At 5:00 p.m. on Nov. 3, the Department of Public Safety cleared a homeless encampment on First Avenue. In accordance with the city’s new policy, this was prompted by reports of “theft, sexual violence and drug activity” at the camp. CBS reported that over the past few weeks outreach officials have tried working with the eight or nine residents to relocate them.
The City of Pittsburgh had determined not to clear encampments unless they had sufficient space to shelter encampment residents. The City says that it does have shelter space for all of those in the First Avenue encampment. However, there is probably not enough shelter space for every unhoused person in the city. Many other encampments in Pittsburgh are not being cleared because, as CBS reported, apparently there is not enough shelter space.
Last winter, a census reported 880 homeless people in Pittsburgh, 284 of whom were chronically homeless, and 105 of whom were unsheltered. This week, the city is set to open 80 new overflow beds at Second Avenue Commons, which would bring the number of permanent public shelter beds available to 450 (an increase since last year). When these beds are at capacity, the city has plans for emergency shelter, something they usually have during the winter, though the location of the shelter has not yet been announced.
After political issues surrounding the previous unofficial policy on homeless encampments, on Aug. 31 the Department of Public Safety released an official policy. Restating the City of Pittsburgh’s commitment to the health and safety of unhoused people, the city lists reasons to remove encampments. These include when the encampment is on private or reservable property, blocks the way (including if the camp is within 10 feet of the right of way), damages infrastructure, or is in an unsafe place (such as somewhere prone to flooding). Camps will also be removed if crimes have been verified there or if conditions in the area are so unclean as to be unsafe (after the city has offered to clean up the area).
When the city decides to remove an encampment, they then need to notify individuals in the encampment as well as homeless service providers at least nine days out (unless there is an emergency). Before the cleanup, someone will come and discuss shelter options with the unhoused people there. When the camp is cleared, the Department of Public Safety will bring unclaimed possessions to a storage facility where they can be picked up (the notice includes pickup details). Confirmed trash and illegal weapons will be thrown out. People will not need IDs to claim their belongings.
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