It used to be the Applewood Personal Care Home, but a building in Brackenridge might see new life giving shelter to people who have no other home.

The Allegheny Valley Association of Churches received a green light from the municipality’s zoning hearing board to use the property it is trying to purchase for a homeless shelter.

When a hearing was held about the project last month, there were many voices of support, but also questions about traffic and safety.

It was important to hear those concerns because it gives an opportunity for officials and the AVAC to know what people are worried about, find answers and address problems. But it is heartwarming to know that most of the 50 or so people who attended that meeting were more interested in finding a solution to a community issue than exhibiting “not in my backyard” behavior.

That is critical because homelessness doesn’t go away because you don’t have a homeless shelter.

In Pennsylvania, especially in areas that aren’t the very urban areas, homelessness is less about a person sitting on the street with a shopping cart and a cardboard sign than it is a mom who works two jobs to feed her kids and pay the insurance on the car they live in. It’s someone who lost their apartment and spends a week with that friend and a couple more with that family member.

Those people are exactly the kind of people who are already in places like Brackenridge and neighborhoods like the one around the 903 Morgan St. property, whether people know it or not.

Having a place that affords safety and shelter when needed is more than just a handout. It’s a steadying arm to let people catch their breath, find their balance and get back on their feet.

AVAC still needs final approval from the borough council, but if that comes through, the shelter could be open by January. That’s good news, because helping people who are homeless is the first step to ending homelessness.

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