Jerrel Gilliam is apprehensive about the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft.
As executive director of Light of Life Rescue Mission, which offers a shelter and other services for Pittsburgh’s homeless population, he worries about how the massive event will impact the city’s most vulnerable residents.
As Pittsburgh prepares to host the three-day event starting April 23, an array of beautification efforts — from neighborhood litter cleanup to multimillion-dollar projects — is underway.
Sometimes, when cities embark on such work, Gilliam said, they want to hide or push away the homeless.
“They are no longer seen as neighbors,” he said. “They’re seen as a problem. They’re dehumanized.”
In other cities, Gilliam pointed out, cities have even forced homeless people away from major events.
While he hasn’t heard of such plans for Pittsburgh, Gilliam still fears homeless people living in Downtown or the North Shore won’t be welcome near the hoopla.
They’ll likely find no food or drink they could afford at the draft venues, he said. Crowds and road closures could make it harder to move around the areas they frequent.
Gilliam is hoping Light of Life’s North Side site will be a refuge.
He plans to host an event with a “Super Bowl party atmosphere” at the shelter. People will be able to tune in to the draft events happening nearby, grab a bite to eat and get help connecting to housing or other resources.
“During the draft, we want to be kind of like the Motel 6,” Gilliam said. “Our light is always on.”
‘Record low’ tents
Emily Bourne, a Pittsburgh public safety spokeswoman, told TribLive there are no homeless people living within the draft’s official footprint.
There also are no plans to tear down homeless encampments because of the event, she said.
But officials in recent years have removed most tent encampments from the areas surrounding the draft sites. Officials said anyone who had been living in those camps was given an offer of housing elsewhere.
Cydney Cooper, a spokeswoman for the Allegheny County Department of Human Services, said the number of tents along the riverfronts and Downtown “remain at a record low.”
As of March 30, the county tallied zero structures for the homeless in Downtown, one on the North Side riverfront trail and two on the South Side trail.
“When structures are identified, our outreach teams provide individualized offers of help to people who are staying outside,” Cooper said in a statement. “This engagement will continue during the NFL Draft.”
In total, about 200 homeless people are staying outside throughout the county, Cooper said. About 600 households are living in emergency shelter.
Planning for draft disruption
Liz Lynch, an outreach worker with the Our Streets Collective, said the draft might be a unique event, but she has long had concerns about displacement.
“While the draft has turned up the temperature, the water has been boiling for our unhoused neighbors for a very long time,” she said. “Camp sweeps, nuisance arrests and other forms of targeting that punish the homeless without offering good alternatives are a constant fact of life.”
During the draft, she said, there are fears people living on the streets will see their belongings thrown away in the name of beautification.
“Everyone I’ve spoken to who is unhoused or works in community with those who are is concerned about lost or damaged property, displacement, arrests (and psychiatric holds, which are thinly veiled arrests) and other disruption to the lives of some of our most vulnerable residents in favor of a multibillion-dollar industry,” Lynch said in a statement.
Lynch said Our Streets Collective might face hurdles in hosting its food and supply distributions during the event because of draft-related road closures. She said they’ll plan carpools and budget extra time.
“Nobody’s needs stop because the draft is in town,” she said.
Seeking dignity
Officials with the county’s human services department said homeless services and support — including outreach teams and shelter services — will remain operational during the draft. People who need assistance can call 211 for help, Cooper said.
Morning and evening shuttle services from the Second Avenue Commons homeless shelter Downtown will continue transporting people to and from that site and a winter shelter — which remains open — on the North Side, she said.
Michael Turk, vice president of Community & Wellness Services at Pittsburgh Mercy, said he does not anticipate any impact on the nonprofit’s services at Second Avenue Commons during the draft.
“As with any large-scale city event, we will remain attentive to needs, monitor activity around the facility and adjust staffing or supports as necessary to maintain a safe and stable environment for all,” Turk said in a statement.
“Our focus will remain, as it always does, on providing reliable shelter, case management, and supportive services throughout the week.”
For Gilliam, getting staff to Light of Life’s location might be a challenge during the draft. The building is along the Allegheny River near the former Heinz plant, an area not far from the draft action on the North Shore. Some workers, he said, are contemplating spending the night at the shelter to avoid navigating through traffic and detours.
But his main concern is whether homeless people will be treated with dignity during the event. He said homeless people are often objectified and treated as “a problem,” rather than considered humanely.
“It’s like talking about potholes,” he said. “These are not problems. They’re people.”
Gilliam encouraged people in the area for the draft to be good neighbors to those experiencing homelessness.
“Everyone deserves a smile,” Gilliam said. “Everyone deserves to be seen.”