Ministry eyeing February opening for Brackenridge homeless facility

By this time next month, a former Brackenridge personal care home will be nearly ready to welcome new residents.

The owner of the building, Allegheny Valley Association of Churches (AVAC), is performing minor construction to reconfigure the site as a homeless facility.

“We are hoping to be ready to house families before the end of February,” said Karen Snair, AVAC executive director.

The Harrison-based ministry purchased the building at 903 Morgan St. late last year. The group had to clear hurdles before the borough’s zoning board recommended the project.

Some residents turned out to question traffic, noise and other safety concerns, while many spoke about the need for a temporary home to help people down on their luck.

“Maybe people aren’t aware, but we have people in our school community who sleep in their cars,” said Misty Chybrzynski Woody, a Harrison resident who serves as a community development supervisor for Allegheny Family Network. “This shelter is commendable, necessary and, ultimately, beneficial to the community as a whole.”

The facility operated as Applewood Personal Care Home for about 25 years, so it is nearly move-in ready, Snair said.

“We are working to do some repairs and upgrades, getting it ready for inspection,” she said.

Prep work mostly includes reconfiguring the interior to make it suitable for up to 30 people.

The former hair salon is being converted into a laundry room; some of the sleeping rooms are being changed into a computer lab, a meeting room and a playroom.

There also are a few safety features being added to the kitchen.

“Other than that, the majority of the things are cosmetic updates, cleaning and making the sleeping rooms more functional for family use,” Snair said.

The cost of the work was not yet finalized.

On the exterior, the building won’t look any different than it does now. The facility is situated in a largely residential district with a few businesses and a church on adjacent corners.

There will be 24-hour supervision and security at night.

The Allegheny Valley Association of Churches, founded in 1958, has been providing temporary housing and support programs for families for nearly 30 years, mostly within its member churches.

Snair said the program has an 85% success rate of transitioning people to permanent housing.