By Councilman Bobby Wilson

Hello everyone, I want to take the time to share a few of my priorities for the Northside and District 1 for 2025. The topic of Inclusionary Zoning (IZ) is front and center for City Council. Mayor Gainey has submitted a city-wide IZ proposal to the Planning Commission, requiring developers to build 10% of their total units at 50% of the Area Median Income (AMI) or below. Full details can be found here: engage.pittsburghpa.gov/implementing-housing-needs-assessment/inclusionary-zoning-iz. The Planning Commission is expected to vote on this proposal soon, and it will likely come to City Council in February.

Additionally, there is an IZ bill introduced by Councilmember Bob Charland last December that is also under review by the Planning Commission and may reach Council around the same time. While these proposals differ significantly, both deserve thoughtful consideration.

While IZ is one potential tool for addressing the need for affordable housing, it’s important to also consider its potential unintended consequences. Policies like IZ, if not implemented carefully, could inadvertently discourage growth and development at a time when Pittsburgh is experiencing a downswing in tax revenue — primarily due to falling property values in downtown office buildings. This reduction in revenue impacts the city’s ability to provide critical services to all residents, including those currently living in affordable housing.

My colleagues and I are committed to finding a balance between creating more affordable housing opportunities and ensuring that Pittsburgh remains a growing and thriving city. Growth is essential for sustaining the services that all residents depend on, and any policy we pass must align with our broader goals of economic development and fiscal sustainability.

For example, the steady decrease in tax revenue from downtown property reassessments led me to champion and pass the Local Economic Revitalization Tax Assistance (LERTA) program last year. This legislation not only encourages the adaptive reuse and conversion of vacant office buildings but also includes a strong affordability component. The LERTA program incentivizes developers by offering greater tax abatements the more affordable housing units they create within their projects. This ensures that the program not only stimulates growth but also directly addresses the city’s housing needs. You can learn more about the LERTA program here: bit.ly/DTLERTA.

While council-as-a-body works on legislation that will assist in more affordable housing, I am also working on ways to uplift the Pittsburgh Land Bank. I currently serve as board chair of the Land Bank and recently allocated funding in the 2025 budget to create additional positions to further assist in its mission. While I was able to utilize American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding for these positions, I’m currently looking for more reliable funding sources. The Land Bank is crucial to creating more affordable housing, reducing neighborhood blight, and returning vacant properties back to the city’s tax base, which will overall increase revenue. In 2024, they sold 12 properties from their current inventory of over 60 properties and are on track to sell dozens more in the next quarter. In addition to my prioritization of the Land Bank, I’m also working with the URA on strategies to sell their properties along the 600 block of East Ohio Street.

I also serve on the Board of the Pittsburgh Parking Authority and held a post-agenda meeting last month to discuss the proposal to remove residency requirements for Authority employees. You can watch the meeting here: bit.ly/PPAPostAgenda. I believe that the first measure to increase applicants would be to increase the wages for current city residents while the authority’s leadership argued that removing residency requirements would be the better decision.

Ultimately, the board voted to remove the requirement, and I hope that this measure does increase the applicant pool, and we are able to hire the much-needed garage attendants and enforcement officers.

I’d like to share that the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership recently released their Strategic Vision for the revitalization of Downtown. As a board member, I’m thrilled by the organization’s commitment to prioritize safety, cleanliness, economic growth, and experiences in downtown. The success of downtown affects every neighborhood in the City of Pittsburgh and I’m looking forward to working on making this strategic vision become a reality. Learn more here: downtownpittsburgh.com/strategicvision/.

Lastly, I’d like to introduce you all to Morgan Martin, my office’s new Legislative Aide. Morgan recently graduated from New York University Stern School of Business and previously worked at the city’s Ethics Hearing Board. Morgan brings a great deal of experience in marketing, communications, and research. We are thrilled to have her on board. If you have any needs regarding legislation, I encourage you to reach out to Morgan at morgan.martin@pittsburghpa.gov.

If you have any questions or concerns, call us at (412) 255-2135, email us at district1@pittsburghpa.gov, or find us on Facebook and X. My staff and I look forward to serving all of you in this new year!