City of Pittsburgh's Community Focused Land Bank
Pittsburgh Community Reinvestment Group, Members, Laud Creation of Community Focused Pittsburgh City Land Bank
After five years of hard work and collaborative efforts, Pittsburgh’s community development world celebrated the passage of City Council Bill 2014-0025 which will establish the creation of a land bank to be the newest tool for neighborhoods to finally address at scale chronic blight and abandonment large enough to reverse our decades-long growth of wealth-killing blight and the public safety crises it creates. The Bill passed 8-1, with Councilwoman Harris voting against.Councilwoman Gross stated, “This would not have been possible without such a wide variety of community leaders from across Pittsburgh working for our collective mission to establish a Pittsburgh land bank as a vital community tool, one that will strengthen our city block by block.. Today was the first step to equip neighborhoods with the power to drive what happens in their communities.”“We commend the true leadership shown by Councilwoman Gross, Councilman O’Connor, and Mayor Peduto in advancing this much need change, and addressing community concerns and bringing process and direction to what had been a discordant community concern,” noted Ernie Hogan, PCRG Executive Director, “People’s access to land is a very personal thing with lots of bad history – especially in our most distressed communities.” Mr. Hogan was referring to projects, starting with Urban Renewal, which displaced thousands of families in the Hill District, East Liberty, and elsewhere. “Council struck a solid balance and took these concerns and fears seriously. I’m proud that our members and stakeholders made themselves heard, came together in support of land banking, and we got the best bill we could.”“In the beginning, we all had real concerns,” noted Jerome Jackson, Executive Director of Homewood’s Operation Better Block, Inc. “We all agree that we need land banking, but making sure that it doesn’t leave – or force – people out is key to our communities. I think that balance has been struck. Now, we can focus on making sure that it serves the people and neighborhoods that need a land bank the most.” Homewood is one of the city’s biggest victims of blight and abandonment and its brutal outcomes.“I am really pleased with how the process worked to produce a comprehensive and detailed piece of legislation that was able to incorporate the feedback we received from a wide range of community leaders and groups,” said Councilman Corey O’Connor. “A land bank provides the city with a great tool that will help revitalize neighborhoods that have long been ignored.”It is important that the to-be crafted Policies and Procedures even further reflect the needs of the communities most affected by blight and abandonment, and we look forward to that conversation. For now, however, we all thank City Council’s leadership on such a huge, but difficult, change to how Pittsburgh gains control over one of its key assets – land.
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Contact:Ernie Hogan, Executive DirectorT: 412-391-6732 x204M: 412-849-2002E: ehogan@pcrg.org