A Hoarding Alliance local resource guide
A respectful place to begin - whether you are looking for support for yourself, worried about someone you love, or trying to respond to a safety or housing concern.
Start here - Fight the Blight
Our virtual groups give people affected by hoarding and clutter concerns a place to connect from Philadelphia and other communities. We can help you think through what is happening and what kind of next step may fit.
Call 911 for a medical emergency, fire, or immediate threat. For a behavioral-health crisis, call or text 988 or call 215-685-6440.
First conversations
You do not need to know the perfect service name before reaching out. These organizations can help you identify a next step.
A Philadelphia-area coalition that brings public agencies, nonprofits, clinicians, legal services, and community partners together around hoarding. Its resource hub covers assessment, case management, cleaning, legal help, mental health, protective services, and support groups.
Call 211 or text your ZIP code to 898-211 for free and confidential help finding housing, utilities, food, health care, and other community resources. A resource specialist can help when you are not sure what service to ask for.
JFCS describes individual hoarding support, Buried in Treasures and other groups, family support, and training. Services may be offered by telehealth, in an office, or through mobile therapy when eligible; fees are case by case and may include sliding scale or Medicaid options.
The City connects Philadelphia residents age 60 and older with help at home, care management, benefits, housing, home repairs, and Older Adult Protective Services. Call to discuss the situation and the right local program; eligibility varies by service.
Safety and stability
These pathways serve different situations. Read the labels carefully before calling, especially when a response may involve an investigation or emergency dispatch.
For a mental-health crisis or emotional distress, call or text 988 or call Philadelphia's 24/7 Mental Health Delegate line. The city describes the crisis line as a pathway to resources and mobile crisis support. Call 911 for immediate physical danger or a medical emergency.
Philadelphia directs reports about unsafe buildings, interior or exterior maintenance problems, rental-code concerns, and neglected lots to 311. This is a government reporting and enforcement pathway, not a support group or cleanup service.
The City offers homelessness prevention, diversion, emergency shelter, and temporary housing pathways. The prevention line can help with rent or move-in concerns; the outreach line can connect someone living outdoors with an intake center.
PCA supports older Philadelphians and caregivers. Its Older Adult Protective Services team receives confidential reports 24/7 involving abuse, neglect, self-neglect, or exploitation of people age 60 and older who are physically in Philadelphia.
The statewide APS hotline receives reports involving adults ages 18 through 59 with physical or intellectual disabilities who may be experiencing abuse, neglect, exploitation, or abandonment. Call to understand whether the situation fits; this is not a general clutter or housing hotline.
The City's housing department lists programs for eligible Philadelphia homeowners, including free emergency repairs, accessibility modifications, low-interest repair loans, and minor repairs for homeowners age 60 and older. This is a repair pathway, not a cleanup service; confirm ownership, income, and program rules before applying.
PHA provides public housing and Housing Choice Voucher pathways for eligible low-income households. Waitlists and program availability change, and PHA notes that its Housing Choice Voucher waitlist is currently closed; use the official site to check current openings and housing resources.
People and practical help
These listings are included because they offer a specific local connection. They are independent organizations; ask about current availability, cost, and approach.
The IOCDF directory lists this therapist-facilitated Zoom group for adults in Pennsylvania with OCD-spectrum concerns, including compulsive hoarding. It meets every other Monday; a brief phone screening is required and a waitlist may apply.
The International OCD Foundation directory can help people look for therapists, support groups, and professional organizers with relevant training or specialties. Availability, insurance, fees, and fit must be confirmed directly.
A private Philadelphia-area company that advertises hoarding cleanup, animal-hoarding cleanup, deep cleaning, and biohazard services. Ask for a written scope, pricing, safety plan, and a process that keeps the person living there involved in decisions.
The City offers appointment-based collection for certain large household items, including appliances, furniture, large toys, flat-screen TVs, and passenger-car tires. The program is for eligible residential properties with up to six units, has item limits, and does not enter the home; confirm the current rules before setting anything out.
Community Legal Services directs people seeking help with hoarding-related housing concerns to the Philadelphia Hoarding Task Force and lists legal, housing, and related referral pathways. Its intake lines differ by age; this is legal navigation, not a cleanup or mental-health service.
The Peer Tree is the private-pay support pathway for organizing help, decluttering, family guidance, and related nonclinical services when a situation does not fit a grant or public-service pathway. Ask about current scope, availability, and cost before beginning.
For ongoing digital peer support, structured tools, and momentum between conversations, Unburied is the pathway owned by The Peer Tree. It is a private-pay, nonclinical option and is not therapy or emergency support.
A note from the Alliance
A listing here does not mean Fight the Blight endorses every provider or can guarantee availability. We will keep reviewing this page, but please confirm details directly before relying on them.
Need help choosing a path? Contact Fight the Blight