Man who lived at ACTA talks about experience while local union wants it shut down

A man who lived at ACTA and tested positive for COVID-19 shares his experience, while a local union is calling for its temporary closure.

Nathaniel Trump said, "This has been an utterly horrifying experience. We were all starting to become concerned as more and more people got sick and it just turned into a nightmare."

Allegheny County officials said 11 residents and three workers tested positive at the facility that serves as a halfway house and drug rehab center on Fifth Avenue in Oakland.

"I had a fever, a had chills, and I wasn't feeling right,” said Nathaniel.

The American Civil Liberties Union stepped in after a Pittsburgh's Action News 4 investigation uncovered the positive cases.

The Service Employees International Union Local 668 said its "calling for the immediate closure of the program for offenders halfway homes for the protection of its residents as well as its employees."

The union said that includes the facility in West Homestead that houses women.

Al Smith, who is with SEUI Local 668, said, "We wanted them to temporarily shut down so they can clean the facility."

"It's impossible under the conditions they are currently working in to be able to quarantine folks," said Smith.

Trump is recovering and quarantined in a hotel that he is paying for himself and he's worried about the health of the other men still at ACTA.

"It brings tears to your eyes. We've all been away from our families and now we can't even go near our families right now," said Trump.

The executive director for THE PROGRAM For Offenders, Inc. that is in charge of ACTA and the facility in West Homestead sent Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 a statement.

It says in part, "The PROGRAM provides essential, life-sustaining treatment to our clients and we will continue to focus on compliance with the directives and guidance issued from all applicable local, state and federal authorities.