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At a meeting Monday during which a city-based employee spoke about the problem of homelessness in Altoona, City Council allocated $1 million in federal grant money to create six apartments for people threatened with homelessness.
"I've seen (homelessness) get progressively worse," said Don Bowers, who works for the Altoona Parking Authority, citing the example of two individuals living outside downtown this winter -- one sleeping under a stationary vehicle and the other on a stoop in an industrial building. "These people need a roof over their head(s)."
Authorized by the American Rescue Plan Act and funneled through the Department of Housing and Urban Development's HOME program, the $1 million will pay for the Durbin Companies to construct a modular building with six two-bedroom apartments on a vacant lot on the 100 block of Lexington Avenue.
The homelessness problem here hasn't become infamous, as it has in San Francisco, but it's real.
Last year, Family Services Inc. turned away 2,478 people from its 16-bed shelter, and there are currently 230 people either on the street, at imminent risk of homelessness or couch-surfiing, according to Family Services Executive Director Lisa Hann.
It's a national problem, and it's here, said Councilman Bruce Kelley.
"What we did tonight (allocate money for the Durbin project) is an incremental step," said Councilman Joe Carper.
Building six apartments won't fix the problem, Carper said.
"(But) it's a step in the right direction," said Hann, whose agency recently opened a 35-bed shelter.
"This (the Durbin project) will provide a nice landing spot for someone who graduates from the shelter" -- where stays are limited to a month-and-a-half, said city Community Development Director Diana White.
There is currently a shortage of affordable rental units in the city, White said.
Hann's agency recently made an incremental improvement similar to what the Durbins are planning -- six low-income apartments above the new shelter.
The Durbin effort is a public-private partnership, with funding provided to generate the incentive necessary for a project beneficial to the community that would otherwise not get done, officials said.
The money should cover the entire cost of construction, said company general partner Brian Durbin, whose family has been involved in other efforts to reduce homelessness.
There was additional maintenance funding the Durbins could have accepted from the ARPA-HOME grant, but they declined it, according to Jim Trexler, the city's manager of housing programs.
The company hopes to complete the two-story building this year, Durbin said.
The ground for the project was donated by Blair County Community Action, officials said.
Rents will be no higher than HUD's fair market rate (currently $971 for two-bedrooms), according to a project narrative provided by the city.
The project will accept tenants with Section 8 housing subsidy vouchers, but tenants don't need to be rent-subsidized, according to the narrative.
The Altoona Housing Authority will handle the Section 89 applications.
Tenants can include people fleeing domestic, sexual and other kinds of violence and those fleeing stalkers, according to the narrative.
In undertaking the project, the company is "trying to find a way to solve a problem," Durbin said.
Two or three of the apartments will be accessible, according to Durbin.
It's possible that the city could help with construction of the sidewalks, according to Durbin.
The project will require that the Durbins operate the building for those at risk of homelessness for 15 years.
"Six units is a start," said Mary Johnson, who manages the city's Community Development Block Grant program.
The city could help the homeless by placing portable toilets in strategic areas, Bowers told council, explaining that he has had to remove human waste from the stair tower at the Transportation Center multiple times.
It might also help by providing some means for homeless people to get periodic showers, he said.
"If there's anything you can do, it would surely be greatly appreciated," Bowers said.
It's a "misconception" that the city doesn't care about the homeless, said Councilman Ron Beatty.
Often, homeless people refuse help when it's offered, said Beatty and Councilman Dave Ellis.
Homelessness is like blight -- to conquer it requires getting to the root problems that cause it, said Councilman Dave Butterbaugh.
Sometimes, homelessness is "transitional," but other times, it stems from substance use disorder and mental health issues, Kelley said.
As with some other problematic issues, not enough services are available in central Pennsylvania to deal with it, Carper said.
Mirror Staff Writer William Kibler is at 814-949-7038.