Pittsburg, PA

Nonprofit puts roof over heads of working families at risk for homelessness

Published

3 years ago

April 30, 2022

Nonprofit puts roof over heads of working families at risk for homelessness

Six households vulnerable to changing into homeless are resting a bit simpler now after transferring into their new reasonably priced rental properties in Pittsburg.

The households, all headed by single mothers with full-time jobs, had been chosen as the primary residents of the newly constructed Gonsalves Village, a small reasonably priced single-family dwelling neighborhood unveiled earlier this month in north Pittsburg.

A type of was Jasmine Unusual, an area faculty bodily training instructor and creator, who beforehand shared a small room that she rented for $950 a month together with her teenage son. Her daughter in faculty would sleep on the ground when visiting them.

“God put me on this Earth for a cause, and I’d like to face up for the ladies who might be dwelling right here,” Unusual mentioned in the course of the current unveiling, noting she was initially shy about sharing her story. “We’re so grateful, so grateful.”

Named after main contributor Steve Gonsalves, the privately funded neighborhood is the work of Yellow Roof Basis, a charity based by Dave and Lori Sanson, homeowners of DeNova Properties of Harmony. They began the nonprofit 4 years in the past to assist “hardworking households who’re experiencing onerous instances resulting from circumstances past their management,” they mentioned.

The residents of Gonsalves Village all had been referred to the nonprofit, principally by the native faculty district, Lori Sanson mentioned. Some had fled abusive relationships or tough dwelling conditions; others had moved from numerous short-term leases, motels or sofa surfed amongst pals’ properties, unable to pay excessive Bay Space rents regardless of having full-time jobs as caregivers, dwelling well being suppliers and administrative staff and in gross sales and safety.

Lori Sanson, co-founder of Yellow Roof Basis and co-owner of Harmony-based DeNova Properties, celebrates the opening of the nonprofit’s first affrodable income-based rental neighborhood, Gonsalves Village, in Pittsburg on March 29, 2022. Behind her are Jodi Valentine, program coordinator for Yellow Roof Basis, left, and Karen Montero, chief working officer of DeNova Properties, proper. (Damion Hamilton Images)

Statistics present that the majority low-income households in California spend about 50% of their earnings on housing, making it tough to pay for different necessities, reminiscent of meals, transportation, utilities and insurance coverage.

These are burdens that Lori Sanson and her husband don’t assume hardworking households ought to must endure, she mentioned. And, after working with HomeAid, a nonprofit supplier of transitional housing, the 2 had been impressed to start out their very own basis, serving to to offer low-cost rental housing for working households.

They labored with Pittsburg to buy surplus land the place they might construct the village – three small homes and three accent dwelling items – whereas volunteers helped furnish them.

Privately funded, Yellow Roof Basis ensures that no resident can pay greater than 30% of their earnings in certainly one of its income-based reasonably priced communities, with preliminary plans of finding different such communities in Oakley, Antioch, Clayton and Solano County. At Gonsalves Village, which means renters of the brand new one- and two-bedroom homes and ADUs, that are between 450 to 800 sq. toes, can pay $660 to $850 month-to-month.

These rents are nicely under what tenants often pay for moderate- and low-income reasonably priced housing leases, Lori Sanson mentioned, noting many so-called reasonably priced items are nonetheless too expensive for a lot of. She and husband Dave hope the Yellow Roof method will resonate with different like-minded folks to convey extra reasonably priced rental housing to the market, she added.

“We realized via that have that there was this lacking center on the market, of households and people who’re working full-time jobs or going to high school or regardless of the case could also be, however simply due to circumstances, both of their life, or simply the housing prices right here within the Bay Space, are struggling each single day,” she mentioned.

That was the case for Unusual, who has moved from place to position paying as a lot as $1,550 on lease as she tried to keep up a house for her two kids and afford their education and different bills. The 48-year-old single mom has by no means not labored, having been employed as a ladies’s basketball coach, a police officer, an educator and in different jobs over time and is now looking for her full credential for basic training instructing.

Unusual mentioned she will get by at some point at a time, and she or he received’t lower prices for her gifted kids: Daughter Lyric is a music pupil at Howard College, whereas son Cadence, an award-winning classical musician and singer, takes BART every day to San Francisco so he can attend the Academy of Thought and Business, a personal Montessori-inspired highschool.

Jasmine Unusual, left, listens to her son Cadence Unusual, 16, an award-winning musician, as he performs the piano of their dwelling at Gonsalves Village in Pittsburg, Calif., on Friday, April 15, 2022. Unusual not too long ago moved into one of many six properties at Gonsalves Village, a brand new undertaking by the Yellow Roof Basis, a nonprofit that goals to construct reasonably priced properties as leases. (Ray Chavez/Bay Space Information Group)

“As soon as I had my kids, every little thing become making an attempt to get my kids via faculty (and extracurricular actions),” Unusual mentioned, noting she at all times wished to verify she may nurture their abilities even when it meant slicing again elsewhere.

Although initially embarrassed to take any assist, Unusual mentioned she now realizes, as a instructor, she might help educate others about homelessness.

“The toughest half about it’s homelessness has so many faces,” she mentioned. “I want to come back out of my shell as a result of I don’t need to be embarrassed perpetually. … That is what it seems to be like, as a result of it may possibly occur to anyone in a single day.”

Unusual and her son moved into their new two-bedroom dwelling a couple of weeks in the past, and so they nonetheless can’t imagine how fantastic it feels, she mentioned. After they opened the nonprofit’s trademark yellow door and found the absolutely furnished unit that was absolutely stocked with meals, too, it felt unreal, she mentioned.

“I’m making an attempt to get used to it as a result of it’s such a blessing,” Unusual mentioned. “It’s actually onerous to conceive, aside from the truth that I’m in it. Nobody would ever imagine something like this.

“Yellow Roofs are constructing extra than simply homes,” she added. “They’re constructing (up) folks. They’re giving us our dignity again. And that’s simply priceless.”

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Pittsburg, PA

Ireland Contracting Nightly Sports Call: Dec. 25, 2024

Published

6 hours ago

December 26, 2024

Press Room

Ireland Contracting Nightly Sports Call: Dec. 25, 2024 – CBS Pittsburgh

Watch CBS News

KDKA-TV’s Cassidy Wood and KDKA Radio’s Suzie Cool discuss the sports topics of the day.

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Pittsburg, PA

Stick a fork in the Pittsburgh Steelers

Published

16 hours ago

December 25, 2024

Press Room

As I sit here feeling a headache form in between sips of egg nog in my new Ice Nine Kills sweatshirt, I’ve written, erased, and rewritten the opener for this six times. What can even be said after what we just watched other than “Yeah, this team isn’t going anywhere.”

From the opening drive, these were the same Steelers we’ve seen the last two weeks – unorganized, unmotivated, and a complete non-threat to teams that are actually contenders in the AFC.

The Chiefs jumped out to a 13-0 lead after the Steelers punted on their first two drives that spanned a combined eight plays. The Steelers weren’t down and out yet, though. A quick drive that featured several big Jaylen Warren runs got them into the red zone in three plays. Warren ran into the end zone, but a holding call on Darnell Washington brought it back. The next play, Russell Wilson threw an interception to Justin Reid and that all but sealed the deal. Even when Wilson ran in for a score to make the lead 13-7, it never really felt like the Steelers would take the game by the horns and make a statement. The only statement they made is that they remain a second-class team.

Even when they owned time of possession, they didn’t do anything with the ball. They had the ball for 31:22, but their two turnovers plus a turnover on downs did them in. They ran the ball well, as Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren both finished with over 70 yards and the team accumulated over 200 yards on the day. But five Russell Wilson sacks and a lackluster passing game were Pittsburgh’s undoing offensively.

Defensively, this team is lost. After the first two scores, multiple players are throwing up their hands in confusion wondering what happened. They didn’t register a sack on Mahomes, they gave up 320 yards through the air, and allowed 16 first downs via Mahomes’ arm. This is not a good defense, and they lack any sort of aggressiveness to try and help the back end with pressure. Now at 10-6 and losers of three straight, Pittsburgh will likely be the No. 5 seed and travel to Houston or Baltimore for the wild card round, and nothing they’ve shown over the last month gives anyone any reason to believe they’d win. Stick a fork in the Pittsburgh Steelers, this isn’t a serious football team.

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Pittsburgh Steelers Christmas Day History: Record, Statistics, & More

Published

1 day ago

December 25, 2024

Press Room

Pittsburgh Steelers Christmas Day History: Record, Statistics, & More

The Pittsburgh Steelers will face the Kansas City Chiefs on Christmas Day as part of a two-game showcase on Netflix.

A Brief History of the Steelers on Christmas Day

Wednesday’s matchup against the Chiefs will only be the third time the Steelers have played on Christmas Day in their history. Pittsburgh played on consecutive Christmas Days in 2016 and in ’17. They hold a 2–0 record on Christmas, beating the Baltimore Ravens in ’16 and the Houston Texans in ’17. A win over the Chiefs this year would allow the Steelers to keep their undefeated Christmas record.

The NFL first played Christmas games in 1971 when hosting two matchups: Dallas Cowboys vs. Minnesota Vikings and Kansas City Chiefs vs. Miami Dolphins. The league took a long break from hosting Christmas Day games until 1989. The NFL didn’t consistently showcase Christmas Day games until somewhat recently. Games on the holiday used to happened every few years or so, but now there’s been at least one if not more Christmas Day games every year since 2020.

The 2022 and ’23 seasons saw three Christmas Day games each, the most ever hosted on the holiday. It’s more rare for the NFL to have Christmas games compared to the long-standing tradition of Thanksgiving games.

Key Moments in Steelers’ Christmas Day History

The Steelers’ first Christmas Day game back in 2016 vs. the Ravens was one for the history books. Pittsburgh clinched the AFC North title after former receiver Antonio Brown scored a four-yard touchdown with nine seconds left in the game to give the Steelers a 31–27 victory. It’s always a huge win when the Steelers beat their AFC North rivals, but it helps that a playoff spot was on the line, too. Pittsburgh advanced to the AFC Championship that season, but lost to the eventual Super Bowl championship-winning New England Patriots.

The Steelers’ 2017 Christmas Day matchup vs. the Texans the following year wasn’t as nail-biting as Pittsburgh dominated 34–6. The Steelers scored four touchdowns in the game compared to the Texans’ one touchdown, which resulted in no two-point conversion. The Steelers would go on to lose in the wild-card round to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

It’s been so long since the Steelers have played in a Christmas Day game, though, as former quarterback Ben Roethlisberger led the team to both of these key wins mentioned above. The Steelers are on their fourth starting quarterback since Roethlisberger retired after the 2021 season.

By the Numbers: Steelers’ Christmas Day Record

The Steelers hold a 2–0 record on Christmas Day.

Year Advertisement	Opponent	Result
2016	Baltimore Ravens	W, 31–27 Advertisement
2017	Houston Texans	W, 34–6

Roethlisberger threw for 279 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions during the win over the Ravens. Running back Le’Veon Bell carried the ball 20 times for 122 yards and one touchdown. And, another blast from the past, Brown caught the ball 10 times for 96 yards and one touchdown.

Both Roethlisberger and Bell showed out for the Steelers in 2017, too. The quarterback threw for 226 yards and two touchdowns, while the running back carried the ball 14 times for 69 yards and one touchdown. Receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster led the Steelers with six catches for 75 yards and one touchdown in the contest. Brown missed the game due to injury.

Steelers’ Christmas Day Heroes

As mentioned above, both Roethlisberger and Bell appeared as heroes for the Steelers in both previous Christmas Day games. Brown, too, is considered the hero of the 2016 game as he scored the final touchdown to seal the win.

Memorable Rivalries and Matchups

Rivalry games are often showcased during the Christmas Day matchups. The Steelers were a part of that narrative in 2016 when playing against the Ravens, but this year the Steelers and Ravens will be playing in different Christmas games. The Ravens will be playing the Texans after the Steelers–Chiefs game.

The Chiefs have appeared in multiple rivalry Christmas Day games against the Las Vegas Raiders in 2004 and ’23, and also against the Denver Broncos in 2016. Kansas City holds a 2–2 record on Christmas Day.

The Christmas Day games often hold playoff implications for teams as the games are played near the end of the regular season. Before the 18-week season, the Christmas Day games were sometimes the last games of the season for some teams. However, both the Steelers and Chiefs clinched playoff spots already. The Steelers will need to win in order to keep the top AFC North seed, especially if the Ravens beat the Texans.

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