Second Avenue Commons, the new, year-round low-barrier shelter on Second Avenue, Downtown, opened Tuesday and will be available for overnight shelter, a collaboration of operators announced.
A day program known as the Engagement Center will be open for walk-in support beginning at 9 a.m. Wednesday.
The opening had been delayed for construction completion due in part to supply chain problems.
Second Avenue Commons has 95 beds, with capacity for 30 additional overflow beds. It will also offer a daytime engagement center, and primary care clinic. Pittsburgh Mercy and Pittsburgh Mercy’s Operation Safety Net will operate the shelter and the engagement center. UPMC will operate the primary care clinic, called the UPMC Second Avenue Commons Health Center.
The commons also has 43 single-room occupancy (SRO) units. These units currently require assessment and prioritization and are not available as a walk-in service. Assessments have been ongoing for several months as outreach workers have interacted directly with individuals experiencing homelessness, according to a news release. People exiting homelessness began moving into these units late last week.
The low-barrier winter shelter that has been operating at the Smithfield United Church of Christ at 620 Smithfield St., Downtown, will continue to operate to support men, women and non-binary guests in need of shelter. The hours of operation are 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.
People experiencing homelessness, or those seeking to refer someone experiencing homelessness, should connect with Allegheny Link at 1-866-730-2368 for support and resource coordination.
First Published: November 22, 2022, 9:06 p.m.
Updated: November 23, 2022, 12:43 p.m.
