Councilmember Rue Landau Presents $250k to Expand Shelter Capacity at Eliza Shirley House
Funding secured through the City’s budget process will provide shelter for 30 additional individuals daily
Philadelphia Councilmember Rue Landau joined leaders from The Salvation Army in Greater Philadelphia to announce a $250,000 investment in the Eliza Shirley House, The Salvation Army’s family shelter located in Center City. The funding, secured through the City’s budget process, will help open 10 new permanent shelter rooms, expanding the facility’s capacity from 90 to 120 individuals per night and offering safety and stability to even more families in crisis.
Councilmember Landau, who serves as vice chair of the Committee on Housing, Neighborhood Development, and the Homeless, was joined by Executive Director of Philadelphia’s Office of Homeless Services Cheryl Hill, Salvation Army leadership, and staff from the Eliza Shirley House for a check presentation and guided tour of the newly outfitted rooms.
“The second I stepped into the Eliza Shirley House, I said, ‘This is what we need for every shelter in Philadelphia,’” said Councilmember Landau. “It’s clean, homey, and welcoming, which is exactly what families deserve when they’re going through the hardest moments of their lives. Homelessness should be a temporary condition, and places like the Eliza Shirley House offer a chance to regroup, recover, and move forward. That’s why I made it a priority in the budget process to secure funding to open the shelter’s upper floor and serve more families. I hope we can continue funding our shelter systems throughout the city to create more spaces like this where people feel safe, secure, and supported.”
The Eliza Shirley House has been a haven for families experiencing homelessness for more than 30 years, providing emergency housing alongside wraparound services such as case management, meals, hygiene items, and trauma-informed care. The new funding will also support additional staffing to ensure 24/7 operations, including a dedicated case manager and residential advisor.
“Across the city, families are struggling to make ends meet, and when housing becomes unstable, everything else becomes harder,” said Capt. Benjamin Lyle, area commander of The Salvation Army in Greater Philadelphia. “With the holidays approaching, temperatures dropping, and needs rising, this investment opens doors to even more families seeking safety and hope. We’re incredibly grateful to Councilmember Landau for championing this effort and for her deep commitment to Philadelphia families.”
The funding comes at a critical time, as family homelessness continues to strain Philadelphia’s emergency housing system. In recent years, The Salvation Army’s after-hours intake site has seen a rise in need, from serving five to 10 families per night to now assisting 20 to 35 families each evening. This investment will expand the Eliza Shirley House’s long-term capacity to serve 10 additional families daily with safe shelter and comprehensive services.
Last year, The Salvation Army in Greater Philadelphia served more than 100,000 individuals, including over 43,000 households that received case management, nearly 572,000 meals served, and nearly 190,000 nights of lodging provided across its shelters and housing programs.
To learn more about The Salvation Army’s work or to support its efforts across Greater Philadelphia, visit www.SAPhilly.org.