Residents in the South Side Slopes say they were stunned to learn that a dozen registered sex offenders moved into a building on Salisbury Street last week, living together in two apartments in the middle of the neighborhood. According to Pennsylvania’s Megan’s Law website, the men are convicted of a range of sex crimes, including rape of an unconscious person, indecent assault by forcible compulsion, and aggravated indecent assault involving a victim under 13.“If they’re convicted and they have been proven, I would not feel safe having them there,” said Tyler Blackburn, who lives about a building away. Blackburn said he supports rehabilitation but worries about the concentration of offenders in one location. “I’m for recovery. I’m for people coming back from it. But I don’t know. I do feel a little bit of unease if there are 12 of them here,” he said.City officials say their ability to intervene is limited. City Councilmember Bob Charland, who represents the area, said the city has no local control over facilities like the one operating on Salisbury Street and cannot regulate them. However, Charland said the operators have agreed to move the men out “as soon as possible” and not continue operating at that location.Property owner Dave Silberstein echoed neighbors’ concerns, saying the area is home to families and is close to parks and schools. “This is a nice neighborhood, you know, there’s people with kids, and there’s parks and schools and, you know, to have something like that right next door is not so great,” he said, adding that while he supports recovery programs, he does not believe 12 sex offenders should be housed together in one place.Charland said the facility is working with state parole to relocate the men, but there is no specific timeline. The company operating the home did not respond to requests for details. Pittsburgh’s Action News reporter Marcie Cipriani knocked on the door, but the man who answered immediately shut the door when she identified herself.

PITTSBURGH —

Residents in the South Side Slopes say they were stunned to learn that a dozen registered sex offenders moved into a building on Salisbury Street last week, living together in two apartments in the middle of the neighborhood.

According to Pennsylvania’s Megan’s Law website, the men are convicted of a range of sex crimes, including rape of an unconscious person, indecent assault by forcible compulsion, and aggravated indecent assault involving a victim under 13.

“If they’re convicted and they have been proven, I would not feel safe having them there,” said Tyler Blackburn, who lives about a building away.

Blackburn said he supports rehabilitation but worries about the concentration of offenders in one location.

“I’m for recovery. I’m for people coming back from it. But I don’t know. I do feel a little bit of unease if there are 12 of them here,” he said.

City officials say their ability to intervene is limited.

City Councilmember Bob Charland, who represents the area, said the city has no local control over facilities like the one operating on Salisbury Street and cannot regulate them.

However, Charland said the operators have agreed to move the men out “as soon as possible” and not continue operating at that location.

Property owner Dave Silberstein echoed neighbors’ concerns, saying the area is home to families and is close to parks and schools.

“This is a nice neighborhood, you know, there’s people with kids, and there’s parks and schools and, you know, to have something like that right next door is not so great,” he said, adding that while he supports recovery programs, he does not believe 12 sex offenders should be housed together in one place.

Charland said the facility is working with state parole to relocate the men, but there is no specific timeline.

The company operating the home did not respond to requests for details.

Pittsburgh’s Action News reporter Marcie Cipriani knocked on the door, but the man who answered immediately shut the door when she identified herself.