Update on Second Avenue Commons Fire and Displaced Residents
Published on June 14, 2024
Allegheny County Department of Human Services Director Erin Dalton today offered the following update on the status of Second Avenue Commons and emergency shelter for the people displaced due to last week’s fire:
“The fire at Second Avenue Commons created an unprecedented crisis. We want to thank Mayor Gainey for declaring an emergency for the building, which has allowed us to move faster and provided additional flexibility in finding new emergency shelter locations. We also want to thank all of the partners and elected officials who have stepped up to support the staff and Second Avenue Commons guests and residents in the relocation effort.
“Earlier this week, residents of Second Avenue Commons were able to access the building and retrieve their personal belongings without incident. Fire remediation crews continue to work on clean up at Second Avenue Commons and the level of damage varies throughout the building. While we hope that restoration and rehabilitation efforts will allow at least some sections of the building to reopen sooner, we anticipate a timeline of potentially several months before the entire building is fit for occupancy again. We are working with all of the partners of Second Avenue Commons to remedy the situation as quickly as possible.
“At the time of the fire, there were more than 20 people who were living in the “single room occupancy” (SRO) apartments on the upper levels of Second Avenue Commons. The property manager of those apartments, NDC, is working to rehouse these displaced residents. We thank them for all their efforts to quickly find new housing options for those residents.
“Approximately 120-130 people have been staying at the David L Lawrence Convention Center (DLCC) each night this week. We appreciate DLCC for making space available since last Tuesday and are preparing to end the use of DLCC as an emergency shelter this weekend.
“Since the fire, other shelters reached out to offer additional capacity. Light of Life and Community Human Services were the two primary shelters that made offers of beds, in addition to a handful of other vacancies in the shelter system. A total of 34 other shelter beds have been made available. We have made offers to the people at the Convention Center for these shelter beds and match making is happening now to fill these slots.
“That leaves the need to find emergency shelter for approximately 100 people. Along with partners at non-profits, the City, and County, we have exhaustively looked at more than 100 potential emergency shelter locations so we can move people out of the DLCC and into something more stable until Second Avenue Commons can be reopened. Finding a place that is available for use, has access to toilets and showers, is air-conditioned, ADA accessible, near transit, and fit for occupancy has been extremely challenging. With a looming heatwave coming in the next few days, finding safe shelter is an urgent priority.
This weekend we will relocate the remaining people using the DLCC for shelter to the Family Links facility on Climax Street in Allentown. We will continue to work on identifying additional spaces so that there will be a variety of shelters to help bridge the gap until Second Avenue Commons can be reopened. Individuals experiencing homelessness should not present at the emergency temporary shelter Allentown. Instead, they should contact the Allegheny Link for support. In person services are available Monday – Friday 8:00 A.M. – 4:00 P.M. at the Human Services Building located at One Smithfield Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15222 or by phone at 1-866-730-2368.
“We appreciate the generosity of the community who have donated financially or made in kind donations. Donations continue to be extremely helpful. Financial donations can be made to Pittsburgh Mercy here. Donations of clothes and gift cards will continue to be accepted by the Allegheny County Department of Human Services. Donations can be dropped off at 1 Smithfield Street, Monday - Friday, 8 AM - 5 PM.
“Finally, the City Zoning Board of Adjustment recently approved a former Vincentian property in Stanton Heights to become a bridge housing property. DHS is now working with Community Health Services to make spaces for 52 new individuals at that property available in the next few weeks. It is important to note that not every displaced resident from Second Avenue Commons will qualify for one of these spaces, and some of the units may go to individuals staying at other shelters who meet the requirements of the program. The addition of this property is an important step in the ‘500 in 500’ campaign announced last week to move people out of shelter and into more stable, permanent homes.”
Media inquiries may be directed to Mark Bertolet, Communications Manager for the Department of Human Services
mark.bertolet@alleghenycounty.us or by phone at 412-350-3439.