pittsburgh city council

Hello everyone, I hope you are enjoying these summer days in our Northside neighborhoods. Now that July is upon us, the City of Pittsburgh’s budgeting season is officially underway. City departments are currently submitting their capital and operating budget requests, which will be reviewed by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) over the next few months. Mayor Gainey is expected to release a preliminary budget at the end of September, followed by public hearings and discussions with City Council this fall. I encourage you to visit the City’s Engage page to follow along and stay involved: engage. pittsburghpa.gov/city-pittsburgh-budget-engagements.

Hello everyone, While we begin to enjoy warmer weather and the sounds of spring, that also tends to bring along a different, perhaps more irritating sound: one of construction. At the end of March, construction season in the Northside officially began with the start of the long awaited North Avenue Signals & Safety project. I am excited to see the upgrades to the traffic signals and pedestrian crosswalks along North Avenue from Arch Street to Middle Street. While this will be a temporary headache, with detours and delays, the end result will be worth it. To follow along, check out the project’s Engage page here: engage. pit tsburghpa.gov/nor th-avenue-signals- and-safety-project.

Hello everyone and Happy Spring!

Mayor Ed Gainey’s proposed series of reforms to Pittsburgh’s property laws and zoning codes, including spreading inclusionary zoning requirements citywide, has become a hotly debated topic in city politics.

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.

Hello everyone and Happy New Year!

Hello everyone!

Hello everyone, As Pittsburgh City Council begins its focus on negotiating and passing a balanced budget for 2025, I wanted to share with you some small, but equally important projects that have been going on throughout the Northside.

Hello everyone, The fall season is finally here and with that comes cooler weather, the changing of the leaves, and pumpkin-flavored treats everywhere you turn. There’s one pumpkin- themed event that you won’t want to miss: East Allegheny Community Council’s 30th Annual Pumpkinfest! This year’s event will be held on Oct. 12 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. in Allegheny Commons East, at the corner of East Ohio Street and Cedar Avenue. There are many activities for all ages including pumpkin decorating, hayrides, crafts, and more. I especially want to thank Barbara Burns for her work in organizing this event for the past 30 years and to the EACC Board for their continual support of this event. More details can be found here: deutschtown.org/pumpkinfest.

Hello everyone, Last September, City Council passed legislation to permit registration and inspection of all rental properties in the City of Pittsburgh, which includes both short and long-term rentals. This program, which will be implemented by the City’s Department of Permits, Licenses, and Inspections (PLI), will provide for systematic registration and inspection of residential rental properties. I’m happy to share that PLI is now accepting public comment for the Residential Housing Rental Permit Program, which ends on Sept. 30.

Hello everyone, Last month, Chestnut Street officially reopened to the public with a brandnew brick surface, new sidewalks, new ADA compliant curbs, and an updated drainage system. I, along with Mayor Ed Gainey and the Department of Mobility & Infrastructure (DOMI) held a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the completion of this $1.6 million project. It was always my priority to keep the historic brick surface of the street and I’m thrilled with how it turned out. I also am thankful to the community, especially Community Alliance of Spring Garden-East Deutschtown (CASGED), for their support and patience during this project. I encourage everyone to drive, walk, or bike down this newly restored street!

Hello everyone, At the start of the summer season, my office received numerous calls asking about the status of various water features and drinking fountains within city parks. The City has one plumber who is responsible for preparing the pools, spray parks, drinking fountains, and bathrooms along with addressing any issues that arise in recreation centers, senior centers, and any other cityowned building. One person cannot manage all of these responsibilities and these city services need to be provided for all of our residents.