The project involves the rehabilitation of a vacant building to establish a transition housing facility for homeless women with children. The target group will be homeless single parent women who are recovering from substance abuse, e.g., alcohol and/or drug addition.

Selection criteria used for residency will be those who have been clean and sober for a minimum of 30 days prior to admission and willingness to enroll in substance abuse counseling services and/or treatment, if necessary. The women should have little or no financial resources which is determined through an income eligibility process. There will also be a social service assessment to evaluate their functional level, need for supportive services, number and age of children and tenant compatibility for a shared housing arrangement. There must be on the part of the client a willingness to adhere to rules and an agreement to participate in shared housekeeping responsibilities.

The building will contain (13) shared living units for 13 women with their children. It will consist for living units to accommodate women with two or three children. Two units located on the first floor will be for families with disabled person(s). The shared living arrangement is that the women will have individual sleeping quarters and will share kitchen, bathrooms and common living areas.

The current address of the property is 1528-30 Overington Street (Overington & Griscom Streets).

 For information about Overington House info@overingtonhouse.org

Referral Sources: Multiple referral sources will have access to Overington House. These include, but are not limited to, Department of Human Services, churches, social service agencies, drug and alcohol treatment centers and other social advocacy sources as well as all Philadelphia shelters which provide services to homeless women and children.

Criteria for Admission: In order to be eligible for admission to Overington House, families must meet the criteria for homelessness as defined in Section 583.5. This states:

1) An individual or family who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence.

2) An individual or family who has a primary residence that is:

a) A supervised publicly or privately operated shelter designed to provide temporary living accommodations (including welfare hotels, congregate shelter, and transitional housing for the mentally ill).

b) An institution that provides a temporary residence for individuals intended to be institutionalized; or

c) A public or private place not designed for, or ordinarily used as, a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings.

3) This term does not include any individual imprisoned or otherwise detained under an Act of the Congress or a State Law.

A brief telephone assessment will be conducted by Overington House staff to determine whether the family fits criteria.

A. Pregnant or parenting.

B. Drug & Alcohol diagnosis/some level of remission.

C. Mental Health diagnosis/some level of remission.

D. Victim of domestic violence.

For information about Overington House info@overingtonhouse.org