Smithfield Shelter to continue housing people beyond usual closure date

The homeless shelter at Smithfield United Church of Christ in Pittsburgh, which is typically open only during the colder months, will continue housing people after its traditional March 15 closure date.

The winter shelter opened for the season in November to provide a warm place for homeless people as temperatures dropped.

The shelter is currently housing more than 100 people each night, officials said, and Allegheny County Department of Human Services is working with partners to monitor its use and focus on efforts to move the people staying there into more permanent housing.

“The community understands the importance of providing shelter for those who otherwise would have no choice but to sleep outdoors,” DHS Director Erin Dalton said. “And while many people who come to a shelter find more permanent housing quickly, not all do; so closing the shelter completely will require more flow through our housing continuum into permanent housing.”

“Through increased engagement with landlords and other efforts, we are seeing some improvements, but we’re not there yet,” she said.

DHS also is working with Pittsburgh Mercy to reduce the number of people in overflow shelter at Second Avenue Commons, a new homeless shelter that began utilizing overflow space within a week of its November opening.

People were staying in the cafeteria, which was being used as an overflow space, after the 90-bed facility facility reached capacity.