About Us

RentHelpPGH is a coordinated project of the Hill District Consensus Group, Community Justice Project, the CREATE Lab at Carnegie Mellon University, and the Pittsburgh Hispanic Development Corporation to help more Allegheny County residents access the services they need and to quantify the impact of direct service work performed by Community Based Organizations.

RentHelpPGH assists residents of Allegheny County in obtaining legal and financial assistance in order to avoid eviction and to help residents access resources that will stabilize their household and create an environment in which they can thrive.

We strive to demonstrate the value of funding community based organizations so that they can provide systematic resource navigation services for low-income households facing the threat of eviction and identify systemic advocacy needs for improving the existing models of resource service delivery in Pittsburgh and Allegheny County.

Through our Eviction Rapid Response program we ensure that more of our most vulnerable neighbors, those actively facing eviction, have equitable access to resources. Through phone and text canvassing, mailers, and volunteers at the magisterial offices, we are able to connect more residents with much needed rental assistance, legal advice, and other support.

RentHelpPGH Help Desk

• No Neighbor Left Behind!
  The RentHelpPgh Help Desk Is a centralized resource center which Allegheny County residents can reach over the phone or via the web platform. In addition to direct outreach via flyers and social media posts, service providers all across Allegheny County (e.g DHS, United Way, etc) refer residents to the RentHelpPGH Help Desk. At the Help Desk, we greet neighbors with dignity and compassion, listening to their stories and identifying the breadth of their needs. Before we hang up, we assist clients in understanding their next steps and work with them to understand what programs exist, what they’ll need and how to apply, and help set realistic expectations for their experience.


• Ease of Client Transfer
  After our clients understand their next steps, we connect them with a Resource Navigator, ideally from a Community Based Organization that serves their community. The Resource Navigator receives a notification informing them that a new client has been assigned to their organization. Through the RentHelpPGH Platform, the Resource Navigator is able to see all of the registration notes by the Help Desk Navigator, including suggestions for assistance programs and other resources. The use of this centralized platform increases efficiency and clarity of information.

RentHelpPGH Platform

• Streamlined Customer Management
  Is a Customer Management Software System designed by the CREATE Lab at Carnegie Mellon University specifically for community based organizations in Allegheny County to track the services they provide to their neighbors or are working with their neighbors to apply for. The RentHelpPGH Platform enables multiple team members to see the status of a client and submit updates on their situation. This enables consistency of service across all team members, and allows the CBO to build relationships with greater understanding and efficiency.


• Data and Funding!
  The on-the-ground, day-to-day work of helping neighbors is difficult to quantify and even more difficult to get funded. The RentHelpPGH platform tracks all of the actions CBOs take on behalf of their neighbors, collecting data that presents a clear demonstration of value CBOs provide to our communities.

RentHelpPGH Family

• Bringing Community Based Organizations Together!
  The RentHelpPGH Platform creates a community for CBOs to share knowledge and information. When a resident moves, they can easily connect with a Community Based Organization in their new neighborhood, ensuring continuity in their service acquisition. RentHelpPGH CBOs and Resource Navigators and other engaged parties receive ongoing trainings from service providers across Allegheny County.


• Making Changes!
  With many organizations working together, we are able to identify unmet needs and programs in need of improvement for our local service providers and policy makers. Just since July we have engaged with many City, County, and State service providers and developed functional programmatic changes that enable more RentHelpPGH clients to access the services they need.

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