Swissvale Councilman James Bonacci announced his resignation during a council meeting last night, saying he will step down on May 21 in protest of Allegheny County-funded transitional housing for recovering addicts and an influx of Section 8 residents in the borough.

"In light of recent events involving the inception of group homes in Swissvale, without consultation or input by Swissvale council, and the increased subsidized housing concentration in Swissvale, I find it impossible to effectively carry out the duties to which I was elected," Mr. Bonacci said in a letter to council President David Petrarca.

The letter criticized county Chief Executive Dan Onorato and County Council for ignoring residents' objections to the transitional housing program and said Swissvale was being used as a testing ground for the program.

"It is clear that Swissvale and other Mon Valley communities are the targets of group home ventures on the part of the county. It is also abundantly clear that these group home ventures will not and would not be foisted upon other more affluent communities in the county," it said.