What is Friends doing about the unhoused encampments along the trail?

Friends is very aware of the unhoused encampments along our trail. Here are just some of the actions we take “behind the scenes” to manage the condition of the unhoused encampments in Allegheny County, and information about how Friends works to keep our trails clean and accessible while doing what we can to help in other organizations’ and agencies’ efforts.

• We work closely with leaders in Allegheny County and the City of Pittsburgh.  The 500 in 500 initiative taken on by the county and City is meant to provide permanent housing to those exiting shelters – using existing facilities to do so.  You can learn more about this plan and its progress here. 
  
  We invite you to take a look at a recent statement from the City regarding the encampments along the Eliza Furnace section of the Three Rivers Heritage Trail below:

“Since the closure of Second Avenue Commons, the City has increased collaboration with Allegheny County, non-profit and volunteer groups, and unhoused individuals. Unhoused individuals are provided with trash bags that they use to bag trash nightly; DPW picks up the trash every morning and ensures that nothing is blocking the trail. In addition, Public Works and the ROOTs outreach team work together once a week to remove unused tents and other large items. At the request of unhoused individuals and residents who use the trail and adjacent facilities, our police have increased patrols.

The crisis of homelessness is rooted in a complex mix of rising rents, low wages, domestic violence and mental health and substance use disorders; creating solutions like affordable housing and re-opening mental health beds takes time, more time than anyone would like. We acknowledge the reasonable expectation of enjoyment of our trails, and we invite people to track and support progress by joining the 500 in 500 initiative, by supporting Fair Housing zoning, and by appreciating the efforts of everyone who is grappling to end homelessness.”

• Our Executive Director and staff have regular meetings with all stakeholders pertaining to the unhoused encampments and unhoused people in our community. Our staff and volunteers, such as our Trail Stewards and Trail Ambassadors, monitor the trail constantly, and Friends works closely with the City and with other nonprofits, such as the Light of Life Mission, Operation Safey Net, and city and county agencies such as the Reaching Out on the Streets (ROOTS) Program, the Bridge program for unhoused families and children, and Allegheny Link. We are all working to improve this situation and manage the aspects of it that we can. Our on-trail staff also makes it a point to provide information about available services and shelters to the people in encampments, and we carry Narcan in our trail truck.

• Friends staff and volunteers work to keep the trail clean year-round. We do clean up abandoned tents and other trash, as do other non-profit organizations such as Allegheny Cleanways, but our work is supplementary to the City of Pittsburgh’s primary role.  The City of Pittsburgh provides regular trash collection to known encampments. We also work with the City to address encampments that encroach on the trail itself.

• Friends works with our volunteers, municipalities and neighborhoods along the trail to monitor unlawful activity and stay aware of any incidents along the trail that pertain to safety. Last year, we inaugurated the Trail Ambassador program, in which volunteers wear vests identifying them as working with Friends, and part of the aim of this program is to give us extra ability to monitor trail conditions and create a feeling of safety for trail users. It is important to note that the Three Rivers Heritage Trail continues to provide a safe recreational and transportation option for our residents and visitors, and incidents on our trails remain rare.
  
  

Where does Friends of the Riverfront stand on the issue of unhoused encampments?

Concerns about the conditions of our trails are central to our mission. We do not regard those concerns lightly, and we dedicate a huge amount of time and resources to all the work that goes into monitoring and managing this issue. That said, the City of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County are not alone in experiencing the issue of encampments of unhoused people on public land – it is a national problem with extremely complex roots and no easy or quick solutions. Even with all of these agencies and organizations working on this issue, it is expected to take years to see the results, and that can be frustrating when the consequences impact our everyday lives now. In addition, we are mindful that unhoused people are also trail users, and therefore they are part of the group of people it is our mission to consider. 

We urge all those concerned about this issue to stay connected to Friends and other organizations working to improve the situation of unhoused encampments and those living in them, and to support their work when you can. We rely on people voicing their concerns to continue to motivate those engaged in tackling this complex issue, and upon the people who support our work to help keep the trail welcoming and accessible to all users.

We thank everyone who takes the time to contact us about your concerns about the Three Rivers Heritage Trail and Water Trail.