With temperatures dropping and winter approaching, Allegheny County officials have announced a plan to increase the number of available beds for homeless residents when overflow facilities become full or a shelter has to close unexpectedly.

The county Department of Human Services said Thursday it is partnering with the city of Pittsburgh and will activate the emergency facility when the Second Avenue Commons shelter and its overflow beds reach maximum capacity or if another shelter has facility problems such as a pipe breaking or heating loss.

Allegheny County officials did not specify where the emergency facility will be located, nor did they provide details about how many beds would be made available there.

In June, the county closed the Smithfield Street shelter in Downtown Pittsburgh, which has typically been used as a winter, overnight shelter. It’s unclear if it will reopen.

County officials did not respond to questions about the emergency shelter.

Homelessness has been on the rise slightly in Allegheny County over the years. As of May, there were about 900 homeless people living in Allegheny County, an estimated 150 of them unsheltered, according to Department of Human Services officials, up from 880 homeless people and 105 unsheltered in February 2022.

City officials on Tuesday cleared a homeless camp near the intersection of Grant Street and Fort Pitt Boulevard in Downtown. People living at the camp told TribLIVE on Tuesday that all homeless shelters in the area were full.

Erin Dalton, director of the county’s Department of Human Services, said in a release that the county’s emergency plan is looking to address the issue.

“No one should stay outside when the weather is extremely dangerous,” Dalton said.

County officials said in a release that the Department of Human Service has increased the number of beds in the county by 65% over the past two years to 370 year-round beds. Officials said there are an additional 80 beds available in a temporary overflow space at the Second Avenue Commons shelter that will be made available starting the evening of Nov. 15.

Dalton said the county expects to be able to accommodate 450 people by the start of winter, should the county need that capacity. There are nine shelters across the county, and additional beds have been added over the years at Light of Life on the North Side, East End Cooperative Ministries, Second Avenue Commons and others, according to the Department of Human Services.

“Our work is not done, but I’m really pleased that our work with partners to open Second Avenue Commons, and our collaboration with other providers to increase year-long and overflow capacity, has allowed us to serve even more people,” Dalton said.

Ryan Deto is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Ryan by email at rdeto@triblive.com or via Twitter .