On a January night this year, 887 homeless people were counted in Allegheny County. One hundred sixty-three of them weren’t at a shelter and 76 people were part of families.

The numbers are part of the county’s “point-in-time” homeless data required annually by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. But they’re more than numbers to people like Linda Metropulos.

As vice president of real estate for the nonprofit Action Housing, Metropulos works on programs that help people find housing and deal with myriad issues facing the homeless.

She’s excited to be president of the board that will govern a new five story, 45,000-square-fool homeless shelter on Second Avenue near Downtown Pittsburgh. Many barriers that prevent homeless people from seeking help will be removed, Metropulos said.

“The fact that the civic and corporate community took a leadership role in making this happen in extraordinary,” she said of the $21 million project that’s being undertaken by Action Housing, with support from city and county leaders, the Allegheny Conference on Community Development, Allegheny Health Network, Highmark Health, Hillman Family Foundation, Pittsburgh Mercy and Operation Safety Net, PJ Dick, PNC and UPMC.

“PNC, UPMC and Highmark came to the table from day one and said ‘We need to do this, to help create another solution for people who are so at risk,” Metropulos said.

Courtesy of DLA+ Architecture This is a rendering of a new $21 million homeless shelter planned to be built by 2022 on Second Avenue in Downtown Pittsburgh.  

The project epitomizes what a public-private partnership should be, Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald said.

It’s been in the works since last fall and shows what can happen when leaders come together to find a way to address a problem, he said.

“We cannot accept that the safest place for a person to sleep is under a bridge or that people without homes are somehow less deserving,” Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto said. “I am grateful for our many partners and providers, and particularly our direct service workers, for tirelessly working to meet these needs.”

The project is funded through $5 million each from both Highmark and the PNC Foundation, plus $5 million of in-kind services from UPMC, fundraising from local foundations.

The land was donated by the city and Urban Redevelopment Authority and DLA+ Architects designed the facility.

Each organization has been working on the since last fall, Metropulos said, and it should open in January 2022.

Unlike other shelters that serve homeless men or women and don’t allow pets and aren’t open during the day, the shelter will be open 24/7 and will accept people regardless of their situation, Metropulos said.

UPMC will operate a clinic at the shelter.

Courtesy of DLA+ Architecture This is a rendering of a new $21 million homeless shelter planned to be built by 2022 on Second Avenue in Downtown Pittsburgh.  

“It is particularly challenging to manage the complexities of mental health, poverty, physical health, and addiction, especially when the needs of our homeless neighbors can be so profound.” Dr. Steven Shapiro, UPMC’s chief medical and scientific officer said.

In addition to its financial support, PNC offered expertise in building and development for the shelter.

“Our goal is to drive meaningful change by providing much-needed services to individuals experiencing homelessness in our own backyard,” Lou Cestello, head of regional markets and regional president of Pittsburgh PNC said.

In addition to having 95 beds for people to sleep in, plush 42 overflow beds, the shelter’s design includes:

A place for people to shower and do laundry, even those who may not be staying there. Locker storage. Mail for those who don’t have an address. Lounge space, a library, computer room, kitchen dining and outdoor seating. 42 single-room units for people transitioning to independent housing.

“It’s about creating an opportunity for stability and the care that everybody needs,” Metropulos said. “We really believe that this is going to provide some greater resources to help people get over the issues they have.”

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