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WHEREAS, The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development releases an annual Point-in-Time Count Report that provides a nationwide snapshot of the number of individuals in shelters, temporary housing, and in unsheltered settings; AND,
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WHEREAS, 2023’s report indicated a 12% increase from 2022 which continued a trend of rising homelessness dating back to 2016; AND,
WHEREAS, The rise in people experiencing homelessness is also felt in Allegheny County and the City of Pittsburgh; AND,
WHEREAS, In 2022 Pittsburgh City Council formed a committee to research and address issues of homelessness, eventually proposing several initiatives; AND,
WHEREAS, The recommendations provided by Council’s committee include designs for transitional housing facilities, a call for strengthening the public private partnerships which have led to the development of successful programs like ROOTS and the construction of 2nd Ave Commons, and amendments to the zoning code to allow for temporary, managed communities; AND,
WHEREAS, Allegheny County Controller Corey O’Connor announced an audit of Pennsylvania’s Homeless assistance Program (HAP) which has spent over $10 million in recent years; AND,
WHEREAS, HAP funding is intended to assist the County Department of Human Services and other contracted agencies to provide a range of services for those who are currently unhoused or at risk of becoming unhoused; AND,
WHEREAS, Controller O’Connor’s audit will provide data on the operation of existing programs and identify potential gaps in existing services,
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh calls on The Allegheny County Department of Human Services and County Executive Sara Innamorato, to use Controller O’Connor’s forthcoming audit to guide the funding of all of the recommendations provided by City Council’s Unhoused Committee.