City Council
Love Your Block returns after a two-year pause with $20,000 for 17 neighborhood groups.
Neighborhood groups can again get paid back for projects that fight blight or create art. On Sept. 9, council advanced $20,000 for 17 groups through Love Your Block, which is back after a two-year pause. Still, two council districts got no money, one because no groups applied. A city official said his office is helping groups prepare for next year.
Written by Amy Whipple
The Office of Community Affairs (OCA) is once again helping neighborhood groups to love their blocks.
After a two-year pause, OCA is ready to disperse $20,000 to 17 community organizations for the 2026 Love Your Block program.
Corey Buckner, OCA supervisor, said during the Sept. 9 committee meeting that 44 organizations applied for reimbursement agreements of $1,000 or $1,500 through the reinstated program.
Qualifying projects must benefit the organization’s community at large and either combat blight or create art. Bonus consideration went to projects that involve property in the city’s Adopt-A-Lot program.
The selected organizations span seven council districts. They include groups such as the Spring Hill Civic League, Uptown Partners of Pittsburgh and Brookline Teen Outreach.
During the discussion, Buckner said none of the funds were allocated for districts 2 or 5. He said both OCA and Council Member Kim Salinetro of Banksville reached out to community groups in District 2 but none applied. In District 5 (represented by Council Member Barb Warwick of Greenfield), he said the applications weren’t as strong.
“We’ve been in touch with all these groups, and we’re trying to help them get better situated for next year when we do this project again,” he said.
Council agreed to move forward with the request.
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- Caring for vacant lots and greenways
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- City Council · September 9, 2026
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