Find an open Section 8 waiting list right now with your
Section 8 and Subsidized Housing Online Packet

How do I apply for SNAP in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania?

People used to get paper stamps to buy food. Today, they use an Electrical Benefits Transfer (EBT) Card. In Pennsylvania, this is called an ACCESS Card. It works like a debit card and can be used at most grocery stores, farmers’ markets and corner stores.

SNAP is the current name for the nutritional assistance program known as the: Food Stamp Program. The federal government started the Food Stamp Program more than 30 years ago to fight hunger. Now called SNAP (the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), the program helps low-income people buy groceries. That helps them pay for other needs, like rent, heat or childcare. These programs are always free.

Housing authorities and Human resource offices are government funded entities but do not work together. One must consult their PHA if they want to complete a Section 8 application in Pennsylvania.

If I apply for Food Stamps in Philadelphia, did I apply for SNAP too?

Yes. Keep in mind that the Food Stamp program in now called the SNAP program. It depends on a person’s income as to whether or not they are eligible. Income includes job wages, public assistance, unemployment compensation, SSI (Supplemental Security Income), retirement benefits, pensions, veteran’s benefits and child support. Expenses include rent or mortgage, utility bills, property taxes, shelter costs and childcare.

See SNAP (Food Stamp) Income Limits

Can someone who owns a home or a car get SNAP?

Yes. As long as they meet the income limits. People can apply for SNAP, even if:

They own a home or a car.
They have a bank account.
They are homeless.
They are immigrants.
They have a criminal record.

What is EBT?

Pennsylvania uses Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) to deliver food stamp benefits. For every month you are eligible, your benefits are automatically deposited into your EBT account. You receive a plastic card with a magnetic strip and a Personal Identification Number (PIN) to access your EBT account at authorized food outlets. The cost of the food stamp items you purchase will be subtracted from the amount in your food stamp EBT account. Once your transaction is completed you will receive a receipt that shows the amount of your food stamp purchase and the amount of food stamp benefits remaining.

Can I apply for Section 8 and SNAP at the same time?

No. These are different programs that are run separately. You can only apply for section 8 in Philadelphia at your local housing authority when applications are being accepted. The only way to fill out a Section 8 application in Pennsylvania is when there is an open Section 8 waiting list.

Most low-income households are eligible to apply for SNAP in Philadelphia Pennsylvania. Households that are not eligible for other public benefits may be eligible for food stamps. The income limit for this program is nearly twice as high as the income limit for cash assistance. Even people who are homeless or live in a temporary shelter may be eligible. You do not need a permanent address or cooking facilities. However, in many cases, college students and persons who are on strike are not eligible. People that are want to apply for Section 8 in Philadelphia can still apply for SNAP.

The Housing Choice Voucher Program, created as a part of the Housing Act of 1937, and administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and local housing agencies, seeks to address the difficulty of low-income families finding and being able to afford decent housing. According to the National Low Income Housing Coalition in 2013, for every 100 extremely low income renter households, there were just 31 affordable and available units. In no state, can an individual working a typical 40-hour workweek at the federal minimum wage afford a one or two-bedroom apartment for his or her family without paying more than 30% of their income in rent.
Section 8 Section 8 rental assistance in Philadelphia helps to alleviate the burden of housing for thousands of households and families.

Human resource offices in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Philadelphia Human Resources
668 City Hall
Philadelphia, PA 19107

Philadelphia Urban Resources Partnership
1401 John F Kennedy Blvd
Philadelphia, PA 19102

Mercer Human Resource Consulting
1717 Arch St Fl 27
Philadelphia, PA 19103

Savitz Organization Inc
1845 Walnut St
Philadelphia, PA 19103

Kenexa Corp
340 N 12th St Ste 309
Philadelphia, PA 19107

Bethesda Project
609 S 15th St
Philadelphia, PA 19146

CPS Human Resource Services
701 Market St
Philadelphia, PA 19106

Workmens Compensation Bureau
1400 Spring Garden St
Philadelphia, PA 19130

Hospital of The University
34th Spruce St
Philadelphia, PA 19106

Select Human Resources
742 N Uber St
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19130

Resources Human Development
504 Washington Ave
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19147

Christian Alliance Parent Resource Center
1510 Cecil B Moore Ave
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19121

Diamond Consulting
1080 N Delaware Ave
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19125