CHS Proposal for Vincentian de Marillac
Community Human Services (CHS) visited MACC's February meeting on Wednesday, February 7. CHS is the organization proposing to utilize the Vincentian de Marillac facility (aka The Villa) on Stanton Ave for a bridge program providing transitional housing for people experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity.
In a lively Q&A, Morningsiders learned a lot about the proposed program and the individuals who would be served there. The program would receive referrals from Allegheny County's Department of Human Services who are currently staying in the shelter system and need short-term supports to increase their income and identify longer-term housing they can afford. From a safety standpoint, CHS' CEO, Alicia Romano, assured the individuals served at the program would be people who have been stable in the shelter system, and confirmed (in response to previous questions at January's community meeting and concerns raised at a recent Stanton Heights meeting) that CHS would not accept residents who are registered under Megan's Law at the facility.
More information is available in the CHS FAQ below. Also, CHS is accepting feedback and MACC intends to continue to engage with them regarding the project. If you would like to be added to CHS' email updates list, contact MACC at maccpgh@gmail.com and we will pass your email address along.
Vincentian’s campuswide master planning process will identify the best future use of the Vincentian de Marillac property, consistent with the shared mission of Vincentian and Sisters of Charity of Nazareth.
Can CHS provide statistics from other transitional homes in the area?
The County’s Department of Human Services funds 5 bridge programs (also known as transitional housing) and the Veteran’s Administration funds 7. In total, they serve 225 people per year. Of those participants, 42% increased their income last year, 96% have health insurance, and 53% exited to permanent housing in the last quarter. These programs all serve people for 1 – 2 years while this new proposed program has a shorter timeframe.
Who will the likely program participants be?
The County’s Department of Human Services will be referring individuals to the program that are currently in shelters and need short-term supports to increase their income and/or to identify housing they can afford. These are individuals that in the past would likely have moved out of shelter on their own within a few weeks, but the current lack of affordable housing has hindered that. These are not individuals that require long-term supports to maintain their housing.
Vincentian is located near two schools. What about the safety of the students particularly when it comes to housing those who are registered on Megan’s Law?
CHS will not accept residents who are registered under Megan's Law at 5300 Stanton Ave, should approval be granted to utilize this space for programming.
What if folks set up camps in the woods?
In the unlikely event that individuals set up camp in the woods, they will be told to cease this activity immediately. The police would be called if necessary. This has never occurred on any property we currently own/operate.
What security measures will be in place?
The building currently has an external camera monitoring system, which will be taken over by CHS staff. This will assist staff with monitoring the external premises at any time of the day. Access to the building will be by key fob only. The building will be staffed 24/7. Visiting hours will be limited. All staff are trained in crisis management. CHS makes all efforts to build positive relationships with local authorities who are called to assist with emergencies. CHS will continue to assess any additional security measures, if any, needed in the future.
Should the program move forward, will a fence be built around the perimeter?
There are no plans to install a fence around the perimeter at this time. CHS mentions that residents are required to follow CHS codes of conduct.
What are the codes of conduct?
CHS maintains codes of conduct for behavior at all locations. Those who can’t follow codes of conduct are terminated from our programs following 0-3 written warnings dependent upon the circumstance. Codes of conduct include, but are not limited to:
No physical/verbal abuse of residents, staff, visitors, neighbors, etc.
No destruction, damage, or vandalism to the property or surrounding property.
No public intoxication.
No illegal substances are permitted on the premises.
No smoking within the building.
In 2023 CHS programs combined across Allegheny County (10 separate locations and 1,047 residents) experienced only 6 incidents involving assault related matters, all resident to resident). All incidents were managed by staff on site and did not require police involvement.
What activities will occur during the day for residents?
Residents will be engaged in various activities throughout the day. For example, 1:1 sessions with their primary staff to check in and set goals, 1:1 sessions with their housing locator, 1:1 sessions with their employment coordinator, group classes designed to prepare them for employment, group classes designed to prepare them for living independently (i.e. financial literacy, cooking, building and maintaining interpersonal relationships, self-awareness, emotional intelligence, identifying and connecting to resources, etc.). Residents may also leave the facility during the day to go work, apply for jobs, and search for housing.
How will this affect property values?
There is no reason to think this program will affect anyone’s property values.
What if the property owners at 5300 Stanton Ave. want to build something else there?
There are no plans for that at this time and the property will be leased to CHS. Intended use for the property at this time is being openly shared with all community members.