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Housing

Domiciliary Care

The Domiciliary Care program provides a homelike living arrangement in the community for adults age 18 and older who need assistance with activities of daily living and who are unable to live independently.

Dom Care providers open up their homes to individuals who need supervision, support, and encouragement in a family-like setting.

Dom Care residents are matched to homes that best meet their special needs, preferences, and interests. Unlike larger personal care homes, Dom Care homes are the individual providers' homes. They are certified annually to ensure they meet health and safety standards.


SHARE - Shared Housing and Resource Exchange

Shared Housing and Resource Exchange (SHARE) is an affordable housing choice that brings together homeowners who want to share their home with home seekers who are looking for housing in exchange for rent, help around the house, or a combination of both. The program is currently available in Pike, Wayne, Monroe, Crawford, Union, Snyder and Carbon counties. 

PDA recently announced the addition of Bucks, Lackawanna, Montgomery, Northumberland and Philadelphia to the counties offering the program.

Learn more about the SHARE program, homeowner/participant eligibility and the application process.


ECHO - Elder Cottage Housing Opportunity

The Pennsylvania Department of Aging partners with the Pennsylvania Association of Area Agencies on Aging (P4A) to offer the Elder Cottage Housing Opportunity (ECHO).

Elder cottages are small, separate, manufactured residences for older adults that are temporarily placed in the side or backyard of a host family (relatives or close friends). The arrangement provides independence and privacy for its resident along with easy access to family or friends who can provide assistance. When living requirements of the resident change, the cottage will be relocated to the home of another host family.

All seniors served are lower income and pay no more than 30% of their monthly incomes to reside in the cottage. The cottages will be made available through a local collaboration between the Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) and a local housing partner.

There are currently cottages in the following counties/AAAs service areas:

      • Centre
      • Clearfield
      • Fayette
      • Huntingdon/Bedford/Fulton
      • Lackawanna
      • Union/Snyder
      • Wayne
      • Westmoreland


Property Tax/Rent Rebate

This rebate program benefits eligible Pennsylvanians age 65 and older; widows and widowers age 50 and older; and people with disabilities age 18 and older. To file a Property Tax/Rent Rebate application online visit mypath.pa.gov. Submitting your application online is easy and does not require you to sign up for an account. Using the electronic option offers many benefits, including:

      • Fast processing and direct deposit options
      • The Where's My Rebate? tool to track the status of a claim online
      • Error-reducing automatic calculators 
      • Instant confirmation that your application has been filed
      • Security features to ensure your sensitive information is safe

Applicants will be asked to provide specific information on their income and rent/property taxes. Applicants should check the Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program instruction booklet to learn which information they will need to input/upload to complete the process.

Applicants who still wish to file a paper application form may obtain Property Tax/Rent Rebate claim forms (PA-1000) and related information on the Department of Revenue's website or by calling 1-888-222-9190.


For more information about the housing programs available in your area, use the Area Agency on Aging Locator and contact the AAA serving your local county.