Office of Homeless Services

The Office of Homeless Services (OHS) is the City of Philadelphia agency that plans, funds and coordinates services for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness. It works largely through contracts with nonprofit providers that operate shelters, outreach, rapid rehousing and permanent supportive housing. OHS is a city office, not an authority; it should not be confused with the Philadelphia Housing Authority, which is a separate public housing agency.

1 Role and structure

OHS is led by Executive Director Cheryl Hill, who appears in 2026 city announcements on homelessness data and grants.^[1] The office serves as the collaborative applicant and lead agency for Philadelphia's Continuum of Care, the local planning body through which the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) distributes homelessness funding. It also maintains the local homeless data system and oversees the annual point-in-time count, a one-night census of sheltered and unsheltered people required by HUD.

2 Services

Core functions include emergency housing (shelter), street outreach, homelessness prevention and diversion, rapid rehousing, and permanent supportive housing. OHS works with its contracted providers and with other city agencies such as the Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services and the Division of Housing and Community Development. During extreme weather the city declares "Code Blue" or "Code Red" to expand access to shelter; in January 2025 the Parker administration announced warming centers in recreation centers and libraries during Code Blue periods.^[1]

3 The 2026 count and recent initiatives

The city's July 2026 report on the February 25, 2026 count found 5,163 people experiencing homelessness, a 7 percent decline from 5,516 in 2025. Unsheltered homelessness fell 39 percent, from 1,178 to 711, the first decline in two years, while the sheltered count rose 2 percent to 4,452.^[1] The report credited initiatives under Mayor Cherelle Parker, including the December 2025 "One Philly Response" executive order, which calls for 1,000 additional shelter beds, the HOPE 220 Solution Center (70-plus beds with wraparound services, opened March 2026), the "One Philly Ambassadors of Hope" outreach program and expanded encampment resolution teams.^[1] These are the city's own characterizations; advocates and journalists have debated how encampment enforcement and shelter capacity affect residents, and readers should consult local reporting for those views. In July 2026 the city also announced OHS had been awarded a $5 million grant for homelessness prevention.^[2]

4 Connections and getting help

Homelessness intersects with eviction and housing law: see Eviction Diversion and Landlord-Tenant Court, Tenant and Housing Advocacy Groups and Rental Licensing and Landlord-Tenant Law. Residents who are homeless or at imminent risk can use the city's housing assistance and outreach lines listed on the OHS website, or report an unsheltered person in need through Philly311. Services and phone numbers change; confirm on phila.gov. This article is general information, not legal advice.

See also: Philadelphia Housing Authority, Department of Human Services, Office of Community Empowerment and Opportunity, Safe and Healthy Homes Act.

References

1. City of Philadelphia, "Philadelphia 2026 Point-in-Time Count report finds unsheltered homelessness drops for first time in two years," July 23, 2026 (phila.gov).
2. City of Philadelphia, "The City of Philadelphia's Office of Homeless Services awarded $5 million grant toward homelessness prevention initiatives," July 31, 2026 (phila.gov).
3. City of Philadelphia, Office of Homeless Services, department page, phila.gov.