Pittsburgh residents express concern over closure of North Side homeless resource center

Pittsburgh residents gathered on the city’s North Side to express frustration over the closure of the Reaching Out On The Streets (ROOTS) Program drop-in center. The facility, located on East Ohio Street, served as a vital resource hub for unhoused individuals and others seeking assistance with healthcare, mail, and housing support.

Residents like Callie DiSabato voiced concerns about the impact of the closure, emphasizing that the city’s claim of continuing to assist those in need does not align with the disruption caused by closing an on-site space. “It is kind of absurd to be saying we’re not disrupting services because closing an on-site space is a massive disruption of services and now people don’t have a space to go,” DiSabato said.

The ROOTS program initially began as a pilot partnership between the city and Allegheny Health Network. It later received significant expansion funding in December 2022, including an $800,000 grant from Allegheny County earlier this year. This funding was intended to expand the program’s team coverage to seven days a week, including evenings and weekends, by hiring six new full-time and four part-time employees.

Molly Onufer, a spokesperson for Mayor Corey O’Connor’s office, stated in September that the center is closing due to an expiring lease. “We are just looking at our options for continuing to operate the program, and how we can do that and best serve our community,” Onufer said.

Mayor O’Connor, during the early days of his administration, expressed a desire for ROOTS to shift its focus toward more outreach efforts rather than maintaining centralized drop-in locations. This shift has raised questions about the continuity of services for those who relied on the center’s physical presence.

Julie Armagost, a street outreach coordinator with the nonprofit Bridge to the Mountains, noted that there is currently no established plan to replace the services provided by ROOTS. She expressed concern about the potential gap in support for vulnerable community members.

The closure of the ROOTS center highlights the ongoing challenges of addressing housing insecurity and providing essential services to those in need. As the city explores alternative approaches, the community continues to seek sustainable solutions that reflect a commitment to caring for the most vulnerable neighbors.

Source: Read the original report