New law will help lessen privately owned blight in Pittsburgh

PITTSBURGH — Privately owned blight is a problem across the county, but especially in the City of Pittsburgh, where there are roughly 30,000 vacant and distressed properties.

It’s not a cheap problem. Each year, these properties cost the city $266 million.

Wednesday, the city celebrated a resolution for that frustration: an amendment to the municipal claims and tax lien law that will now allow for the region’s land bank to take over blighted and tax-delinquent properties.

In the past, the city would sell these properties to the highest bidder regardless of community input. But now, blighted properties will be sent to the Pittsburgh Land Bank which will assess potential buyers, preserve landmarks and ensure the community is put first.

The mayor said the changes have already expedited the process of removing blight from communities. For example, the legislation that went into effect earlier this fall will play an integral role in preserving spaces like the Olde Allegheny Community Gardens on the North Side, which was once abandoned land but is now a community garden.

So, how will properties be selected? Properties owned by the city will go before city council for approval before being transferred to the land bank while properties owned by the Urban Redevelopment Authority will be assessed based on a need scale.

While the city and URA estimate this will be a multi-year process to tackle the more than 30,000 vacant properties throughout the city, this new legislation will shave off decades.

The bill is now law. Both the city and URA are working to prioritize properties to be transferred into the city’s landbank.

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