Housing Counseling

United Neighborhood Centers offers a free comprehensive Housing Counseling Program for community members who are homeless, at risk of homelessness, or looking to improve their current housing situation.

The Housing Counseling Program consists of the following components:

Housing Intake: During this initial assessment, a Housing Intake worker will collect your basic information and documentation, create a household budget, and make an action plan with detailed steps to help resolve the housing crisis. As needed, the Housing Intake worker will also refer you to other community resources for additional support. To preview the Housing Intake packet, click here.
Budgeting and Financial Management Workshop: This one-time workshop covers the basics of creating and maintaining a household budget, banking, credit, and savings plans. To preview the workshop packet, click here.
Case Management: During these one-on-one sessions, a Housing Counselor will help guide you through different options to resolving your housing issue. Counselors can assist with apartment searching, applying to subsidized or public housing, communicating with landlords, and sometimes offering rental assistance.
Financial Assistance: Depending on eligibility, sometimes we can offer rental assistance to prevent or resolve a housing crisis. *Please note that participation in the Housing Counseling Program does not guarantee financial assistance.

To learn more about our program or to schedule a Housing Intake, please call our Community Services Department at (272) 228-1794 and leave a message with your name and phone number. Be ready to provide the following documents:

Photo ID
Social Security cards for everyone in your household
Proof of homelessness or risk of homelessness (ex: letter from homeless shelter, eviction notice from landlord, eviction notice from magisterial court, letter from domestic violence service provider, letter from agency sponsoring hotel stay, etc.)
Proof of income and public benefits (ex: most recent 30 days of pay stubs, new job employment verification form, current SNAP/ TANF award letter, Unemployment Compensation award letter, current year Social Security Award Letter, etc.)

Affordable Housing Development

United Neighborhood Community Development Corporation (UNCDC) is the nonprofit housing and economic development subsidiary of UNC. Created in 2006 out of a need for more affordable housing options in the region, UNCDC constructs new, and adapts older, buildings by using public and private funding sources and developing cooperative relationships with local government entities and private investors.

Amos Towers
Amos Towers is an eight-story, affordable senior apartment community that offers amenities, activities, and is in close proximity to downtown Scranton. Amos Towers offers both one-bedroom and efficiency apartments that consist of separate sleeping areas. For more information, click here to visit the Amos Towers website.

Cabrini Apartments
Located in West Scranton, Cabrini Apartments includes 16 one-bedroom apartments for individuals aged 62 and older. The building is connected to the Oppenheim Healthy Aging Campus which offers many programs and activities. For more information, contact 570-209-3392 or click here for a rental application.

Cedar Point Apartments & Townhouses
Spread out over ten buildings in South Scranton, Cedar Point Apartments and Townhouses consist of four town homes and an additional 30 multifamily rental housing units. For more information, contact 570-209-3392 or click here for a rental application.

Fallbrook
Located on the site of the former Carbondale General Hospital, Fallbrook offers 36 apartments and townhomes, including units designed for older adults, people with disabilities, and larger extended families. This community includes multi-purpose rooms, outdoor walking paths, and a community garden. It is also home to the Carbondale Healthy Aging Campus. For more information, contact 570-580-9763 or click here for a rental application.

Harriet Beecher Stowe Apartments
Located in Scranton, the Harriet Beecher Stowe Apartments is a former school renovated to contain 18 affordable one-, two-, and three-bedroom multifamily apartments. An outdoor playground is also located at the site, as well as a community room. For more information, contact 570-209-3392 or click here for a rental application.

Hitchner Building
Located in West Pittston, the former Hitchner Biscuit Factory, now houses 18 affordable one, two, and three bedroom multifamily apartments. For more information, contact (570) 299-5028 or email hitcher@ndcassetmanagement.com

Lehigh Coal and Navigation Building
Lehigh Coal & Navigation is located in the historical district of the quaint town of Jim Thorpe. The apartment building consists of 27 affordable senior apartments, and offers an elevator, 1st floor washer and dryer, and is close to the downtown area with many small shops and a beautiful park. For more information, contact (570) 325-4941 or email lehighcoal@ndcassetmanagement.com

Madison Avenue Townhomes
Madison Avenue Townhomes in Scranton offers affordable living in a residential setting. For more information, contact 570-209-3392 or click here for a rental application.

Old School on Luzerne
Formerly the West Pittston High School, the Old School on Luzerne was renovated to include 22 affordable rental units geared for older adults. Apartments offer fully equipped kitchens and baths, and the on-site community room provides various programs and activities. For more information, contact (570) 602-3026 or email oldschool@ndcassetmanagement.com.

Webster Towers
Webster Towers is an eight-story, senior apartment complex located in the Hill Section neighborhood of Scranton. Originally sponsored by the Jewish Home of Eastern Pennsylvania, it is a nonsectarian, nonprofit organization providing housing for seniors and persons with disabilities. For more information, click here to visit the Webster Towers website.

Willow Apartments
Located in South Scranton, Willow Apartments include four two-bedroom apartments. Each unit has its own porch, and the entire façade maintains the 80-year-old building’s original charm. For more information, contact 570-209-3392 or click here for a rental application.

Scranton/Lackawanna County Continuum of Care

UNC is the lead agency for the Scranton/Lackawanna County Continuum of Care (CoC), a coalition of social service organizations working together to improve services for the homeless in the region. The CoC meets monthly to discuss the programs currently operated under each agency and to identify ways to expand services to better meet the needs of the community. The goals of the CoC are to prevent and end homelessness, support the needs of the homeless population, and help individuals to achieve self-sufficiency.

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