Bloomfielders have watched as neighborhood housing prices have risen steadily in recent years. These increases have pushed out many longtime renters, and closed the door for first-time and low to moderate-income homebuyers. Recently, this issues was thrust into the spotlight when Milhaus Development proposal to demolish ShurSave to build 237 luxury units. We’re now trying to answer the question: how do we keep Bloomfield, Bloomfield? How do we make sure that Bloomfield has a place for everyone?
On May 24th, more than 60 Bloomfielders got together to learn from local experts about strategies and tools that can keep the neighborhood’s housing costs affordable. Attendees heard from local experts on 5 tools that can keep housing affordable: Inclusionary Zoning policies, the Affordable Housing Opportunity Fund, Community Land Trusts, Tenant Rights, and The Pittsburgh Land Bank. All of these strategies can work in combination to make headway towards Pittsburgh’’s well-documented 20,000-unit shortage of affordable homes. To learn more about each of these policies and programs, check out the links below.
Bloomfield Development Corporation is continuing this conversation at its first Housing Committee meeting next Wednesday, 6/20, 6:30 at 4900 Friendship Ave. PLEASE RSVP HERE if you’d like to organize to continue this neighborhood conversation.
Bloomfield Affordability Toolkit Resources
- Inclusionary Zoning
- Inclusionary Zoning Explained, Lawrenceville United
- Inclusionary Housing website & info by Grounded Solutions
- Affordable Housing Opportunity Fund
- Tenant Protections & Tenant Rights
- Landlord Tenant Laws & Resources by Fair Housing Partnership
- Tenants’ Rights Outline by University of Pittsburgh for their off-campus residents
- Community Land Trusts
- The Pittsburgh Land Bank