EXPLORE THE GROWING HOMELESSNESS CRISIS IN PITTSBURGH, WE’RE ALSO LOOKING TO THE FUTURE, SPECIFICALLY THE INITIATIVES. A BRAND NEW CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE IS TRYING TO LAUNCH. ONE OF THEIR MAIN AREAS OF FOCUS IS TRANSITIONAL HOUSING FOR THE HOMELESS POPULATION, SOMETHING THEY CALL AN UPGRADE FROM TRADITIONAL OVERNIGHT SHELTERS. SHELDON INGRAM INTRODUCES US TO THE LOCAL ARCHITECT AND INTERIOR DESIGN COMPANY TEAMING UP WITH THE CITY COUNCIL TO ACCOMPLISH THAT GOAL. PITTSBURGH JOINS A LONG LIST OF CITIES WITH A SWELLING, HOMELESS CRISIS. IT’S SO ALARMING. CITY COUNCIL HAS FORMED ITS FIRST EVER COMMITTEE ON HOMELESSNESS. IT IS CHARGED WITH REPLACING TENTS WITH ACTUAL HOUSING FOR THE CITY. COUNCILMAN ANTHONY COGHILL IS THE COMMITTEE CHAIR. HE IS JOINED BY COUNCIL WOMAN DEB GROSS. COUNCILWOMAN ERICA STRASBURGER AND CITY COUNCILMAN BOBBY WILSON. THEY ALL AGREE THAT RELYING ONLY ON OVERNIGHT SHELTERS IS INEFFECTIVE. WE’VE BEEN PUTTING OUR MONEY INTO SHELTERS AND WE KNOW THAT SHELTERS ARE NOT HOUSING AND SHELTERS ARE NOT ENOUGH AND ARE NOT GOING TO GET US TO HELP PEOPLE GET THEIR LIVES BACK. THE HOMELESS COMMITTEE IS FOCUSING ON LONG TERM TRANSITIONAL HOUSING. THAT, COMBINED WITH A CACHE OF SOCIAL SERVICES TO TREAT ADDICTION AND MENTAL ILLNESS. SECOND AVENUE COMMONS IS THE FIRST STEP IN THAT DIRECTION. IT IS A 95 BED SHELTER WITH SINGLE ROOM OCCUPANCY AND ENGAGEMENT CENTER AND SUPPORT OF CASE MANAGERS. BUT IT FILLED UP AS SOON AS IT OPENED LAST FALL. WHATEVER PLAN WE COME UP WITH, IT’S GOING TO BE GEARED TOWARD SINGLE ROOM OCCUPANCY. AND I THINK THAT’S WHAT I HEAR ON THE STREET. I HEAR IT FROM, YOU KNOW, ALL THE AGENCIES THAT ARE WORKING OUT THERE. WHAT THEY REALLY NEED IS BEYOND SECOND AVENUE, COMMON IS A PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO TRANSITION BACK INTO SOCIETY. WHEN WE DESIGNED THE SPACES CITY COUNCIL’S HOMELESS COMMITTEE HAS FORMED A PARTNERSHIP WITH DLA PLUS ARCHITECT AND DESIGN TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN. AS ARCHITECTS, WE ARE WE’RE STEWARDS OF THE HUMAN CONDITION AND WE WE WE DESIGN FACILITIES FOR PEOPLE. NICK DEUTSCH IS SENIOR VP AT DLA, THE SAME FIRM THAT DESIGNED SECOND AVENUE COMMONS. THEIR DESIGNING HOUSING CONCEPTS FOR NEW FACILITY THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO BE BETTER THAN THE SECOND AVENUE COMMONS TRANSITION FROM SHELTER LIVING TO MORE INDEPEND LIVING MORE INDEPENDENT IS WHAT WE WERE CALLED TRANSITIONAL HOUSING. OKAY. AND THAT IS HOW CITY COUNCIL IS LOOKING AT THIS. HERE ARE TWO CONCEPTS. ONE IS A FIVE STORY BUILDING WITH ROUGHLY 100 ROOMS EACH ROOM HAS MODEST ACCOMMODATIONS. YOU HAVE A BED AND MAYBE A LITTLE SPACE FOR PERSONAL STORAGE, MAYBE A MICROWAVE. WE HAVE COMMON HYGIENE LIKE ON EVERY FLOOR THAT WILL BE SHARED. BATHROOMS AND SHOWERS AND ON THE GROUND FLOOR. THERE’S GOING TO BE A COMMON ROOM AND AND A KITCHEN AND DINING DOYKOV SHOWS A SECOND HOUSING CONCEPT. IT’S A VILLAGE OF SMALL SINGLE DWELLING HOMES ON A LOT WITH A COMMUNITY ROOM. EACH DWELLING IS ABOUT THE SIZE OF A STUDIO APARTMENT. THE THOUGHT IS THAT THESE BUILDINGS COULD BE BUILT ON CITY OWNED LAND. THE CONCEPT IS, OKAY, WE HAVE TEN OF THESE AND THEY HAVE A COMMUNITY BUILDING. BUT THE HARD TRUTH IS THAT THESE HOUSING CONCEPT PIECES ARE SIMPLY IDEAS. NO STAKEHOLDER PARTNERSHIPS HAVE BEEN FORMED TO GUIDE THESE PROJECTS AND NO FUNDING IS IN PLACE TO BUILD THEM. THAT LEAVES T