PITTSBURGH MERCY SHELTER AT SECOND AVENUE COMMONS
Welcome to Second Avenue Commons, a new and innovative 95-bed low-barrier shelter, daytime engagement center, and primary care clinic for adults experiencing homelessness. Pittsburgh Mercy, one of the region’s largest social service nonprofit organizations, and Pittsburgh Mercy’s Operation Safety Net®, one of the most experienced homeless service providers with more than 30 years of service, are pleased to have been selected by the Allegheny County Department of Human Services to run the shelter and the engagement center.
Come as you are…
Come alone or with your partner…
Come with your pet…
At the Pittsburgh Mercy Shelter at Second Avenue Commons and Pittsburgh Mercy Engagement Center, we welcome you.
We’re here for you. We’ll meet you where you are. We’ll listen to you – and to your wants, needs, and hopes for the future.
Your present experience with homelessness does not define you now or in the future.
We’ll walk alongside you, support you, and empower you in your journey to well-being. Let’s take that first step together.
People We Serve
- Adults 18+ years*
- Persons who self-identify as women or men
- Members of the LGBTQ+ communities.
- People with partners.
- People with pets.ǂ
*Persons under the age of 18 will be referred to providers who serve youth experiencing homelessness.
ǂ Dogs and cats. View our pet policy.
Shelter Location
Pittsburgh Mercy Shelter at Second Avenue Commons
700 Second Avenue, Second & Third Floors
Pittsburgh, PA 15219
Shelter Hours
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Year-Round Shelter Hours: 24/7, every day.
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Engagement Center Hours: Monday through Sunday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
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Winter Overflow Shelter at Second Avenue Commons Hours: November 15, 2023, through March 15, 2024, 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.
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UPMC Second Avenue Commons Health Center: Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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SRO Apartments: The single room occupancy (SRO) apartment units are managed by NDC Asset Management.
Current Shelter guests may come and go 24 hours a day, seven days a week, every day of the year.
Contact us
412-775-9001
PittsburghMercyShelter@secondavenuecommons.org
Learn more about Housing
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Shelter services
- Intake assessments
- Housing-focused case management services
- Housing diversion and supportive services
- Connections and linkages to other essential health and social services:
- Allegheny Link, the primary entry point to connect individuals and families who are experiencing homelessness to available resources
- Physical health & primary care services
- Crisis diversion services
- Housing programs
- Mental health services
- Substance use treatment services
- I.D. cards and other documents
- Social Security, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and other public benefits and entitlements
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- Utility assistance programs
- Training & employment services
- Transportation assistance programs
- Client Leadership Group
- Meals: Two meals daily – Breakfast: 7:30 to 9 a.m. & Dinner: 5:30 to 7 p.m.
- Hygiene kits
- Showers: 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily
- Laundry (washers and dryers are available for Shelter guests to use)
- Linen service
- Medication delivery
- Quiet hours: 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. daily
- Secure storage for personal belongings
- Wi-Fi
shelter access
Ready to take that first step? Walk in or call us at 412-775-9001. For additional questions, please contact us.
single-room occupancy (SRO)
SRO Units are currently unavailable. More information will be available in the future.
Contact NDC Management at 412-775-9001 or email SecondAvenue@ndcassetmanagement.com for more information.
WINTER SHELTER PROGRAM
The Pittsburgh Mercy Shelter at Second Avenue Commons will have capacity for up to 40 additional adult guests who are unsheltered, experiencing homelessness, and need a warm, safe place to stay.
November 15th through March 15th
7 p.m. to 7 a.m.
Walk in or call us at 412-775-9001.
Shelter policies
Safety policy
- Guests will sign-in at entry and exit.
- Guests will wear a Shelter-issued ID badge and lanyard.
- For the safety of guests and staff, drugs, alcohol, paraphernalia, and weapons are not permitted in the shelter beyond the amnesty lockers.
- Household chemicals, extension cords, power strips, cooking supplies, and stuffed animals are not permitted.
COVID-19 Protocols
Shelter guests will:
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- Be tested for COVID-19 according to guidance from the Allegheny County Health Department.
- Self-report COVID-19 symptoms to Shelter staff.
- Follow Allegheny County Health Department, Pittsburgh Mercy, and Pennsylvania Department of Health guidance for wearing masks, physical distance, COVID-19 testing, isolation, and quarantine.
Pet policy
- Dogs and cats are welcome. For the safety of Shelter guests and staff, wild, exotic, feral, and/or poisonous animals are not permitted.
- Pets must be bathed by the pet owner upon entry.
- Pet owners are responsible for pets and pet care. Shelter guests will care for, supervise, and manage their pets at all times while in the Shelter.
- Pets must be up to date with vaccinations. Unvaccinated pets (or whose vaccination status is unknown) will be quarantined, kept with their owner, and crated until after vaccination.
- For the safety of guests and staff, pets must be pest-free, collared, leashed, or crated.
- Pets must be crated while their owner is sleeping.
- Water, food, bowls, bathing supplies, flea and tick collars, collars, leashes, crates, pet waste bags, and litter boxes will be provided.
Grievance Policy
As a Pittsburgh Mercy Shelter at Second Avenue Commons guest and/or Pittsburgh Mercy Engagement Center visitor, you have the right to tell us if you think you have been treated unjustly, unfairly, or if you feel unsafe. This is known as a grievance.
- If you have a grievance, we encourage you to discuss it first with the staff you are working with.
- Dissatisfaction with services can also be addressed through the Client Leadership Group through the Client Experience & Community Partnership Coordinator.
- If not resolved to your satisfaction, please complete a grievance form. The grievance forms are located in the Second Avenue Commons Welcome Center on the first floor, next to the elevator.
Guests and visitors may also call the Allegheny County Department of Human Services Director’s Action Line at 1-800-862-6783, text “Action” to 412-324-3388, or complete a brief online form.
Privacy
- Pittsburgh Mercy Shelter at Second Avenue Commons guests and Pittsburgh Mercy Engagement Center visitors must adhere to the confidentiality policy of Pittsburgh Mercy.
- Shelter guests are not permitted to disclose any information (such as, but not limited to names, employment, health conditions, etc.) pertaining to any other guests.
- Shelter guests are not permitted to have visitors on the Shelter floor.
- Information contained in the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) is secure and confidential.
- To protect the privacy of others using Second Avenue Commons facilities, Shelter guests and Engagement Center visitors are prohibited from taking photos or recording audio or video on smartphones or other devices. This includes selfies, social media, and video and audio sharing products and apps. Shelter guests and Engagement Center visitors will have access to private space for video and audio calls.
- Information that you share with staff cannot be shared outside of our organization without your written consent (or that of your legal guardian). Exceptions include:
- Intent to harm yourself or others.
- Abuse of a child or a vulnerable adult.
- Contract monitoring: Allegheny County Department of Human Services (DHS) and the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) have the right to request participant records to ensure you are receiving quality care while participating in our programs.
Client Leadership Group
Pittsburgh Mercy Shelter at Second Avenue Commons guests and Pittsburgh Mercy Engagement Center visitors are invited to participate in the Client Leadership Group.
The Client Leadership Group is made up of Shelter guests and Engagement Center visitors who will:
- Work in partnership with Shelter and Engagement Center staff
- Ensure equitable and inclusive representation and practices
- Represent guest and visitor voices in client experience
- Assist with guest relations and satisfaction
- Choose programming. We welcome your ideas and feedback around the programs you find meaningful and would like to attend.
Call 412-775-9001 to contact the Client Experience & Community Partnership Coordinator.
700 Second Avenue Pittsburgh PA 15219
412-775-9001
info@secondavenuecommons.org
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