6 Pittsburgh housing developments get financial boost from the state

PITTSBURGH — Mayor Ed Gainey is calling it “a significant investment into our city’s future:” a plan to transform buildings and construct others to provide options for affordable housing in several Pittsburgh city neighborhoods.

Six projects will get a major financial boost, as the City of Pittsburgh announced this week that state money has been designated in the form of Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) funding awards from the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency, helping to make city living more attainable for thousands of residents.

The Mayor’s Office said the six projects awarded this money will create or preserve 345 housing units, nearly 250 of which will be affordable to low-income households. They include two existing downtown properties: The May Building and Smithfield Lofts and two developments in Hazelwood, including supportive housing that provides services to parents with children attending higher education institutes.

Other projects include mixed income housing in Homewood and a development in Bedford Dwellings.

“If it’s a city, everyone should have the right to experience it in its fullest,” said Matt Miloszar, who lives in the Hill District. “I just think people need a place to live, no matter where they are. I don’t think it’s fair that you could live in cities like New York, and only rich people can live there. That’s just not fair to everyone.”

Bradley Campbell, who lives on the North Shore, said he hopes that with the affordable housing comes even more development.

“If I live in Homewood or any of these other places, I still need a grocery store. I still need childcare, I still need these other things that enhance our life,” Campbell said.

Developers who utilize the LIHTC program will receive an annual tax credit for the affordable rental properties over their first ten years of operation.

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