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Esplanade Jeopardizes Urban Farm, City Land Bank needs more money, and a call for Transparency from the Housing Authority—City Council Week of May 26

City Council

Urban Farm at Risk of Closing due to Esplanade Development.

A Manchester urban farm that has grown 12,000 pounds of food for residents since 2020 could lose its lot. Ebony Lunsford-Evans wants to buy the lot, and her City lease expires in July. It's in a zone earmarked for affordable housing near the Esplanade development. On May 19, 23 people spoke for her, but Council took no action because it wasn't on the agenda.

Written by Amy Whipple

  • Ebony Lunsford-Evans is seeking to purchase a lot in Manchester that she has been using for an urban farm. Her lease with the City’s Adopt-a-Lot program will expire in July.
  • Since 2020, Lunsford-Evans has grown and distributed 12,000 pounds of food to residents who can’t access fresh produce
  • The lot is near the Esplanade development in a zone earmarked for affordable housing, which Lunsford-Evans said was not made clear to her
  • Council President Lavelle later said that Adopt-a-Lot policy needs to be revised to avoid future confusion
  • 23 people spoke on Lunsford-Evans’s behalf at the May 19 General Meeting
  • There was no agenda item, so Council did not take action. They expressed desire to better support community farms with City resources.

City Council

City's Land Bank Needs Additional Funding.

The Pittsburgh Land Bank, which sells vacant and tax-delinquent properties, has relied on American Rescue Plan money. It faces a shortfall after 2026, and its acting director said it isn't self-sustaining. Now, a council member has proposed a task force to recommend long-term funding. It would start after council's final vote next week and report in time for the 2026 budget.

Written by Amy Whipple

  • The Pittsburgh Land Bank is a public entity that acquires, manages, and sells vacant, abandoned, and tax-delinquent properties. It had 62 properties in its inventory in 2024.
  • The Bank had been funded through American Rescue Plan Act money and will reach a shortfall after 2026
  • Acting Director Stadelman said the Bank is not self-sustaining. It’s part of the affordable housing pipeline, and property is sold at the City’s processing cost. ($7,500 for land; $10,000 for a structure)
  • She noted that upfront investments could keep structures from being abandoned/on the demolition list. This could eventually end the need for a land bank.
  • Councilmember Wilson proposed a Task Force on Sustainable Funding for the Pittsburgh Land Bank to develop recommendations for long-term financial stability
  • The Task Force will have 9 members drawn from Land Bank administration, its Board, City departments, and the URA.
  • The Task Force will begin immediately after Council’s final vote next week. Their report will be due 90 days from the group’s first meeting so it can be used to assist in creating the 2026 City budget.

City Council

Controller Calls for Transparency for the Housing Authority.

Tenants and council members have repeatedly raised concerns about transparency at the Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh. Last week, a City Controller report called the authority's data reporting unnecessarily complicated and vague. It recommends regular public reports to council, clear demographic data, and tenant surveys. Council received and filed the report without discussion.

Written by Amy Whipple

  • Controller Heisler’s office released a report last week to begin an effort of greater transparency from the Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh (HACP)
  • The HACP declined to participate in the report as the Controller’s office does not have jurisdiction over it. Data in the report came from Right to Know filings.
  • HACP is part of the Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Moving to Work Demonstration (MTW). Being a part of this program gives the HACP greater leeway in how it operates different programs under the housing assistance umbrella. According to the report, HUD does not have the capacity to monitor HACP and other MTWs.
  • Tenants, stakeholders, and members of Council have expressed repeated concerns about lack of transparency. The report states that HACP data reporting is unnecessarily complicated and vague. It offers three suggestions to bring greater transparency:
  • Give regular public reports to Council as well as disclosing external audits
  • Return to clear and consistent reporting of household demographics
  • Engage tenants and other stakeholders with surveys and incorporate recurring suggestions
  • Though the report was not on the agenda, Council affirmed on the record that it had been read, received, and filed. There was no discussion.