Center City Philadelphia

The Center City District is involved in strategies to reduce the number of homeless living on downtown streets, while providing compassionate outreach, links to appropriate services and job opportunities.

Homeless Action Team

The CCD's Homeless Action Team is a specially trained group of community service representatives (CSRs). HAT members encourage and assist homeless individuals to get into appropriate facilities where they can find shelter and necessary social services.

HAT responds to calls from retail businesses and building managers and patrols Center City in a specially marked van, transporting homeless individuals to facilities and treatment centers.

Community Court

The CCD is the primary sponsor of the Philadelphia Community Court, an innovative, problem-solving court that assists homeless defendants accused of quality-of-life crimes by combining criminal justice with the provision of on-site social services. Learn More »

"Real Change" Campaign

The CCD's "Real Change" campaign encourages well-intentioned pedestrians to provide meaningful help to the homeless. Instead of giving handouts to panhandlers on Center City streets, ask a CSR for a tip sheet with information on services for the homeless and ways to make charitable contributions that can really help.

Partnering to Address Homelessness

The CCD partners with Philadelphia's Outreach Coordination Center to resolve issues of homelessness and coordinate needed outreach services. CCD also works with social agencies to provide job opportunities for formerly homeless individuals and other disadvantaged workers.