Controversial Downtown Pittsburgh Homeless Shelter To Close

PITTSBURGH, PA — A controversial Downtown Pittsburgh temporary homeless shelter that had drawn complaints from nearby businesses will close by the end of June.

The Allegheny County Department of Human Services confirmed Monday that the shelter at the Smithfield United Church of Christ will shut down.

The church facility has always been a temporary shelter used during cold weather months. But in March, the human services department announced it would continue using the Smithfield Shelter beyond the usual closure date. At the time, the recently opened Second Avenue Commons shelter was fully occupied.

Human services officials said Monday the Smithfield shelter isn't equipped to handle a population during the summer months for numerous reasons, including the lack of a central cooling system.

"Thank you to the wonderful leadership and congregation of Smithfield United Church of Christ for their willingness to open their church in November when we had no other winter shelter," human services Director Erin Dalton said. "Their decades-long commitment to a very vulnerable population is unparalleled. We are grateful for their partnership."

Last month, the owner of Weiner World next to the church, said he was considering closing or moving his business because of ongoing safety concerns along Smithfield Street. There have been numerous complaints by business owners near the church about open drug use, aggressive panhandling and fighting in the area.

Human services officials said the department and its partners have been identifying naturally occurring vacancies within the shelter system that could accommodate those displaced by the upcoming Smithfield shelter closure.