessness in Philadelphia. HAP also advocates for the needs of the City’s homeless population, promoting positive changes in policies that impact those needs.

HAP celebrates the recent expansion of the PA ABLE Savings Program that allows Pennsylvanians with a qualifying disabili...
03/19/2026

HAP celebrates the recent expansion of the PA ABLE Savings Program that allows Pennsylvanians with a qualifying disability that started prior to age 46 to open a savings account without jeopardizing their Social Security benefits. Previously, only people who were disabled prior to age 26 were eligible for this program. This age expansion will allow many more HAP clients who were awarded SSI benefits through our SOAR Project to save for expenses such as security deposits, emergency medical care, and other needs without going over the restrictive SSI asset limit and putting their benefits at risk.

PA ABLE: https://paable.gov/

HAPpy First Anniversary to Briana Nicholas! Briana serves as Homeless Advocacy Project's Operations and Development Coor...
03/10/2026

HAPpy First Anniversary to Briana Nicholas! Briana serves as Homeless Advocacy Project's Operations and Development Coordinator, and is an incredibly valuable asset to our organization. Briana's calm demeanor immediately puts our clients at ease, and her creativity brightens the office--and our social media!

Members of the HAP staff went into the night with other volunteers from across the city to conduct the annual Point In T...
02/27/2026

Members of the HAP staff went into the night with other volunteers from across the city to conduct the annual Point In Time Count. They walked from 11pm – 2am across their zone to record the number of Philadelphians who are sleeping or living outside, or in vehicles. This data is vital for the city to make resource and budget determinations regarding our neighbors experiencing homelessness. Thanks to everyone who participated!

One of the many services HAP provides for its clients is procuring birth certificates (and not just from PA). Being home...
02/25/2026

One of the many services HAP provides for its clients is procuring birth certificates (and not just from PA). Being homeless can mean you don’t always have access to the documentation you need to get further identification, housing, and even a job. Read more on our website on how HAP assists with that process and how we’ve helped one of many clients first hand. https://www.haplegal.org/happening/hap-in-action-02-26-direct-service-update/

If you like what you’ve read be sure to subscribe to our newsletter on the right hand side of that page and keep up with what HAP is doing around the city.

Yesterday HAP was glad to host its legal clinic at Self Inc’s Mike Hinson Resource Center (MHRC). We thank staff from bo...
02/19/2026

Yesterday HAP was glad to host its legal clinic at Self Inc’s Mike Hinson Resource Center (MHRC). We thank staff from both organizations and our volunteers from Hogan Lovells and CHUBB who attended. Pictured below is Claybourne Watkins Jr., MHRC’s Day Program Coordinator with Pat Malley, Esq., HAP’s Senior Staff Attorney. Claybourne describes the partnership between the two organizations as a “marriage made in heaven!” HAP staff and volunteers saw 14 clients at the clinic, and opened 17 matters ranging in areas from SSI disability and SNAP benefits to criminal record sealing and identification documents, and more! Thank you to all who made this change for our clients possible!

HAP will be closed Monday, February 16th in observation of President's Day.
02/16/2026

HAP will be closed Monday, February 16th in observation of President's Day.

This Valentine's Day, we'd like to spread the love to our volunteers! Laura Kolb, Esq., HAP's Children, Youth, and Fami...
02/14/2026

This Valentine's Day, we'd like to spread the love to our volunteers!

Laura Kolb, Esq., HAP's Children, Youth, and Families Project Director and Maggie Oberkircher, Esq., HAP's Pro Bono Coordinator share some words we hope our volunteers take to heart. 🥰

Yesterday, HAP staff members Josie Chiba and Andrew Feigenbaum, our Paralegal & Development Coordinator and Staff Attorn...
02/05/2026

Yesterday, HAP staff members Josie Chiba and Andrew Feigenbaum, our Paralegal & Development Coordinator and Staff Attorney & Duffy Fellow, respectively, held a legal clinic at Prevention Point Philly’s Beacon House. They helped eight clients with matters ranging from evictions to our SOAR program, or HAP’s expedited filing process for SSI/SSDI.

Josie says of HAP’s relationship with Beacon House, “Beacon house is overall an energetic and supportive environment. The staff is doing great work for the clients and offer a sense of stability for people who are dealing with a lot.” Andrew and Josie are pictured in HAP’s offices discussing the new clients and cases that came in yesterday. We thank them for their work!

HAP is teaming up with the Nehemiah Center for Urban Leadership Development to offer a chance to win a free educational ...
02/01/2026

HAP is teaming up with the Nehemiah Center for Urban Leadership Development to offer a chance to win a free educational course on Black History. The course is a $300 value and will be held virtually Mondays from Feb 16th – April 20th. Registration ends 2/6, so a winner will be chosen Wednesday 2/4. Comment and like this post for a chance to enter!

Happy Black History month from all of us at HAP. In the wake of current events, it’s important to remember those who fou...
02/01/2026

Happy Black History month from all of us at HAP. In the wake of current events, it’s important to remember those who fought for their right to be recognized as citizens in the face of oppression and violence.

“Ours is not the struggle of one day, one week, or one year. Ours is not the struggle of one judicial appointment or presidential term. Ours is the struggle of a lifetime, or maybe even many lifetimes, and each one of us in every generation must do our part.” – John Lewis

With a new year, HAP is excited to introduce its new monthly web feature, Homeless Advocacy Project in Action. Each mont...
01/29/2026

With a new year, HAP is excited to introduce its new monthly web feature, Homeless Advocacy Project in Action. Each month we’ll tell you about pressing issues affecting our clients and what we are doing about them. To start, please read this article on Funding Cuts for Supportive Housing and the Increase in Homelessness in Philadelphia, written by Nancy Rimmer, Esq., HAP’s Legal and Advocacy Director.

https://www.haplegal.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/01-26-HAP-in-Action.pdf

The displayed graph highlights one of the most somber statistics from the increase—that unsheltered residents of Philadelphia, or those living in places not meant for human habitation, have increased more than 21% since 2024. This is distinct from sheltered individuals experiencing homelessness, such as in transitional housing or a shelter. This group’s increase was 3% since 2024, an also alarming figure.

(reposted with small correction)

With a new year, HAP is excited to introduce its new monthly web feature, Homeless Advocacy Project in Action. Each mont...
01/28/2026

With a new year, HAP is excited to introduce its new monthly web feature, Homeless Advocacy Project in Action. Each month we’ll tell you about what issues are most pressing to our clients and what we are doing about them. To start, please read this article on Funding Cuts for Supportive Housing and Homelessness in Philadelphia Continues to Increase, written by Nancy Rimmer, Esq., HAP’s Legal and Advocacy Director.

https://www.haplegal.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/01-26-HAP-in-Action.pdf

The displayed graph highlights one of the most somber statistics from the increase—that unsheltered residents of Philadelphia, or those living in places not meant for human habitation, have increased more than 21% since 2024. This is distinct from sheltered individuals experiencing homelessness, or people who are residing indoors, whether it be couch surfing or in a shelter. This group’s increase was 3% since 2024, an also disarming figure.

Address

1429 Walnut Street, Fl 15th
Philadelphia, PA
19102

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 4:30pm
Tuesday 9am - 4:30pm
Wednesday 9am - 4:30pm
Thursday 9am - 4:30pm

Telephone

+12155239595

Website

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