A Sharpsburg social services group that has worked for 12 years to bridge racial and economic divides is now ensuring people can afford to put down roots in the borough.
Roots of Faith, which opened in 2014 as an outreach of Faith United Methodist Church in Fox Chapel, purchased the three-story brick building at 800 Main St. where it has been offering free weekly meals, health screenings and more.
The cost was about $1 million.
The goal is to provide affordable housing and connect families to the greater community, including the Fox Chapel Area School District — and, to avoid gentrification.
“If a developer would’ve gotten this building and turned it into studios, the whole Main Street would’ve changed,” said Kathleen Stanley, Roots’ executive director. “Everything around it, the whole neighborhood, would’ve followed suit.”
A building remodel will launch in the coming weeks to reconfigure 10 apartments upstairs into cozy places that make people proud to call home, Stanley said.
According to nonprofit Habitat for Humanity, affordable rentals are crucial to improving the region’s economic stability, community development and diversity, attracting skilled workers to the job market and contributing to a higher quality of life.
While towns like Lawrenceville and East Liberty have seen successful revitalizations, the efforts have meant rising rents that make affordability difficult for some.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Pittsburgh’s median household income in 2021 was about $48,711, lower than the national median and underscoring the importance of affordable housing initiatives.
Last month, Gov. Josh Shapiro unveiled Pennsylvania’s first Housing Action Plan to build and preserve more affordable housing across the state.
The Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program, administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, provides rental assistance and allows people to choose their location.
Roots will accept Section 8 vouchers for some of the units; others will go for market rate with rent determined by the county.
One goal is to provide affordable housing for families that will provide access to the Fox Chapel Area School District, which consistently is ranked among the top school systems in Allegheny County.
“We’ll have the social services on the ground level and welcoming housing on top,” Stanley said. “This is a lot for families that otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford to live in the district.”
Construction on the 1900-era building is scheduled to begin in weeks. An original hotel-turned-commercial office, it has become nondescript over the years.
“It will be a total gut,” Stanley said. “We want it to be colorful and presentable. You should come home and be proud of where you live.”
Securing the building was key to keeping the borough accessible for families of all economic levels, Stanley said. In recent years, the neighborhood has flourished with new businesses and preliminary work on a mixed-use development, Allegheny Shores, which is expected to bring housing and entertainment to a 1.5-mile stretch of the riverfront.
The total cost is not yet finalized, but the borough has secured $33.9 million in government funding toward the project.
Most recently, a $450,000 grant was awarded through the state’s Multimodal Transportation Fund to help pay for the Riverfront District Connector Road and streetscape improvements along Main and 19th streets.
With plans in motion, affordable housing stock already has been impacted.
“You used to be able to help someone get an apartment for $500 a month,” Stanley said. “That’s not happening now. We are excited to help with affordable housing in a time when it’s desperately needed.”
Roots of Faith has worked to “build community” since opening in 2014. In addition to Sunday services, the group offers pet vaccine clinics, legal aid, tax preparation, women’s brunches, clothes closets and more.
Barbara Cohen, a 20-year borough resident, accessed financial literacy services at Roots before being hired as the administrative secretary. Participating in the programs helped Cohen “figure out how I got in the position (of debt) that I was in and let me know I wasn’t the only one going through it.
“They walked beside me and kept me on track.”
Cohen learned to budget and increased her credit score from 530 to 750 — and ultimately became debt-free.
“It was the best thing I could’ve done,” she said, from her position at the Roots welcome desk.
Ernie Smith, a retired St. Francis case manager, serves as the “do-it-all” guy at Roots.
“They call me the concierge,” he said, smiling.
A lifelong borough resident, Smith said his work at Roots is like an extension of his social work days.
“It’s all about helping people,” he said.
Through the years, testing a variety of programs, Stanley said the board has learned that the most effective way out of poverty is to have support services at one’s fingertips.
“Housing, transportation, health checks — we provide help with all of that right here,” she said. “We are the model for how to grow a community.”