Title
Resolution authorizing the Mayor, the Office of Management and Budget, the Department of City Planning, the Department of Finance, the Department of Innovation & Performance, the Department of Public Works, the Department of Public Safety, and the Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh to temporarily address the public health emergency of homelessness in the City of Pittsburgh and to provide for policies and programs to address the lack of affordable housing, and their consequent contribution to chronic homelessness as directed herein until more permanent solutions can be implemented.
Body
WHEREAS, Council finds that homelessness is a public health emergency due to extreme weather and lack of accessible, affordable or safe shelter in the City of Pittsburgh, and,
WHEREAS, Council acknowledges and appreciates the charge led by City of Pittsburgh Mayor Gainey and Allegheny County Executive Fitzgerald to address the challenges of homelessness, and,
WHEREAS, the City of Pittsburgh currently lacks sufficient programming and resources to effectively shelter and house the homeless in the City,
WHEREAS, the City is currently lacking the transitional supportive housing infrastructure that is needed to provide the services that prepare individuals within the unhoused population for a successful transition to permanent housing.
Be it resolved by the Council of the City of Pittsburgh as follows:
Section 1. The Mayor, the Office of Management and Budget, the Department of City Planning, the Department of Finance, the Department of Innovation & Performance, the Department of Public Works, the Department of Public Safety, and the Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh, are hereby authorized and directed to submit proposals to Council within a time to be determined from the final enactment of this Resolution which addresses the public health emergency of homelessness in the City of Pittsburgh and to suggest temporary, but immediate, policies and programs until more permanent solutions are codified into the City’s code. The temporary, immediate policies and programs shall incorporate the following instructions from Council:
Section 2. The Department of Finance, Department of Innovation & Performance, and the Office of Management and Budget are hereby directed to identify and report to Council:
1. Ten (10) parcels of land owned by the City of Pittsburgh and with water and sewer connections in place, which can be consolidated and used for housing, houses, or safe housing development.
2. Ten (10) parcels of land owned by the City of Pittsburgh and with water and sewer connections in place, which can be developed into affordable housing for rent, ownership, or transitional supportive housing.
3. Ten (10) parcels of land owned by the City of Pittsburgh which can be used as heating or cooling shelters.
4. Ten (10) parcels under the Department of Finance’s control or which are eligible to be under its control and have structures located on them for the development of affordable housing for rent, temporary shelter, or transitional supportive housing.
5. Ten (10) properties that could be purchased and made for use as transitional supportive housing or for permanently affordable housing.
6. Ten (10) organizations that own or control existing multi-units or single-room occupancy housing that can be partnered with to provide transitional supportive housing.