There are hundreds of after-school programs to choose from in Allegheny County, and finding the right one can be challenging. 

Each program offers different services or caters to different areas of interest. Some may be focused on arts and sciences, while some might offer only sports activities. Others may offer help with schoolwork. 

So how do you choose the right program for your child? What is the cost? How can you manage transportation?

This resource guide helps answer some of these questions and can serve as a starting point to choose a quality out-of-school time program for youth in kindergarten through high school. 

Email info@publicsource.org with additional resources or questions for us to consider for future public-service guides.

What kind of program should you choose?

After-school programs are not only a place to keep a child safe and engaged while parents are at work, but they also serve as a space for children to hone their skills and interests. Studies have shown that quality after-school programs promote youth development, foster social and emotional learning and can improve academic outcomes. 

Organizations working with out-of-school time providers suggest parents look for a program that best aligns with their child’s interests and needs. 

“It’s really important to ask the program what their community feel [and] their community interactions are like,” said Karen Dreyer, executive director at Allegheny Partners for Out-of-School Time [APOST]. 

She said even though after-school programs might not be the best place for additional schoolwork after eight hours of classes, some can help with homework, taking the burden off parents and addressing pandemic-induced learning loss. 

Where to begin your search for an after-school program?

Most programs offer recurring services before school, after school or even during school hours. Here are some places you can get started to find an out-of-school time program:

• Pittsburgh Public Schools [PPS]: PPS partners with nearly 190 after-school service providers and can help connect parents and students with a program of their choice. Parents can then directly reach out to a provider for registration and further steps. PPS works with all partner organizations to build strategies for serving students with special needs. 

• APOST: APOST focuses on advocating for and serving as a collective resource for after-school programs. They also work with the providers in areas such as professional development to retain the program quality. 

• Allegheny Childcare Finder Tool: Developed by Trying Together and APOST, this tool is designed to help families find child care, after-school programs or summer programs. Parents can customize their search based on their location, transportation accessibility, children’s age, program type and ratings. 

• Brown Mamas: A compilation of after-school programs sorted by neighborhood.

• Early Learning Resource Center [ELRC]: ELRC offers numerous tools and resources for finding quality child care. Parents can also apply for financial assistance if they are unable to afford a program of their choice.

How and when to register for an out-of-school time program?

Every provider has different requirements. Some programs run through the entirety of the school year and can take in students at different times. Registration for summer programs can begin as early as January or February. 

Christine Cray, director of student services reforms at PPS, said most programs that partner with PPS open around October, but it’s never too early for parents to start looking at options because many programs continue operating right from their summer program into the school year. 

Most providers have their own application process, which can generally be accessed on their websites. Once a parent has chosen an after-school program, ELRC can assist them with fulfilling the requirements for the application process, said Becky Czekaj-Dengler, director of ELRC. 

Stephanie Lewis, director of relationships at Remake Learning, a network that supports equitable learning practices, said it’s best practice for parents to reach out and have conversations with different providers at any time during the year even if there are waitlists. 

Dreyer of APOST said many programs fill up quickly and parents should ideally start their search by July.

What kind of low-cost or free options are available?

Some after-school programs receive federal funding, some receive private grants and some require tuition. While some programs have a fee associated with them, there are many low-cost or free options out there. 

Czekaj-Dengler said if a child is younger than 12, the family can qualify for a childcare subsidy through ELRC. If eligible, their weekly copay can be as low as $5 based on their income. If a relative volunteers to act as a provider for a family, ELRC also pays the relative for taking care of the child. 

Cray said PPS requires out-of-school time partners to share information about how parents can apply for scholarships or fee waivers. 

“We know … the data behind family income for our students that we serve … and we know that that’s an area of need,” she said. 

In the last few years, PPS has used the pandemic relief ESSER funds to bring in community partners at schools. Some PPS schools have also collaborated with different partners using their own budgets to provide those services at no cost to students. When the ESSER funds expire next year, PPS plans to work with foundations to attract funds. 

How to navigate the challenge around transportation?

Transporting younger kids to a program can pose a challenge, especially if both parents are working. But there are some options available. 

YMCA’s Before and After School Enrichment Programs operate at 24 school locations across the city. Children stay at their school after the normal school day ends and parents can pick them up there. 

Some programs such as those at The Pittsburgh Project on the North Side have vans that can pick up students from their school and transport them to the program site. 

PPS has worked with its transportation office to find opportunities for alternate drop-offs at after-school program locations based on the bus routes. Older students also get access to Pittsburgh Regional Transit bus passes.

Through the Allegheny Childcare Finder Tool, parents can also look for programs conveniently located to them.

Dreyer said parents can also explore carpooling options if they know someone going to the same program. 

Lewis of Remake Learning said transportation is a common struggle across out-of-school time programs at present and she encourages parents to not be deterred by it. She added:                                                                                                                

“I would just encourage parents to not see that as a barrier. I think the best piece of advice would be: You know your child. Find a program that really matches their interests, because in the future, it will be a huge benefit for their life.”

Lajja Mistry is the K-12 education reporter at PublicSource. She can be reached at lajja@publicsource.org.

The post Want to enroll your child in an after-school program? Here’s what you should know. appeared first on PublicSource. PublicSource is a nonprofit news organization serving the Pittsburgh region. Visit www.publicsource.org to read more.

It’s always rental season in Pittsburgh, which means you or someone you know could be pondering the fine print of a lease right now.

The pandemic broke the typical May-to-August peak in apartment hunting and replaced it with a constant demand, according to Megan Confer-Hammond, chief executive of the Fair Housing Partnership of Greater Pittsburgh. 

Housing costs, meanwhile, are rising: Apartment listing firm Dwellsy.com found that Pittsburgh rents leapt 13% in the 12 months ending in August. That means signing a lease can be more consequential than ever.

Attorneys and advocates in landlord-tenant law say the perfect lease is elusive, but it’s important to be aware of your rights and obligations as a renter before putting pen to paper. 

Read on to learn about common elements of a lease, legal guardrails on the landlord-tenant relationship and potential red flags. 

What laws govern rental housing? 

First off, some good news: You won’t have to master obscure legal jargon to understand a lease. The Pennsylvania Plain Language Consumer Contract Act requires that leases be written in simple and direct terms. 

This clarity will come in handy. Your rights and responsibilities as a tenant exist mostly on a lease-by-lease basis in Pennsylvania. The state’s landlord-tenant laws lack guidelines on fees for late rent, notices of entry by a landlord and other key clauses. 

At the federal level, the Fair Housing Act of 1968 prohibits discrimination against renters based on race, nationality, religion, sex, familial status, age, status as a victim of domestic violence or disability. That last category can be particularly relevant to rentals. 

Tenants with disabilities can count on receiving “reasonable accommodations,” such as ramps, grab bars or having the landlord waive their “no pets” policy for assistance animals. The Fair Housing Act also requires landlords to treat disability checks as equivalent to earned income during the application process. 

Pittsburgh added gender identity and sexual orientation as protected classes in 2019. City Council also tried to ban all forms of discrimination by source of income, which would have effectively forced landlords to accept Housing Choice Vouchers, but the state Supreme Court struck down the ordinance. 

What can you expect from the screening process?

Landlords commonly run credit and background checks on applicants. They’re also able to reject prospective tenants with incomes below what may be necessary to consistently make rent. 

It’s trickier for a tenant to dig into a landlord’s history, as there’s no broadly accessible way to view previous code violations. 

Worse yet for tenants, Pittsburgh lacks a rental registry, meaning that anyone can become a landlord without first undergoing property inspections. Some local municipalities, including Penn Hills, have implemented registry programs, and it may be possible in these cases to verify whether a landlord is properly permitted before signing a lease.

What should you look for in a lease?

It’s best practice to do the following before signing a lease, according to local landlord-tenant attorneys and advocates: 

• Ensure that each term of the lease is in writing, and never leave anything to a verbal pledge and a handshake 
• Tour the unit, if at all possible 
• Obtain keys to the property
• Obtain a copy of the lease.

While the typical lease contains dozens of sections, experts said there’s some you should pay particular attention to. 

Contracting parties

When you sign your name as a tenant, you become legally bound to the terms of the lease. Occupants, on the other hand, may be listed separately on the lease, but won’t answer to a judge for late rent.

“This is a very important issue. And it’s a cause for a lot of conflict” between tenants, said Brad Sommer, a landlord-tenant attorney and arbitrator. 

Property

Dan Vitek, staff attorney at the Community Justice Project, said the property you’re leasing should be well-defined. Check for an address, unit number and which areas you’ll be able to access.

Note who’s responsible for maintaining common areas, Sommer added. For example, a duplex basement may be shared between the two units or only belong to one. 

Rent

It’s important to look at the monthly rent, but also the arrangements for late payments. Many landlords advertise rent with a $100 discount, only applicable if tenants pay on time. 

Tack on the typical late fee of $50, and now there’s, in effect, a $150 penalty for delinquency. Most district judges will reduce the penalty if challenged during eviction proceedings, Vitek said. 

And make sure you’re comfortable with the grace period for late rent, Sommer said, because after that your landlord could move to evict you for non-payment. The standard grace period is five days. 

Security deposits

Landlords typically ask for a deposit equivalent to one month’s rent as insurance against any damages to the property. Asking for two months of rent — the maximum allowed by Pennsylvania law — has become more common lately, according to Sommer.  

Start and end dates

A lease should list the beginning and end of your tenancy as well as terms for renewal. Many leases renew automatically, requiring the landlord or tenant to give at least 30 days’ notice before terminating the lease, but this arrangement can vary. 

Some leases renew on a year-to-year basis, while others become monthly after the first year. If either party opts for non-renewal and the lease term has expired, a tenant’s failure to vacate the property could lead to eviction. 

Utilities 

When it comes to utilities, “know who’s responsible for what,” Sommer said. Many leases have a series of checkboxes to indicate whether the landlord or tenant must pay for electricity, gas, water, sewage and trash removal. 

Before signing, know whether you’ll be setting up an account with utility companies directly. Some landlords may choose to put the entire building’s utilities in their name and then individually bill tenants. In this case, make sure your landlord agrees to send copies of these bills to avoid inaccurate charges.

Appliances

Determine whether the apartment comes equipped with a refrigerator, dishwasher, laundry machines, air conditioning and other appliances. Like the utilities section, expect checkboxes here. 

Maintenance contacts 

“You should have a concern” about leases that don’t list a 24/7 emergency maintenance contact, Sommer said. Run a hypothetical, such as a burst pipe: Who can you call as your apartment floods? 

The lease should also list a contact for routine maintenance requests. 

What can’t be in a lease?

Landlords hold tremendous leverage, and Confer-Hammond said “arguably fundamentally illegal” clauses are common in leases. 

Vitek concurred, but said he often advises tenants to go ahead and sign the lease anyway. 

“It’s a take-or-leave-it scenario; fight it on the back end if you have to,” Vitek said. 

Technically, there are limits to what landlords can stick in a lease. For example, landlords can’t assert their right to evict tenants on their own through methods such as removing personal property or shutting off water. 

“You don’t pay your landlord, they don’t get to just show up and lock you out,” Vitek said. They need to file for eviction, triggering a hearing before a district judge.

In addition, landlords are held to a warrant of habitability, meaning that the property must be livable before tenants can move in. You can’t be asked to waive this right and accept an uninhabitable property as is. 

The “American rule” dictates that each party in a legal matter must pay their own attorney fees, though many leases require the tenant to cover the landlord’s costs for going to court. This provision isn’t ironclad, according to Vitek, and a judge could toss it aside because it’s so advantageous to the party who drafted the contract.

Can you negotiate?

It’s possible to negotiate the lease before signing, though don’t expect to make any major rewrites, Vitek said. 

Bargaining over terms of the lease, such as the late fee, could be interpreted by a landlord as a reflection of your reliability as a tenant.

“The landlord is going to be like, ‘You’re already planning on not paying me on time? I’m not going to rent to you,’” Vitek said. 

Sommer recommended the grace period as a modest target for negotiation. Trying to extend this time can give you more wiggle room in the event of an income shock, such as an illness, without necessarily raising a red flag for landlords.

With reasonable expectations and knowledge of landlord-tenant laws, you can make the best of what little leverage you have as a renter, Confer-Hammond said. 

“It’s about understanding how to engage,” she said, “and not necessarily that you’ll be able to get the lease that you want.”

Jack Troy is a PublicSource editorial intern and can be reached at jack@publicsource.org or on Twitter @jacktroywrites.

This story was fact-checked by Ladimir Garcia.

The post Looking to rent in Pittsburgh? Here’s what to know before signing a lease appeared first on PublicSource. PublicSource is a nonprofit news organization serving the Pittsburgh region. Visit www.publicsource.org to read more.

Content warning: This story contains references to sexual violence.

Every survivor of sexual violence embarks on their own journey of seeking healing and justice at some point. But oftentimes, they aren’t sure where to start. 

More than half of sexual assaults among college students occur in the fall. Resources, survivor stories and investigation into what’s being done to protect those at risk in the Pittsburgh area. Explore the series.

If you’re a college student who has experienced sexual violence, there are resources and options available to you in the Pittsburgh region and at your university. Advocates, university officials and legal and healthcare professionals who spoke with PublicSource encourage survivors to know their rights and choices and what to expect from the available options. 

Healthcare providers could assist with emergency care and evidence collection. Therapy could help with mental health. Community could translate into support and advocacy. Title IX, a federal law, could be your legal tool.

Justice could mean a lot of things: For some, it’s going through the criminal justice system, while for others, it’s following the Title IX process. Either way, it’s possible these paths may not end with the outcome you’re hoping for. No matter the institutional results, receiving early validation and support from others is frequently crucial, said Megan Schroeder, director of victim response at Pittsburgh Action Against Rape [PAAR].

“We have a lot of conversations with our clients around not holding on to that specific outcome, whatever it is,” Schroeder said. “We really want to think about, along the way, ‘How could we infuse that support or that validation for you so that you can really pull something that you need out of this process, regardless of how it turns out?’”

PAAR has provided counseling and support to survivors for 50 years. The organization operates a 24/7, confidential hotline at 1-866-363-7273, which may serve as a helpful starting point. When you call, counselors walk you through your options, provide support and help you access resources and services. 

PAAR’s website states that advocates can join you anytime at hospital emergency rooms and police stations in the county, explain your university’s policies and provide information on reporting to the police and moving forward with a civil case, among other options. You can find more information on PAAR’s services here.

As you begin your healing journey, here are additional resources and options that may help you.

Seeking medical care

Amanda Ringold, a nurse practitioner in UPMC Magee Womens Hospital’s Emergency Department, encourages students who believe they’ve experienced sexual violence to reach out to a healthcare provider even if they are not sure that they were assaulted. 

“It’s always better to be safe than sorry,” Ringold said. “People will come and say, ‘Well, I’m not even sure if anything happened. I was drinking and I fell asleep. And now my pants are on inside out.’” 

Receiving medical attention as soon as possible can help with evidence collection, if that is an option you’re seeking. UPMC recommends that survivors refrain from changing their clothes, eating, drinking, brushing their teeth or taking a shower until they’ve received care. If you’ve already done any of this, bring the clothes you were wearing with you — evidence can still be collected, according to PAAR.

At UPMC Magee, medical professionals talk to survivors about resources, offer a sexual assault exam or “rape kit” and connect them with therapy support through PAAR as soon as possible, Ringold said. The hospital calls a PAAR advocate immediately upon a survivor’s arrival.

In Allegheny County, nurses specifically trained in caring for survivors are listed as being available at UPMC Magee and UPMC Mercy.

“We have a specific room. It’s got a shower. It’s kind of back in the corner, a little quieter for them,” Ringold said of UPMC Magee. “In the room, [we] do a basic assessment, make sure they don’t have any immediate medical, emergency medical needs, and then we will talk to them about all their options, about getting evidence collection, talking to law enforcement.”

Hospitals are able to treat survivors and collect evidence even if the person has not reported or does not want to report to the police. The patient’s wishes are paramount, Ringold said, and if they choose, they can receive a sexual assault exam. This could include taking saliva and fingernail samples and providing medicine to prevent infections, according to UPMC. 

“We can medically screen them and make sure they’re physically OK and offer them any medication prophylaxis for STDs, pregnancies, HIV and let them go,” Ringold said.

You can contact UPMC Magee’s emergency services line at 412-641-4950. 

Reporting to your university

Filing a complaint through your university’s Title IX office may allow your university to conduct an investigation and will require the institution to provide you with supportive measures. Your university may be able to connect you with counseling, allow you to take a leave of absence or help you have a more manageable course load, among other forms of support. 

A support you may find valuable is a no-contact order, which universities can provide to prohibit you and the person who harmed you from directly contacting each other. You may also be able to request that your university change your campus housing or schedule. 

To receive these accommodations, you’ll need to file a confidential report or a formal complaint with your university, according to Know Your IX. 

Katie Shipp, a partner at Marsh Law Firm, advises students to find their university’s Title IX policy, identify the Title IX coordinator and report their assault. “That’s something that people should be looking into and exactly what they have to do in order to make a complaint that’s going to trigger an investigation.” 

PAAR can also inform survivors of their rights under Title IX, perhaps with a clearer and more trauma-informed approach than a university, said Susie Balcom, a PAAR advocate.

“Sometimes, there’s more trust between us and the students that do come because we’re not working for the university,” Balcom said. “We can answer more nuanced questions, like, ‘What does this legalese information mean?’ — where the Title IX office can’t really step into that space as much.”

Under Title IX, universities can consider evidence beyond what could be collected in a hospital. Journal entries, correspondence, text messages, photos and any witnesses willing to corroborate the report also matter. 

Because memory, especially at the time of trauma, can be vulnerable, legal experts recommend that students record everything they remember about the incident. 

If you pursue a formal complaint, Shipp said what follows is “a court-like proceeding.”

• Your Title IX office will interview you, and the perpetrator will get a summary of the allegations and have the ability to speak with counsel.
• The Title IX office will interview the perpetrator.
• The Title IX office will decide whether to start an investigation after which the university may bring in a third-party investigator.
• A hearing will take place at which each party is eligible to have an adviser, who can be an attorney. At this time, you may be subjected to cross-examination. 
• The university will issue a decision and provide an opportunity to appeal. If the perpetrator is found responsible, the university may impose sanctions like withholding of a degree, expulsion from school, a written apology letter or a suspension.

Under current Title IX guidelines, schools are not required to respond to complaints that occur outside of campus, Shipp said. There is also no time limit, so the Title IX process can be drawn out. The Biden administration recently proposed additional changes to how complaints are handled, which are currently under review. 

Seeking mental and emotional health support

Participating in therapy or counseling can help you begin to process your experience and heal. It’s common for survivors to feel a variety of emotions after their trauma or to experience anxiety, depression or post-traumatic stress disorder. 

In the state of Pennsylvania, survivors of sexual abuse who are over the age of 18 can apply to the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency to receive up to $5,000 in counseling services — without having to report to the police. 

“For most people, it ends up being enough money for a year or more of therapy, which can just make all the difference,” Balcom said. “That can be really intensive trauma therapy, that can be something different.”

To apply, you’ll need to fill out this form. On the form, you’ll fill out some personal information, including your name, address and Social Security number as well as the approximate date and location of your assault. You’ll also need to provide contact information for your counseling provider.

PAAR’s professionally trained therapists also offer individual and group counseling for adults as well as support groups specifically for men, college students and members of the LGBTQ community. 

• Call 412-431-5665 for information on PAAR’s therapy offerings.
• You can find a full list of PAAR’s available support groups here.
• Rape, Abuse, & Incest National Network [RAINN], a national anti-sexual violence organization, has also compiled resources for self-care after trauma, which you can find here, and information on finding a therapist, available here. 

Balcom, who works with PAAR’s Victim Response Team, describes the alternative paths survivors can take and the challenges they may face along each, likening it to a series of roads. Survivors can walk down “Criminal Justice Avenue,” for example, and that proverbial walk may take two years or more but then that road may be closed and you have to turn around and take other turns. 

“I like using the metaphor of the roads because there’s so many roads that we can take,” Balcom said. “Some of it looks like therapy, some of it looks like advocacy work of their own. I mean, you name it. And it can be a road toward healing.”  

More resources:

Although this article is specifically aimed at college students, all survivors may find resources here that may be useful to them and organizations like PAAR who serve populations beyond students. Here are even more resources to consider:

• Center for Victims offers therapy, legal help and other services. Details are available here.
• Sisters Place offers walk-in social services. For more information, visit here.
• Women’s Law Project is a nonprofit legal organization focused on women’s and LGBTQ rights. Visit here.
• Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape offers information, resources and advocacy here.
• Free 24-hour National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-4673

Illustrations by Andrea Shockling.

Emma Folts covers higher education at PublicSource, in partnership with Open Campus. She can be reached at emma@publicsource.org.

Mila Sanina is an independent journalist and assistant teaching professor of journalism. She can be reached at mila.sanina@gmail.com.

This story was fact-checked by Matt Maielli.

This project has been made possible with the support of the FISA Foundation.

The Jewish Healthcare Foundation has contributed funding to PublicSource’s healthcare reporting.

The post Pittsburgh college students: If you’ve experienced sexual violence, these local resources can help. appeared first on PublicSource. PublicSource is a nonprofit news organization serving the Pittsburgh region. Visit www.publicsource.org to read more.

While you may be worn down by pandemic life and the merry-go-round of rising cases and new COVID-19 variants, a new concern is brewing locally: monkeypox. 

In a few months, the monkeypox virus went from a handful of reported cases in the United States to a public health emergency of international concern. Prior to the 2022 outbreak, monkeypox was reported in several central and western African countries and almost all cases outside of Africa were linked to international travel to places where the virus is common.

Allegheny County health officials reported that 29 monkeypox cases have been detected locally between June 26 and Aug. 1.

Health officials maintain the monkeypox outbreak differs from COVID-19 because of its slower transmission and lower fatality rate.

Monkeypox can begin with a fever, exhaustion, headache, muscle aches, backaches or swollen lymph nodes. A few days after symptoms begin, a painful rash or skin lesions may develop on the face or other parts of the body. Sometimes people may develop a rash first. There have been no monkeypox virus deaths reported in the U.S. 

The World Health Organization [WHO], which declared a public health emergency on July 27, said 99% of U.S. cases are related to male-to-male sexual contact. Public health experts continue to stress that anyone can get the virus. 

There have been concerns about misinformation leading to the possible stigmatization of gay and bisexual people due to messaging about who is impacted most by the virus. There has also been criticism about the name of the disease (its origins are rooted in racist stereotypes). 

Some infectious disease experts and other medical professionals worry the overemphasis on men who have sex with men may lead clinicians to dismiss the signs of monkeypox seen in others. There have been two reported cases of U.S. kids with monkeypox. For some, it’s a pattern reminiscent of the early days of COVID-19 when tests were mostly only available if you had recently traveled to Wuhan, China.

As cases continue to rise locally, PublicSource spoke with Dr. Debra Bogen, the county’s health director, and Dr. Barbara Nightingale, head of the county’s clinical services who has been coordinating the monkeypox testing and vaccine efforts. 

(To stay updated on Allegheny County monkeypox cases, visit the county’s confirmed case count tracker.)

(Here’s what to do if you think you have monkeypox.)

How is monkeypox developing locally and how are you anticipating those case numbers to move?  

“The numbers are continuing to increase,” Nightingale said. “They have not plateaued off yet. So I think we’re definitely going to expect that the numbers are going to continually, slowly increase as they have been. I wouldn’t expect a rapid increase in the numbers overnight just based on the way that monkeypox is transmitted from person to person and the amount of time it takes for the virus to get into a person’s body and actually become infected. It’s a slow transmission.”

Do we get the sense that the current case count is accurate or possibly an undercount? 

“It’s an undercount just because some people don’t know that they have the virus and so they’re not going to get testing,” said Nightingale. “It’s not as much that they don’t have the access to the testing. They may just not recognize it and go get the testing. Some individuals in the current outbreak really just have pretty mild symptoms, so they might not recognize it enough or be bothered enough. So I’m sure to some degree that’s there.”

Can I get monkeypox? Who can get monkeypox? 

“In general, anybody can get it,” Nightingale said. “So it is not confined within one type of group of individuals by any means.”

How can I become infected with monkeypox?

Monkeypox and smallpox are essentially cousins, but monkeypox is milder and rarely fatal. People can be infected with monkeypox if they come into extended contact with sores, scabs or body fluids of someone with the virus. While most infections have occurred through close, intimate situations, such as cuddling, kissing and sexual contact, there are other avenues for infection, such as by encountering contaminated materials, such as clothing, bedding and other linens used by an infected person.

Scientists who studied rooms hospitalizing monkeypox patients found the highest viral loads on bathroom surfaces and cabinet door handles.

People can also get monkeypox from infected animals, through scratches, bites or eating meat, or using products from an infected animal.

Scientists are still researching if the virus can be spread by someone without symptoms.

Is monkeypox an STD or STI?

“It is not an STD, no,” Nightingale said. “Can it be traveled through behavior that’s associated with sex? Yes. … But in itself, it is not a sexually transmitted disease. So it’s from contact with the lesions itself, which is any direct contact with the lesions.”

What is the concern at this point about kids contracting monkeypox?

Bogen said much of our understanding of the risk to kids is based on experience with the African version of the virus.

Nightingale added: “I think the concern is a legitimate concern just because kids younger than 8 are at high risk for more severe disease, so we definitely want to be mindful of that age group,” Nightingale said. “If you’re in direct contact, sort of prolonged contact with someone who has monkeypox, kids could be getting it.”

She continued: “We haven’t seen any kids with monkeypox in Allegheny County.”

What are the symptoms of monkeypox?

Monkeypox symptoms include chills, fever, headache, muscle aches, exhaustion and swollen lymph nodes. A rash – which can look like pimples or blisters and may be painful or itchy – usually follows a few days after initial symptoms begin. Over the course of two to four weeks, the lesions usually go through multiple stages then crust and fall off.

How deadly is monkeypox? 

Nightingale said of the two monkeypox virus strains that exist, “this current outbreak that’s affecting the United States is much less lethal than other strains.” The estimation of fatal cases is around 1% with the current strain, she said, with expectations that would drop over time. The WHO says the monkeypox case fatality rate in recent times has been about 3% to 6%.

The CDC says “over 99% of people who get this form of the disease are likely to survive.”

However, people with a weakened immune system or a history of eczema, people who are pregnant or breastfeeding, and kids under 8 may be more likely to get seriously ill or die.

How can I get tested for monkeypox?

Tests for monkeypox are available at the county’s health clinic and throughout the county, with more sites expected in the coming weeks. People with health insurance who want to be tested should contact their primary care provider to make an appointment, especially if they have flu-like symptoms, a new rash or sores, or if they’ve been in close contact with an infected person. 

Free testing is also available for people without insurance at the county’s public health clinic at 1908 Wylie Ave. 

Can I get vaccinated for monkeypox?

Monkeypox vaccines are available throughout Allegheny County. Availability of the JYNNEOS vaccine – one of two monkeypox vaccines – recently expanded through several community health providers.

The vaccine is being offered to those who have been identified as positive with the virus or having a high-risk exposure to a person who has been diagnosed with monkeypox. Vaccine eligibility is on a case-by-case basis once someone is identified as having close or confirmed contact with a monkeypox-positive person.

“The vaccine can prevent disease if given within four days of exposure to the virus. In some circumstances, the vaccine may be offered after four days in discussion with a vaccine provider,” said ACHD medical epidemiologist Dr. Kristen Mertz, in a press release.

An antiviral medicine called Tecovirimat is used to help treat positive patients but is prescribed under limited circumstances because it’s not FDA-approved for monkeypox. The medicine is also a treatment for smallpox. 

What is vaccine availability like locally?

“At this point, we have enough vaccine to be able to vaccinate people that we can identify that have been at high risk of being exposed, someone that has been in contact with someone who has diagnosed or presumed monkeypox,” said Nightingale, who mentioned the county has also vaccinated a few people who were at risk and “one step removed from a direct exposure.” 

“We’re not at the stage right now, because of the limitations in the amount of vaccine, that we can give people vaccine in order to prevent potential exposure,” she said. She anticipates the county will be able to provide preventative vaccinations within the next month, but right now the supply is for people “at highest risk in the county.”

What is monkeypox vaccine availability like in Allegheny County?

The county received four shipments of vaccines from the state department of health, with 1,422 total doses of the monkeypox vaccine, according to the health department’s spokesperson. The vaccines are being distributed to sites across the county that will provide them. 

What to do if you think you or someone you love has monkeypox:

1. Symptom check: Do you have an unexplained rash, or are you matching these symptoms?
   1. Rash, fever, headache, chills, muscle aches, fatigue, swollen lymph nodes
   2. If so, avoid close contact with others.
2. Look into testing: Call your primary care doctor or the Allegheny County Health Department at 412-687-ACHD (412-687-2243) to ask about testing and/or vaccine availability.
3. Stay isolated until you receive test results and remain cautious and preventative until any rashes have healed and all scabs have fallen off. 

How can I prevent monkeypox?

The virus can survive on linens, clothing and surfaces. 

Avoid people, bedding and other linens or materials infected with the virus. Avoid skin-to-skin contact with someone with a rash. Use masks, gloves and other protective gear when caring for infected people. Wash your hands with soap and water. The CDC gives guidance on how to disinfect your home and infected linens safely.

TyLisa C. Johnson is the audience engagement editor for PublicSource. She can be reached at tylisa@publicsource.org or on Twitter at @tylisawrites.

The Jewish Healthcare Foundation has contributed funding to PublicSource’s healthcare reporting.

The post Monkeypox in Pittsburgh? Here’s what you need to know appeared first on PublicSource. PublicSource is a nonprofit news organization serving the Pittsburgh region. Visit www.publicsource.org to read more.

Pittsburgh is checkered with thousands of vacant properties — some are dangerous, some are just eyesores, but they’re awaiting their fate of rehabilitation, demolition or decay. 

The city defines blight as any physical space or structure in such poor condition that it’s lost its functionality. It’s created through decades of neglect and harmful practices, and the city can take just as long to remedy it. 

“I’ve watched my neighborhood precipitously decline over time, in cultural assets of buildings that mean a lot to me and my fellow Hill District residents,” said Diamonte Walker, the deputy executive director of the Urban Redevelopment Authority. “We’ve seen them atrophy and disintegrate and disappear, and it’s heartbreaking. And that is not just the story of the Hill District, it’s happening across the city of Pittsburgh,” 

This is why blight is particularly concentrated in communities that have historically been disinvested in, like Hazelwood and Larimer, Walker added. 

What can you, as an individual resident, do to help address blight in your neighborhood? 

What does blight look like? 

There are nine qualities the city looks for when categorizing a property as blight, only needing to find three for the property to be considered blighted: 

• The property is a public nuisance.
• The property is unfit for human use.
• The property is dangerous for children.
• The property is used for illegal activities.
• The property has a dilapidated appearance.
• The property is a fire hazard or other safety hazard.
• The property needs substantial rehabilitation, with no efforts made in the past year.
• The property has accumulated debris, pests, uncut vegetation and deterioration that the owner has made no effort to remove.
• The property is subject to unauthorized entries, and either the owner or municipality has failed to secure the building.

I live near a blighted property. What’s my first step? 

Blight isn’t usually an issue that Pittsburghers can address individually — just about every step of the remediation process involves the property owner, the city and/or community organizations. With so many actors at play, who should be your first call? 

Call 911 if a blighted property near you appears to be causing imminent danger. 

If the property isn’t an imminent safety hazard, try contacting the property’s owner to let them know about the issues you’ve observed, said Joanna Deming, the executive director of the Fineview Citizen’s Council and Perry Hilltop Citizen’s Council.

How can you find the property’s owner? First, enter the blighted property’s address into Allegheny County’s Real Estate Portal to find the owner’s name. Under the “Tax Info” tab, you can find the owner’s mailing address to send them a letter. 

Part of the issue may be that owners don’t have the knowledge or capacity to address the issue on their own. You can also try connecting them to community groups who understand the repair process — like the grants available for home repairs — who can help owners resolve issues with their properties.  

Some owners may address the issue immediately after hearing from you; others may not. So who’s your next call if you don’t hear back from the owner? 

Deming recommends calling a community group if you want to see the property get renovated. Community groups are familiar with navigating the preservation process and can push the city to prioritize concerns about the property. 

But if you just want the blight gone – even if it’s just an abandoned, overgrown yard – you can report it to the city by either calling, texting, tweeting or submitting a form to the city’s 311 Response Center, which coordinates responses for non-emergency services. The MyBurgh app also allows you to submit a request to the 311 Response Center, along with a picture of the blighted property, and receive updates to track the status of your request. 

After receiving your request, the city may send an inspector from the Department of Permits, Licenses and Inspections [PLI] to look at the property within a few days. You can also directly call PLI at 412-255-2175.

You can also call the Allegheny County Health Department at 412-350-4046 or submit an online complaint form if you think the property is a health hazard, including if you notice issues like rodent infestations or tall weeds.

What happens during a PLI inspection? What are the outcomes? 

During the inspection, PLI will examine the property’s exterior. If it has a structure, PLI will determine if it qualifies as a condemned building — one that is unfit for human occupancy. 

PLI ranks how dangerous condemned buildings are on a scale from zero to 60 using factors like potential to collapse and proximity to nearby occupied properties. Properties that receive rankings above 30 are considered for demolition. The city also demolishes buildings that are imminently dangerous. 

“Just because something is condemned doesn’t mean it’s gonna fall down or is imminently dangerous right now,” said Sarah Kinter, director of PLI. “In fact, there is redevelopment potential for many, if not most, of the condemned buildings. But condemned buildings are absolutely a nuisance.”

Currently, PLI has identified about 2,000 condemned buildings across the city, of which a “low percentage” are ranked above 30. The city conducts about 70 demolitions per year, fluctuating slightly throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. 

You can also check if the building is already scheduled to be demolished using Burgh’s Eye View, a website tracking the status 311 Response Center requests.  

If demolition is recommended, Deming said it may take a while to see the property actually destroyed. She’s found it can take three to six months to see imminently dangerous properties torn down, and some other properties are never actually demolished despite the city’s recommendation.

“There’s so few resources that it may not get demolished,” she added.

If demolition isn’t recommended, PLI will return to the property to conduct a second inspection within five to 30 days of its initial visit and could come back for a third inspection if nothing’s fixed. If violations persist, the property owner could have to take part in a property hearing at a local court, which will determine if they’ll be fined, given more time for compliance or have the case dismissed. The hearing could take two to three months to schedule. If there’s no property owner, PLI will periodically inspect the property and work with other agencies to redevelop it. 

“We want to see these properties put back into productive use,” Kinter said. “From a building safety perspective, our expectation is that a condemned building will, if taken up by the private market, be demolished, or permits will be taken out through PLI to abate the violations and make the structure habitable again.”

Walker, who is also executive director of the Pittsburgh Land Bank, wants to establish the bank as the “first front door” for remediating blight, with hopes of launching a pilot program in the fall. 

“Right now, you’ve got to make quite a few phone calls across the City of Pittsburgh to have blight remedied and addressed,” Walker said. “What we have tried to do is, if you see something that’s not right and you call the URA about it, you’re going to get it to the right party.” 

The city’s land bank was created in 2014 to streamline the process for purchasing city-owned properties. The land bank is charged with distributing properties to approved buyers who demonstrate they’ll repurpose it for productive use, whether they’re an individual, community group, developer or other entity. The land bank has faced criticism for experiencing years of delays, but Walker expects the pilot will be operational this year.

Read more about purchasing properties through the Pittsburgh Land Bank. 

I’ve requested the city remediate blight near me. How do I speed up the process? 

With such a high quantity of vacant properties, city officials receive hundreds of requests for remediating blight. The city acquires properties through means like judicial proceedings, treasurer sales and donations. A 2019 audit by City Controller Michael Lamb found that some properties remain in the city’s possession for more than 50 years without a demolition or development plan, despite applications to rehabilitate them. 

So if action seems stalled, how do you speed up the process?

Deming recommends contacting your elected official about the property – they may be able to convince the city to prioritize your request. You can also ask community groups to help share your concerns with officials or talk about the issue at community meetings. 

• Contact your City Council district’s office. 
• Find your neighborhood’s Registered Community Organization and attend a meeting. 

Individuals can submit feedback and concerns about blighted properties to PLI directly through the city’s EngagePGH website, including any nuisance activities — like break-ins and arson — that may be taking place on the property, Kinter said. 

What if I want to purchase the property, not just report it? 

Purchasing a blighted property can be an expensive, complicated process, but there are options if you have the capacity to invest the time and resources. 

For blighted properties with private owners, Pennsylvania’s Abandoned and Blighted Property Conservatorship Act allows responsible residents and organizations to assume stewardship — not full ownership — with court supervision. Some believe it’s a tool for aggressive developers to cheaply obtain properties, but it offers a way for individuals to gain the authority to rehabilitate a property. 

One option for purchasing blighted properties is filing a request with the city’s Department of Real Estate to include it in a future court auction sale, an event typically held three times per year where people bid to purchase vacant, tax-delinquent properties. 

To purchase property at the sale, you must become an approved buyer — a vetting process where the city confirms you’ve paid taxes and have no PLI violations on all properties you own within city limits. The approval process typically can take six months or more. 

Read more about court auctions.

If you own a property or operate a business within 2,000 feet of the blighted property, you’re also eligible to become its conservator as long as you’re in compliance with your taxes. The property itself must also be eligible for conservatorship: It must be considered unoccupied for over a year, off the market for the past 60 days, acquired by its owner more than 60 days ago and not subject to existing foreclosure action. 

Deming estimates the process to becoming a conservator can cost between $5,000 to $10,000, excluding the rehabilitation. Most times, residents need a lawyer’s help navigating the process.

“What I often tell people is if you really want to do something about it, you have the money to put towards it, this is something you could do to actually get control to take care of this situation,” Deming said. 

Read more about conservatorship. 

Amelia Winger is a freelance reporter based in Philadelphia and a former PublicSource intern. She can be reached at amelia@publicsource.org.

This story was fact-checked by Dalia Maeroff.

The post Eyesores, nuisances and hazards. What can residents do about blight? appeared first on PublicSource. PublicSource is a nonprofit news organization serving the Pittsburgh region. Visit www.publicsource.org to read more.

Kids are always listening. And these days, debates about race, Black history and racism have shifted from books, podcasts and college lectures to everyday, albeit controversial, table talk. 

What do you say when your child starts to ask about the stickier topics they’ve heard so much about? 

As the disagreements persist around critical race theory and more inclusive curricula in K-12 education, and politicians continue to push new legislation to restrict these lessons in schools, it’s critical parents have tools to navigate tricky conversations with kids — bringing big concepts into digestible kid-sized bites.

Critical race theory is more than education on racist people and the history of racism. 

The decades-old academic framework dives into the social construct of race that has led to power structures that benefit certain racial groups. Critical race theory analyzes how racial discrimination has been embedded in social structures, economic policies and laws. Then, it shows how this discrimination has led to disparate outcomes.

It’s college-level sociological thinking beyond the scope of K-12 education, but there’s still a large push to stop the concept and related studies from being taught in K-12 schools. 

Where did the CRT debate come from?

In a short time, critical race theory [CRT] morphed from a niche academic subject to a full-blown political rally cry. The concept term has appeared in school board meetings, statehouses and at political rallies. 

How? 

‘Divisive concepts’ is the language floating within many of the proposed bills. The term originated in an executive order signed in September 2020 by former President Donald Trump, which banned certain types of diversity training in federal agencies and included a list of ideas deemed “divisive.”  

The Trump order said that while America has made much progress, today, “many people are pushing a different vision of America that is grounded in hierarchies based on collective social and political identities rather than in the inherent and equal dignity of every person as an individual.”

The ideology, the order continued, is rooted in the false belief that America is an irredeemably racist and sexist country; that some people, simply because of their race or sex, are oppressors; and that racial and sexual identities are more important than our common status as human beings and Americans.

This all came following a summer of Black Lives Matter protests, legislative attacks on voting rights and the publishing of the New York Times’ Pulitzer Prize-winning 1619 Project. The project, published in 2019,  aims to tell a story of the country’s history by centering slavery in the story of America’s founding. Trump condemned the project and deemed it progressive propaganda.

President Joe Biden revoked Trump’s executive order, but an Education Week investigation revealed that a web of individuals and conservative organizations have been writing model legislation and supporting state-level bills.

Critical race theory in PA schools? 

More than 35 states since January 2021 introduced bills to attempt to restrict teaching CRT or limit what teachers can discuss in classrooms when it comes to racism, sexism and systemic inequity, according to Education Week, which has been tracking proposed legislation on the topic. In a handful of states, bills have been passed into law.

While the Pennsylvania Department of Education has said critical race theory “is not a part of or taught through any curriculum in Pennsylvania’s K-12 schools,” the debate is still playing out locally.

The controversy has led to heated school board meetings and even the ousting of school leadership. The Mars Area School District was one of the first in the region to enact regulations when in August 2021 its board unanimously voted to ban teaching critical race theory in classrooms.

A “curriculum transparency” bill pushed by Pennsylvania lawmakers made it to Gov. Tom Wolf’s desk. Wolf vetoed the bill, calling it a “dangerous and harmful imposition.”  

“Under the guise of transparency, this legislation politicizes what is being taught in our public schools,” Wolf said in his veto message.

Opponents to CRT see it as an effort to rewrite American history and convince white people they are inherently racist and should feel guilty because of the advantages created by systems that favor white people. They also worry about the impact this education could have on the self-esteem of their child. 

But it’s clear the U.S. school system teaches history from a Eurocentric perspective, said Christel Temple, professor of Africana Studies at the University of Pittsburgh. For decades, many stories from marginalized or minority groups have been minimized or went untold altogether. 

“It even begins with the table of contents,” Temple said. “We [Black people] are peripheral.” 

But it’s necessary to teach youth to think beyond the historical facts they’ve been given.

“Black history is American history and international history,” said Medina Jackson, director of engagement at the University of Pittsburgh’s P.R.I.D.E. program. “When we don’t teach Black history, we are missing vital information about how this country came to be and many societal advances.”

It wasn’t until Temple was a college history major that she recognized the history lessons she learned were something to be turned over in your mind, rather than accepted outright. 

Temple recalled the story of William Tucker as an example. Tucker was the first recorded African-American birth in 1624, five years after enslaved people were first brought to American shores. 

“…You’re going to bypass five years of Africans being in the colonies and then tout the first recorded birth. There are many more, but that’s the first one recorded,” Temple said.

This theme emerges repeatedly: stories throughout history that don’t accurately or fully illustrate the experience of African Americans in the building of America as we know it. 

Pushback to CRT, Temple said, stems from “the desire to conceal negative things that happened in the past to which, you know, they still practice some of those values that allowed the negative things to happen.”

Why teach about race in schools? 

Supporters of more inclusive and diverse curricula in schools say they’re pushing for curricula reflective of all students because it’s critical for kids to see themselves in what they’re learning and learn lessons reflective of all American experiences.

“Children need to learn about themselves as racial and cultural beings, learn about others across differences, and learn about fairness and lack of fairness in society,” Jackson said. 

“They cannot contribute solutions to society’s ills if we don’t fully equip them with the knowledge of what the problems are, how we’ve worked to address those challenges and resistance to oppression for empowerment. We can’t expect them to not perpetuate racism nor can we expect them to actively challenge racism if we don’t educate them on what it is and how it shows up in everyday life and across systems.”

Navigating testy race talks

Parents and school leaders find themselves caught in the middle of a debate that at the heart asks: Which history do we acknowledge and how do we teach it to our kids? 

We must become “master communicators with a high cultural competency” to navigate these talks, Temple said. “You know how to be clear. You know how to be unflinching and stand your ground.”

Parents are being bombarded with information and perspectives. 

It can be challenging to navigate discussions that explain race and the ongoing debate to your children in a way that won’t trigger or traumatize but enlighten and encourage. 

How can parents accurately explain CRT, the pushback and other race-related matters in an age-appropriate way? Local experts weigh in.

• Talk about race with a smile, whenever possible.

Put your stern face away, Temple said, in exchange for a pleasant disposition.

“When we talk about race, you need to do it with a smile,” Temple said. “I mean, you have to let your fifth grader know with a smile that this is OK and the smile does that.”

• Listen and validate.

“I think it’s very important before a parent would say anything on the matter to really listen and validate the concerns and quite honestly, the pain of the children,” said Father Paul Abernathy, chief executive officer of the Neighborhood Resilience Project and priest of St. Moses the Black Orthodox Church.

Jackson added that parents should never shush their kids’ questions or observations on race issues. Instead, “let them know this is safe to discuss.” If you don’t have answers to questions in the moment, let them know you’ll follow up when you have more information and time.

• Put it into context.

Once parents have validated concerns and fears, Abernathy said it’s important to let them know they are part of a larger community. It’s “our work as parents to put this pain again in a historical context so that these children honestly don’t feel alone in their pain, but they know that their pain is actually in a broader legacy of many people who understand and have experienced this kind of pain for many generations.”

Temple said when news of police shootings were impacting her son, together they would make crafts and bake his favorite dishes as ways to celebrate the resilience of Black people.

“We have to give our children a sense of our own culture’s survival, a sense of understanding ancestry,” Temple said. “We get to move on from it and we can cry but we don’t wallow in that misery.”

• Help them to record their own history.

Abernathy also said to use conversations about race as an opportunity for the kids to see they’re part of a history of resilience and triumph.

“Use this as an opportunity for these children to record their own history. Because this is a story that must be recorded in our history, just as we have recorded the stories of Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglass and Martin Luther King,” Abernathy said.

• Give kids age-appropriate media, picture books, tools and resources to learn and draw their own conclusions.

Use media and books that don’t convey stereotypes and have a variety of characteristics, from voice accents to experiences to interests to physical features, Jackson said.

TyLisa C. Johnson is the audience engagement editor for PublicSource. She can be reached at tylisa@publicsource.org or on Twitter at @tylisawrites.

The post Is your child asking about critical race theory? Here’s a guide to navigate those talks. appeared first on PublicSource. PublicSource is a nonprofit news organization serving the Pittsburgh region. Visit www.publicsource.org to read more.

While Pittsburgh frequently ranks highly on listicles of America’s cheapest cities, many residents struggle to find and keep affordable homes amid rising rents, longstanding income inequality and the ongoing disruption of the pandemic.

Many observers pointed to frustrations over this issue as a motivator for Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey’s historic victory last year. Gainey has recently said he supports inclusionary zoning as a tool to increase the supply and distribution of low-cost housing in the city.

To help you understand and navigate affordable housing in Pittsburgh, we’ve compiled the following information and list of resources. 

State of the market

Though the city’s overall population has been essentially flat for the last decade, experts and residents say the housing market has been volatile. 

“The market in Pittsburgh has shifted rapidly,” said Lena Andrews, director of real estate development for local nonprofit ACTION-Housing. “We’ve seen a lot of neighborhoods where rents have increased really quickly, and wages haven’t increased at the same speed. So a lot of people who were able to find housing before have found themselves unable to do that.”

Rising housing costs are seen by many housing advocates as a significant factor in the decline of Pittsburgh’s Black population over the last decade. 

According to a study from ApartmentList.com, rental prices in the City of Pittsburgh increased by 8.85% from September 2020 through September 2021. The average rent for a studio apartment is around $1,424, while the average rent for a 3-bedroom apartment is $1,822.

2021 data from RENTCafe lists Carrick as the most affordable neighborhood in the city, with average rents of $695 per month. East Liberty, Morningside, Highland Park and Larimer were tied for most expensive, with average rents of $1,872.

What is ‘affordable housing’ and who qualifies?

The standard for affordability comes from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development [HUD], which stipulates that an affordable dwelling, including utilities, should cost the resident no more than 30% of their total income. 

To be eligible for officially designated affordable housing, prospective tenants must prove their income is a certain percentage below the Area Median Income [AMI] in their region, depending on how those units are classified. In many cases, multi-family affordable developments set aside units for varying income levels.  

According to data from HUD and the Pittsburgh Urban Redevelopment Authority [URA], the AMI for a single person in the Pittsburgh region was $59,400 in 2021, while the AMI for a family of four was $84,800. A single resident making 80% of the region’s AMI receives $47,500 in income, while the family of four receives $67,850.   

Across the Pittsburgh region a wage of $15 an hour is not enough to secure a two-bedroom apartment. In Lawrenceville, for instance, the needed wage is $22.50, according to the National Low Income Housing Coalition.

What kinds of affordable homes are available in Pittsburgh?

In the Pittsburgh area, affordable housing mainly falls into three main categories:

Public housing

Public housing refers to domiciles directly managed by the local city or county housing authority, including larger, multi-family developments such as Northview Heights in the North Side and Murray Towers in Squirrel Hill. Often, certain dwellings will be reserved for individuals with disabilities, senior citizens or veterans.

Information on how to apply and which homes are available can be found on the respective websites for the city and county housing authorities.

Housing Choice Voucher program (Section 8)

Popularly known as Section 8, the Housing Choice Voucher program provides rental assistance by paying subsidies to private landlords on behalf of low-income tenants. HUD sets regulations while local housing authorities administer the program in their respective communities. 

The City of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County housing authorities both maintain lists of local landlords participating in the program. Currently, the waiting lists for the city and county are closed to applicants. 

Low-income housing tax credit program

Created in 1986, the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program [LIHTC] is a federal subsidy that grants tax credits to developers in return for the construction, maintenance or rehabilitation of affordable homes.

Both for-profit and nonprofit developers may participate in the program. Locally, funding is allocated by the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency. 

Resources

In addition to managing public housing and maintaining property databases, the City of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County housing authorities provide referrals and information services to help prospective tenants find housing.

The Pittsburgh region has a variety of community groups and nonprofit organizations dedicated to affordable housing such as the Hazelwood Initiative, Habitat for Humanity of Greater Pittsburgh and the aforementioned ACTION-Housing. 

In case of emergency

If you or a loved one is in urgent need of housing for any reason, please consult this list of local shelters. 

Know your rights

Under the Fair Housing Act of 1968, it is illegal for landlords to discriminate against prospective or current tenants on the basis of race, religion, gender, disability, national origin or familial status. Behaviors considered discriminatory under the law include falsely claiming a unit is unavailable, limiting a person’s access to facilities, and delaying or skipping required maintenance on the domicile.

If you suspect a landlord of engaging in discriminatory business practices, you can report discrimination to HUD over the phone, online or via the mail.

Locally, complaints can be filed with the Pittsburgh Commission on Human Relations and the Allegheny County Human Relations Commission, both of which investigate discrimination in housing, employment and public services across the city and county.

For those farther out, nonprofits such as Fair Housing Partnership of Greater Pittsburgh and Fair Housing Law Center provide free information and legal aid to victims of discrimination across the entire Pittsburgh region.

A housing needs assessment presented to the city’s Affordable Housing Task Force in 2016 reported that the city’s supply of low-cost housing lagged behind demand by nearly 15,000 units, and severe shortages remain. In an interview with PublicSource at the end of December 2021, Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh [HACP] Executive Director Caster Binion called the city’s situation “a crisis.”

How do we get more affordable housing in Pittsburgh?

Jerry Dickinson, a pro-bono tenants rights attorney and current candidate to succeed U.S. Rep. Mike Doyle (D-Forest Hills), noted that while every city in the nation is grappling with rising rents and economic displacement, Pittsburgh’s high degree of segregation between Black and white residents makes the problem even more pressing.

“We have some of the worst racial disparities in the United States,” said Dickinson. “Affordable housing is at the core of that.” 

Increasing the region’s supply of affordable homes would require a wide range of reforms across many layers of government.

To share your views, reach out to your member of city or county councils as well as Gainey, who has said he’s in the process of drafting a complete housing policy for his administration. 

Community groups like Lawrenceville United, The Hill Community Development Corporation and Neighborhood Allies regularly advocate on housing issues.

For regular updates, stay tuned to PublicSource’s Develop PGH email newsletter.

Bill O’Toole is a reporter based in Pittsburgh. He can be reached at botoole12@gmail.com.

The post Pittsburgh lacks affordable housing for everyone. Here are key resources for starting your search. appeared first on PublicSource. PublicSource is a nonprofit news organization serving the Pittsburgh region. Visit www.publicsource.org to read more.

Last year, the Pittsburgh area got a little bit of a break during one of the warmest winter seasons to date. This year, the forecast isn’t looking so compassionate — it’s predicted to be colder. On average, Pittsburgh has more than 100 freezing days and has been ranked among the coldest cities in the United States.

On top of digging out your gloves and hats, you might also be thinking about how to keep warm and safe at home throughout the winter season.

This can be even more challenging when prices appear to be going up on heat and other necessities.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration predicts that winter natural gas bills in the Northeast will be about 18% higher than last year. Nationwide, nearly half of homes rely on natural gas, and people in the region are expected to spend an average of $865 for the season. 

Bills for propane and heating oil are expected to rise even more sharply, driven by factors like lower global crude oil inventory.

With residents already facing an economic crunch from the pandemic, there are ways to save money on heating, including small adjustments to behavior and programs for low-income households who need to repair or replace heating systems.

Tips to keep your heating costs low

Setting your thermostat to a lower temperature when you are asleep or away from home can save your household as much as 10% a year on heating costs. The U.S. Department of Energy recommends setting your thermostat at 68 degrees during the day and as low as you are comfortable with at night.

Keep thermostats on an interior wall and away from direct sunlight, drafts, doorways, skylights and windows to improve the performance and efficiency. Installation instructions will include methods to prevent ghost readings that cause the unnecessary heater use.

The Department of Energy advises against using programmable thermostats for heat pumps. To save on costs, it’s better to set them at a moderate setting.

Consumer Reports compiled a list of steps to keep your heating costs low, including things like lowering your thermostat and sealing air leaks in doors and windows and making sure air filters are replaced when needed.

Insulation is also important. According to the Energy Department, insulating your house can save up to 20% on heating and cooling costs. Professional home energy assessments are a good way to determine what parts of your home are using the most energy and how to remedy that. 

It is possible to assess your home’s energy efficiency without a professional by conducting a thorough inspection. If you discover that insulation is a major issue, find out three things for yourself: where your home is and is not properly insulated; what type of insulation you have; and the R-value and the thickness (or depth in inches) of the insulation you have. Some people might be able to contact the home builder to answer some of these questions, while others can look at structural elements.

Before you insulate, be sure that your home is air sealed to prevent any leakage. If an assessment leads you to the decision to add insulation to your home, you must decide where to insulate and what kind of insulation to use. Many kinds of insulation can be installed without hiring a professional. 

Need help with heating costs?

The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program [LIHEAP] offers cash grants to help cover heating bills for families in need. Crisis grants are also offered to households in urgent need. You can determine if you are eligible and apply for benefits online here, or in person at the county assistance office.

Households experiencing  hardships may also qualify for utility assistance from the state. Budget billing is a good option that can be requested by any residential customer, and the CARES program is available specifically for households going through temporary hardships such as family emergencies. 

Low-income households (those at or below 200% of the federal poverty level) are eligible for Pennsylvania’s Weatherization Assistance Program, with priority given to high-risk residents. Energy audits are conducted in the home to determine the best ways to increase efficiency. ACTION-Housing is one of Pennsylvania’s largest weatherization providers and operates Allegheny County’s assistance program. Eligible residents can apply here.

Replacing your heating system can be costly, but waiting until it fails can end up costing even more. There are signs, including the age of your unit or excessive noise, that suggest it may be time to replace your heating equipment. 

If the cost of an upgrade seems daunting, you may be able to pay for it through an “energy efficient mortgage,” which can help finance energy efficient upgrades or be used for the purchase of an energy-efficient home. Federal tax credits are also available through Dec. 31 and are offered to those whose residential heating equipment qualify as energy efficient.

Practicing safe heating methods

Central heating is not always an option. If used safely, other sources such as space heaters and fireplaces could be options to heat a room. However, you should never use appliances like your oven or stove for heat. Not only is it dangerous, but it can also raise your gas or electric bills. When using a space heater, it’s important to keep it away from anything that can burn and be sure that the space is well ventilated.

According to the National Fire Protections Association, heating equipment fires accounted for 14% of all reported home fires from 2014 to 2018. The risk of carbon monoxide exposure often increases in the winter and is associated with faulty furnaces or other heating methods. More information on the risks of alternative heating methods is available here.

An important part of keeping costs low and staying safe is understanding which heating method is right for your home. HVAC contractors can advise you on your HVAC system, and if cost is a barrier, resources like the Pennsylvania Weatherization Assistance Program can help you stay safely warm as the temperature drops.

There are regulations in Allegheny County that your house must meet to establish safe and sanitary standards for residents. If where you are living violates any of these regulations, you may want to contact the landlord or health department. If there is trouble reaching these contacts and seeing results quickly, you can file a complaint or property concern here.

Complaints regarding utilities can also be filed here if you have already contacted your utility provider and they have not resolved the issue. 

Elizabeth Prall is a PublicSource editorial and engagement intern. She can be reached at elizabeth@publicsource.org.

The post Is your home prepped for winter? How to stay safe and warm as temperatures drop. appeared first on PublicSource. PublicSource is a nonprofit news organization serving the Pittsburgh region. Visit www.publicsource.org to read more.

With two pricks of the COVID vaccine under your belt, you may be eyeing a booster shot to keep protection from waning. 

Booster vaccines were made widely available to adults on Friday, after the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC] signed off on recommendations made by an advisory committee.

The committee of independent experts said anyone over age 18 can get a booster. The group emphasized that anyone over 50 should make sure to get a booster to increase protection because they may be extra vulnerable. 

Nearly 163,000 additional vaccine doses have been given in Allegheny County since Aug. 13.  

If you’re considering your second, third or even first COVID jab, you may wonder: Do I need it? Can I mix and match? What are the side effects?

COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness drops over time and may be less able to protect against the Delta variant, but in studies, Pfizer and Moderna booster shots increased immune response for participants who were fully vaccinated six months prior. A similar study showed the Johnson & Johnson booster increased immune response for patients who received the single-dose vaccine at least two months earlier.

About 71% of eligible Pennsylvanians are fully vaccinated, meaning thousands may be considering an extra boost. We researched key questions and spoke with local medical professionals to compile answers and explanations for what Pittsburghers need to know most about booster shots.

How do I know if I need a booster?

As of Friday, Nov. 19, all people 18 and older qualify.

If you received the Johnson&Johnson/Janssen vaccine, it’s likely time for your booster. Johnson & Johnson vaccine recipients were already recommended to receive a booster two months after the first jab.

The CDC said a single dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine has lower effectiveness compared to two-dose vaccines.

Now, Pfizer and Moderna recipients also qualify for boosters, if you received the second shot at least six months ago.

Does the booster shot have side effects?

In some cases, yes. However, the brief reactions reported for booster shots mirrored many of the responses to the single-dose or second shot in the series: fever, fatigue and headaches were commonly noted. 

Can I mix vaccines?

Which vaccine should you get as a booster? The choice is yours. Doctors say mingling vaccines is OK, and in some cases encourage mixing. The CDC recently allowed for mixing and matching vaccines for a booster shot as part of its recommendations. Switching vaccines didn’t cause notable side effects for patients in studies. In some cases, online signups for mix-and-match vaccines might be difficult to complete. Contact the location for more information on availability.

What’s the difference between what officials are calling an additional dose and a booster shot?

Before booster shots for a broader population were even being discussed, the CDC recommended that people who are moderately or severely immunocompromised seek an additional dose because they may not have built enough protection against the virus with the initial vaccine series. The COVID vaccine in people with those conditions is less effective and the additional dose served the purpose of getting their protection up as high as most other people.

Booster doses, on the other hand, increase vaccine efficacy and defense after protection wanes from the original vaccination. 

Can my child get a booster shot? 

Boosters haven’t been approved for kids yet. The CDC on Nov. 2 approved Pfizer vaccines for kids ages 5 to 11 with parental consent. Doctors are encouraging parents to consider vaccination for their kids as kids can still face severe COVID symptoms.

“I have seen kids get really, really sick from COVID, and I have seen kids get COVID and then pass it on to their family members, who then get really sick from COVID,” said Dr. Maya Ragavan, a pediatric doctor who helps lead the Pittsburgh Community Vaccine Collaborative.

Ragavan added that in some cases kids have had to be hospitalized and face long-term repercussions from COVID. 

“The rationale is that this vaccine is safe and effective just like it is for adults and that it can prevent kids from getting really sick just like all of our other vaccines that we give to children to prevent illnesses,” she said.

Are there still access issues with the vaccine? 

Yes, in Allegheny County and beyond. 

Public health and state officials suggested vaccine disparities were due to vaccine hesitancy and additional barriers for certain groups. Those concerns have persisted with the pandemic.  

An analysis by the Black Equity Coalition found that in mid-March Black residents made up 6.8% of the county’s fully vaccinated population, despite making up 13.4% of the county’s population. Similar disparities existed statewide.

Early on in the pandemic, the Wolf administration faced criticism for not prioritizing specific approaches to reach Black and brown communities and non-English speakers and not being proactive.

 Inequities stem not only from vaccine hesitancy but also from access. 

“It’s also the times that vaccines are available,” Ragavan said. “The inability for people to take time off of work, especially people who are hourly workers … the concerns that they’re going to get vaccinated and then have to take three days off from work and they’re going to lose income, lack of transportation, services being only available in English or online systems being impossible to navigate.”

TyLisa C. Johnson is the audience engagement editor for PublicSource. She can be reached at tylisa@publicsource.org or on Twitter at @tylisawrites.

The post Why do I need a COVID-19 booster vaccine anyway? Your questions about booster shots, answered. appeared first on PublicSource. PublicSource is a nonprofit news organization serving the Pittsburgh region. Visit www.publicsource.org to read more.

Reports of a labor shortage have popped up around the country, including in the Pittsburgh region. That means jobs, at least on paper, are plentiful. But not all jobs are equal, and less appealing jobs are going unfilled as workers search for positions that offer better pay, benefits and safety in the pandemic. While businesses are hiring, that doesn’t mean landing a good job is necessarily easy.

“People are a little nervous to jump back into the workforce, being so uncertain about COVID and things like that,” said Lindsay Patton, employment case manager for The Brashear Association. “They are applying at different jobs. They are getting interviews … they just don’t know what the future is going to be with the pandemic.”

PublicSource spoke to local experts on job searching to learn more about resources available and their best advice for those looking.

How can I start my search?

Nationally, Indeed and Zip Recruiter have become standard and dependable online tools for finding a job across industries. A general search for openings in Pittsburgh yields more than 53,000 jobs on Indeed and more than 68,000 on Zip Recruiter.

Pittsburgh-area residents can also take advantage of several regional job listings:

• Imagine Pittsburgh
• Pennsylvania Career Link
• Nonprofit Talent
• NEXTpittsburgh
• Pittsburgh City Paper
• Grantmakers of Western Pennsylvania

What local organizations can help me?

There are a slew of groups in the Pittsburgh region that offer free help for residents trying to find a job. Some are specific to certain areas; others cater specifically to residents based on their identities and backgrounds.

The Mon Valley Initiative serves clients in the Mon Valley who are looking to find a job. Help includes resume workshopping, job fairs and referrals to education and training. The Brashear Association assists residents of South Pittsburgh with job searching through its Neighborhood Employment Center.

PA Women Work focuses on connecting women to the workforce, though it also offers a program, RISE, that offers tailored assistance for immigrants and refugees. PA Women Work also offers the 3 Cups of Coffee program, which matches residents with a mentor to meet for conversations that serve as job preparation.

“All of our clients are on the path to employment somewhere,” said deputy director Susan Showalter-Bucher. “Our programs are all designed to meet that person wherever they are on the path.”

Other organizations include the Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh and the YWCA of Greater Pittsburgh.

How can I improve my resume?

Resumes are the simplest and most direct way to communicate how much experience, education and overall value one has to potential employers.

Employers tend to look at resumes for just six to seven seconds, which means resumes should be concise and easy to read but packed with relevant experience, training and education.

T. Charles Howell, director of workforce development and financial coaching for the Mon Valley Initiative [MVI], instructs his clients to add as much education and training as possible. MVI often refers clients to organizations like New Century Careers, Literacy Pittsburgh and the Community College of Allegheny County to acquire more training or education.

“As a potential employee, you are a product that you’re selling to that employer,” Howell said. “You’re going to trade time and effort, energy, labor for wages and benefits. And that’s the basic math.”

How should I approach a job interview?

In an interview, a candidate should be informed, professional and confident. But local experts also emphasized the importance of being mindful of what your needs and desires are from your employer, including pay, flexible hours and benefits. Making sure the job fits your needs can be accomplished through negotiation, something many job-seekers find difficult or intimidating.

“I usually try to just ask people, ‘What do you want from this?’” said Patton. “And if you’re willing to be that open with me, then jot these things down and make sure that you ask them at these interviews.”

In a labor market marked by shortages of workers and ever-evolving responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, employers in many cases are more open to negotiation. One example is remote work.

“Depending on the position, there is more room nowadays to be able to negotiate and working from home more, right?” Showalter-Bucher said. “We’re seeing that more and more, where companies are allowing at least part-time from home, and that’s opening up the door for a lot of people.”

If negotiation does not pan out the way you want, you have to weigh the pros and cons of taking the position compared to your current situation, according to The Brashear Association. One job could lead to a better one in the future. Timing can vary, but generally, you should expect to wait about a week after the job interview for a response. You can also ask about next steps at the end of the interview.

How should I approach job searching if I have a criminal record?

Most of the clients that get assistance from MVI have some history with the criminal justice system, according to Howell. And despite a shortage of workers, many residents with a criminal record still struggle to find an employer that will hire them.

When Howell meets with residents who have a criminal record, he focuses on having a productive but difficult conversation about their situation and the possible paths forward.

“Some of the work that we do is helping folks talk about those situations, what happened, how do we grow from it, what’s happened since then,” Howell said. “And sometimes it’s a frank conversation, that maybe that particular item in your background isn’t going to give you access to a certain career path. So we need to talk about other options.”

Jobs in health care can be particularly difficult to break into for those with criminal records because of government-mandated bans on hiring those with certain offenses on their record. Jobs in transportation, for example, are often more accessible.

“Don’t offer information that’s not being asked,” Howell said. “But… always be honest and upfront. I don’t want anyone to ever present themselves as something they’re not.”

Will my COVID-19 vaccination status impact my employment options?

Yes.

President Joe Biden’s administration has mandated that all employers with 100 or more employees must mandate the COVID-19 vaccine or a weekly test for the virus.

Many small businesses across the country, including in the Pittsburgh region, have also chosen to implement vaccine mandates, and the vast majority of healthcare jobs require vaccination.

“We have a large population that is vaccine hesitant, and so we’ve had folks that have turned down decent jobs because those employers are mandating a vaccine,” Howell said. “And so that leads to other kind of uncomfortable conversations with people, but it’s also a reality-based conversation.”

Matt Petras is an independent writer and educator based in the Pittsburgh area. He can be reached at matt456p@gmail.com or on Twitter @mattApetras.

The post Businesses desperately need workers. But how do you find the right job? appeared first on PublicSource. PublicSource is a nonprofit news organization serving the Pittsburgh region. Visit www.publicsource.org to read more.