PITTSBURGH — On Tuesday, Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato announced her ’500 in 500 Initiative’ has been a success. She says her administration has helped get more than 500 people off the streets and into housing in 500 days.
Andrea Johnson escaped an abusive situation and couldn’t afford monthly rent, so she was living out of a storage unit. Now she’s in a safe home, as part of the 500 in 500 program.
“It was so much stress lifted off of me,” Johnson said during the press conference. “Here it was actually meaningful and not only that - just feeling like a person.”
The 500 in 500 program is about creating affordable housing and getting those who need it, including parents, seniors and people with disabilities, off the streets and into stability.
Innamorato says she is proud of the work her administration has done, adding they’ve actually identified 582 units with 622 people moved or in the process of moving.
“Helping people to get back on their feet, to give them a chance of stability and a life of dignity, is the most valuable thing that I can do as County Executive,” Innamorato said.
County Executive Innamorato says 97% of those who were housed from this program have been able to maintain their leases. It’s a success she attributes to the government working collaboratively with developers.
“With more permanent affordable housing, more folks have a safe place to sleep through the night,” Congresswoman Summer Lee added. “And they can also now focus on all of the other important things in their lives, like their health.”
The County Executive says creating affordable housing units has led to a 93% decrease in homeless encampments since last summer.
Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.
Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW
©2025 Cox Media Group
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/XCUXZC2XYZHCRGNNGKFEX6U3LQ.png)
