Pittsburgh City Council acts to address short-term funding for homeless population
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Updated: 4:59 PM EDT Aug 31, 2022
BY CITIES SEATTLE, AUSTIN, AND HOUSTON. >> ADDRESS THE PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY OF HOMELESSNESS IN THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH. SHELDON: FOUR CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS CREATED BILL 0677 TO TAKE ON WHAT THEY CALL A HOMELESS CRISIS. >> IF ONE PERSON IS HOMELESS, IT’S A CRISIS, SO I THINK ABSOLUTELY IT’S A CRISIS RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE YOU CAN SEE PEOPLE ARE STRUGGLING. SHELDON: CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT THERESA KAIL-SMITH IS ONE OF THE CO-SPONSORS. SHE SAYS HOMELESSNESS EXISTS ALL ACROSS THE CITY. PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS 4 FOUND SEVERAL ENCAMPMENTS ON THE NORTH SIDE. MORE DOWNTOWN IN MARKET SQUARE. >> I DON’T KNOW WHAT ALL THE SOLUTIONS ARE, I DO KNOW WE NEED TO PROVIDE SOME RESOURCES. SHELDON: THAT INCLUDES CONVERTING CITY-OWNED PROPERTY INTO INTERMEDIATE OR LONG TERM HOUSING. THEY COULD BE DESIGNATED AS SINGLE ROOM OR SINGLE FAMILY DWELLINGS. THAT IS DIFFERENT FROM AN OPEN SPACE SHELTER WITH COTS. THEY WANT TO IDENTIFY AT LEAST 10 PARCELS OF LAND AND PROPERTY IN THE CITY THAT CAN BE DESIGNATED FOR THIS TYPE OF HOUSING. >> WE HAVE IF YOU LOOK ACROSS , THE CITY, OF PITTSBURGH, WE HAVE HOUSING. WE HAVE HOUSING THAT’S CONDEMNED, WE HAVE HOUSING THAT WE’RE RENOVATING. WE ALSO HAVE HOTELS THAT ARE VACANT. SHELDON: CITY COUNCIL MEMBER DEBORAH GROSS SAYS CORRESPONDING MENTAL HEALTH, ALCOHOL, AND DRUG TREATMENT ARE ALSO PART OF THAT PLAN. >> TRANSITIONAL OR TEMPORARY HOUSING, WHICH COULD BE UP TO A 24-MONTH SITUATION, WHERE AT LEAST THEY’RE IN TREATMENT AND THEY’RE CONNECTED. RIGHT. THERE’S A HUMAN CONNECTION AND THEY’RE SECURE AND THEY HAVE SOME DIGNITY BACK. SHELDON: CITY COUNCIL ALSO CALLED ON A COLLABORATION INCLUDING THE MAYOR’S OFFICE, COUNTY COUNSEL
Pittsburgh City Council acts to address short-term funding for homeless population
![WTAE logo]()
Updated: 4:59 PM EDT Aug 31, 2022
Pittsburgh City Council is acting with a sense of urgency to expand shelter capacity for the homeless population.On Wednesday, council members agreed to reallocate money and modify criteria to nonprofit groups that can use the money right away."Literally, the money that is sitting there now, because those groups are not reaching their capacity, the money isn't actually hitting the streets, helping the people it should help, so by doing these movements, we're making sure the money is doing the work it should be doing now," says District 7 council member Deb Gross.Council members agree that the long-term solution needs to address low-income housing, renovating city-owned property to turn into sustainable dwellings, as well as mental health and addiction services.
PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh City Council is acting with a sense of urgency to expand shelter capacity for the homeless population.
On Wednesday, council members agreed to reallocate money and modify criteria to nonprofit groups that can use the money right away.
"Literally, the money that is sitting there now, because those groups are not reaching their capacity, the money isn't actually hitting the streets, helping the people it should help, so by doing these movements, we're making sure the money is doing the work it should be doing now," says District 7 council member Deb Gross.
Council members agree that the long-term solution needs to address low-income housing, renovating city-owned property to turn into sustainable dwellings, as well as mental health and addiction services.
