Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey held a press conference on Monday about his plan for homeless housing, addressing the work that’s already been done and his plans to convert new spaces into places for the unhoused.

During this first phase, Gainey said the city has worked with Allegheny County and its Department of Human Services.

Gainey said in 2024, 16 homeless people who lived on trails died.

“We were forced to space people out of shelters and ultimately pushed people outside,” Gainey said. “Not having a safe, dignified space to call home is a hard way for anybody to live – anybody. And not anything any human should be subjected to.”

Gainey says his goal is to have all people experiencing homelessness off the river trails by this winter. The city has already moved 100 people indoors.

Channel 11 also learned of a new facility on the North Side at the former McNaugher School in Perry South.

As Channel 11 has previously reported, the city has already changed the former Vincentian De Marillac nursing home facility in Stanton Heights into transitional housing. City officials say right now there are 40 beds they expect people to soon move into. The city also plans to add 50 transitional housing units and says 20 more beds will be coming in the new year.

>>> 11 Investigates Exclusive: Transitional housing facility opens despite pending legal action

Gainey says this facility is different from previous emergency shelters.

“Your bed is your bed. Once you are given a bed the bed is your bed,” he said. “It’s not a place people are asked to leave at 7 a.m. in the morning and then report back in line each and every day to have a spot.”

Gainey says these moves give the homeless a pathway to safety and dignity and there will be county support services helping them out along the way.

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The Pittsburgh Penguins have a chance to be the center of attention as the NHL trade deadline approaches with multiple players possibly one the move. Most notable among them is top defenseman Marcus Pettersson who is likely going to be a top trade target from the Penguins roster.

Pettersson’s trade stock might slide a bit, however, as the Penguins announce he will be out of the lineup on a week-to-week basis with a lower-body injury. Pettersson was an early exit in the Penguins overtime loss to the Ottawa Senators, after taking a tough bump into the boards.

After just over six minutes of ice time, Pettersson left the game and did not return, forcing the Penguins to play short-handed on the blue line for most of the night.

The Penguins have been on a good run as of late with a 6-3-1 record in their last 10 games and are starting to flirt with a playoff spot. That’s a huge difference from seeing losing streaks pile up and being just a point out of last in the Eastern Conference.

The East is finally starting to show signs of separation in the standings, and the Penguins are above water for the moment.

Losing Pettersson might make things tough, however, as he is by far their best defensive defenseman. Proving to be capable of playing with either Kris Letang or Erik Karlsson, the Penguins have gotten outstanding defensive work from Pettersson over the last couple of seasons.

The 2024-25 season hasn’t been as kind to Pettersson, but he’s still a top name. The early struggles of the Penguins, and Pettersson in the final year of his contract makes him a perfect trade candidate with the deadline still to come.

The Penguins have not yet made any corresponding moves to fill the gap that will be left in Pettersson’s spot. They have plenty of defensemen on the roster and have been impressed by the play of top defensive prospect Owen Pickering.

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