Issue
Ambassadors, venues, and safety rules aimed at bringing people back Downtown.
City Council
Anyone under 18 is now barred from Market Square from 3 pm to midnight, Thursday to Sunday, without someone 21 or older. In response, council advanced a bill to get quarterly violent crime data by age and location. The sponsor said that aside from two recent incidents, she found only anecdotal reports of disruptive teens. Council is scheduled to meet on the subject May 20.
City Council
The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust wants the city to give it part of 8th Street for an outdoor venue. A council member raised concerns about giving up public riverfront property and suggested a lease instead. For now, council didn't send the bill to a vote. Members want to explore options such as an extended lease and ensuring public passage.
City Council
Downtown has ambassadors who help visitors, respond to opioid overdoses, and call in police or social services. Council voted unanimously to extend the program's funding from $1.2 million over two years to $2.4 million over four years. At the Feb. 5 committee meeting, members praised its work. Several, though, worried whether the funding is sustainable, since other districts could benefit too.