ALT Under the direction of outgoing County Executive Rich Fitzgerald, The Allegheny County Department of Human Services announced Monday that it plans to close the overnight shelter at Smithfield United Church of Christ by the end of June. This would displace more than 100 people from one of the only low-barrier shelters around. This would take place with those responsible knowing full-well there already aren’t enough shelter beds. Much of what those working under and enabling Fitzgerald and the pearl-clutching corporate interests he serves are saying to justify this decision is misleading, or an outright lie, which requires an unusual amount of clarification. The Smithfield shelter was originally slated to “remain open indefinitely.” Despite what DHS offered up in its own official statement, there is simply no way the shelter is being closed over a lack of central air conditioning. There is, and has never been, A/C outside. So which corporate interests are pushing for the change now?

ALT "If the county were serious about decentralizing to community-based shelters – a fine idea if anyone trustworthy were saying it – could simply keep the Smithfield shelter open into next March. But the County has never accounted for where the neighbors who stay at its shelters are supposed to go during the day. The excuses being offered for this act of violence are deeply unserious. The consequences are the opposite. For years, ourselves and other advocates have warned local leaders about housing shortages, the risks in rises of preventable evictions, and the literal life-and-death consequences that come with them. This week they doubled down on their choice of displacement and death."

ALT "Fitzgerald has blood on his hands. Outspoken supporters of this decision, such as the Allegheny Conference, Downtown Neighorhood Alliance, The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, Pittsburgh Downtown partnership, Point Park Univeristy, Vibrant Pittsburgh and VisitPittsburgh, and other corporate interests who displaced these people in the first place are helping him fingerpaint with it. At this stage, we implore the people of Allegheny County to do two things: Ask yourself, Is it the sight of a homeless, struggling neighbor that scares you, or the living reminder of how easily their situation could become yours? After all, there’s more to be learned about the truth of this world from any homeless neighbor than in anything any local official or university is saying to justify violence against them. Given that, what are you willing to do about it? We will be supporting, and fighting back alongside, the homeless. We intend to work with like-minded groups and individuals to stop this."