VPWG Fights Blight, Before and After

PCRG's Vacant Property Working Group recently celebrated the 20th Anniversary of the first VPWG meeting, which took place in July 1996. One of the main responsibilities of the Vacant Property Working Group is to help community groups navigate the Treasurer's Sale and Pittsburgh Property Reserve process. Over the years, hundreds of properties have been placed into the reserve, and many have been transferred to the ownership of community groups.Community groups use the Pittsburgh Property Reserve (PPR) as a tool to fight blight and vacancy in their communities. Acquisition and land recycling can be complicated and difficult. The PPR allows community groups to hold vacant parcels of land and abandoned houses for a period of time tax-free so they can acquire the funding and staff capacity to restore those properties to a positive use.Following is a very small selection of the many properties which have been sold to community groups and redeveloped in some way. Some properties have houses which have been rehabbed and sold to a new homeowner; some properties had blighted houses demolished and the property turned into a sideyard or community garden; one property featured below was redeveloped into a small part of a large scale development.