Inclusionary Zoning Could Help Secure More Affordable Housing - Take Action Today
Our neighborhood is on the cusp of adding one more method to bring affordable housing to our community, but we need your help to ask City Council to make it happen!
Polish Hill has a long history of being a place where families of any income level could find a home and the PHCA needs you to speak up to make sure our neighborhood maintains affordable options.
Last week a proposal was introduced to bring Inclusionary Zoning (IZ) to Polish Hill and Bloomfield. In short, IZ would mean that any development over 20 units in our neighborhood boundaries would be required to make 10% of those units affordable.
From 2015-2018, the median home sale price in Polish Hill more than tripled, from $67,500 to $217,500. In the last year, we have seen large developments popping up in and around our neighborhood. There is both an immediate need for more affordable units, as people have been experiencing displacement, and as there are opportunities to incorporate a more balanced approach to development.
We have been talking about IZ at community meetings for years. Ever since Lawrenceville first implemented it in 2018, community members have asked for it to expand to Polish Hill. Thanks to support from Councilwoman Gross, it looks like that could finally happen.
Councilwoman Gross has proposed legislation to expand the IZ from Lawrenceville to include Polish Hill and Bloomfield, and it comes up for consideration this Wednesday (7/21) at 10AM. We ask that you express your support by registering before 9AM on WEDNESDAY (7/21) to make public comment.
You can register either by filling out the online Speaker Signup form at the bottom of this city’s webpage, or by calling the City Clerk's office at (412) 255-2138. If you aren’t available during the public comment period, you can submit written comments via the City Clerk’s email – cityclerksoffice@pittsburghpa.gov (if you’re looking for a suggestion for what to write, feel free to use the draft message below).
SAMPLE EMAIL TO CITY CLERK IN SUPPORT OF IZ EXPANSION TO POLISH HILL:
Dear City Council,
My name is _______, and I live at ______ in Polish Hill.
Our neighborhood has a long history of being a place where families of any income level could find a home; we want to make sure the community maintains affordable options. Expanding Inclusionary Zoning to our neighborhood is one way that we can make that a reality. That’s why I support Councilwoman Gross’s proposal to expand the Inclusionary Zoning Overlay District to Polish Hill. Thank you for your consideration.
Regards,
[YOUR NAME]