County Council
Snow clearing, housing and public safety highlight county executive report.
In her Feb. 10 address to council, Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato reported progress on snow clearing, public safety, and housing. She said homicides fell last year to the lowest level since electronic records began, crediting violence interruption teams. Her Feb. 5 executive order introduced a Housing Investment Fund. Her goal is $50 million to $100 million in public and private money for affordable housing.
Written by Amy Whipple
Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato delivered her quarterly address to council on Feb. 10, detailing initiatives from 2025 and looking ahead into plans for this year.
She highlighted the Department of Public Works's response to the Jan. 28 snowstorm which was the largest in 15 years. The department cleared 357 miles of roads and provided salt to 18 municipalities that had run out of their own.
Innamorato reported progress on public safety and housing last year. She said the number of homicides dropped to the lowest level since electronic record-keeping began in 2007. She credited the change to the violence interruption teams funded through the Department of Human Services. "The data shows how important it is to find community-based solutions and really engage the community when it comes to stopping patterns of violence," she said.
The 500 in 500 housing initiative, a cornerstone project for Innamorato, came to a close. It ultimately housed 622 people. The 1st Home Allegheny program helped 56 first-time buyers purchase homes across 34 municipalities.
As part of a Feb. 5 executive order, Innamorato introduced a Housing Investment Fund. Her goal is to set aside $50–$100 million of public and private money for affordable housing production and rehabilitation. The effort is supported by $3 million in recent federal funding.
In the address, she also reaffirmed the county's stance against coordinating with Immigration and Customs Enforcement and pledged legal support for affected families through the public defender's office.
Nearly 100 people signed up for the meeting's public comment to voice their opinions on the stance and upcoming legislation.
Connections to this story
More surveys
Have your say on more of the stories we’re covering.
County Council
Hallam reports there are fewer people sleeping outdoors than last year.
Fewer people are living outdoors in Allegheny County than last year, a county council member said. Counting on Feb. 3, she saw no one on a South Side trail where she said 60 to 70 lived last year. She credited coordinated outreach and the Housing First approach. Still, winter shelters are open, she noted, so warmer months may look different.
Follow the issues:
Shelter and outreach for unhoused residentsCounty Council
New legislation will take some of the bite out of rising taxes.
For longtime homeowners in redeveloping areas, rising market values can mean rising tax bills. On Feb. 10, Allegheny County Council passed a program capping eligible owners' tax increases at 35%. Owners qualify after 10 years in their homes, with incomes up to $131,625 for a family of four. However, one council member argued the income limit should be higher.
Follow the issues:
Property reassessment and tax reliefCity Council
City to study how to maintain accessibility even after a big snow storm.
Last month's snowstorm left some wheelchair users stuck at home for weeks, a council member said. So she's proposing a citywide inventory of curb cuts, intersections, and transit stops to guide snow clearing. It would also have the city cite owners who don't clear sidewalks. But council held the bill for two weeks to get feedback from city planners.
Follow the issues:
Clearing Pittsburgh's snowCity Council
Bond sales will pay for local infrastructure improvements.
With $645 million in debt already, the city wants to borrow $56 million more for bridges, roads, and buildings. On Feb. 18, council met with financial advisors about the bonds. Still, the city's yearly debt payment would drop to $46 million in 2027, since it's paying off more than it borrows. A final vote is scheduled for next week.
Follow the issues:
Pittsburgh's yearly budget fightsCity Council
Short-term rental regulations move forward after mass shooting at Airbnb on New Year's Day.
About 3,000 Pittsburgh properties are available as short-term rentals, a council member said. Last month, she reintroduced bills to regulate them, including permits for out-of-town owners. Another member said a New Year's Day mass shooting at an Airbnb revived the issue. For now, the zoning bill heads to the Planning Commission, and the permit bill waits at least 12 weeks.
Follow the issues:
Regulating short-term rentalsCity Council
Pittsburgh police have quietly used cell phone surveillance software for seven years.
For seven years, Pittsburgh police have paid for cell phone surveillance software. On Feb. 12, a council member flagged a $2,754 invoice for the software, called CellHawk. She said the administration told her police request data only with a search warrant. So far, the contract doesn't appear to be publicly available.
Follow the issues:
Police surveillance tech under reviewWho's watching city contractsCity Council
City to extend tax break for affordable senior housing.
Three affordable senior high-rises pay the city about $150 a year each instead of property taxes. Now the finance department wants council to extend those agreements for 10 more years. Without them, the tax-exempt buildings would pay nothing, the finance director said. Council advanced the request, though one member worried it lets the department negotiate terms without council oversight.
Follow the issues:
Tax breaks for new housingSchool Board
Philips K-5 to pilot 'walking classroom' program where students learn while moving.
Some Philips K-5 students will learn while walking instead of sitting through lessons. On Jan. 28, the school board authorized a pilot where students walk indoors while listening to a curriculum-based podcast. A nonprofit is providing it at no cost. The district's academic chief said it's considering expanding the program to other schools over the next several years.
Follow the issues:
Walking classrooms at Philips K-5School Board
School board votes 8-0 to reconsider controversial plan to close nine schools after November defeat.
A plan to close nine Pittsburgh Public Schools buildings is back on the table. After rejecting it 6-3 in November, the board voted 8-0 on Jan. 28 to reopen discussion. That version would have meant new schools for about 6,000 of the district's 18,000 students. Still, the board president said the vote wasn't an approval, and public meetings are next.
Follow the issues:
PPS school closuresCity Council
Pittsburgh still $1 million short on unpaid water bills from 2025.
The money set aside for the city's unpaid water bill has come up $1 million short. On Feb. 4, the budget director said only $6 million of the $7 million council approved last year is available. The city still owes the missing $1 million, he said. Next week, council is expected to amend the transfer amount.
Follow the issues:
The bills Pittsburgh didn't payCity Council
UPMC donates $10 million for new ambulances, with state adding $1 million grant.
Pittsburgh's EMS fleet is in line for $10 million from UPMC and a $1 million state grant. Next week, council plans a final vote to accept the money. Chief of Staff Dan Gilman estimated the city can buy eight or nine more ambulances and a rescue unit. Still, he said the one-time gift is separate from talks on longer-term partnerships.
Follow the issues:
Pittsburgh's broken-down vehicle fleetBig donors, public billsCity Council
PNC Foundation gives $2 million for snow equipment after 37 plows broke down in one night.
The city is adding snow removal vehicles after 37 plows broke down in one night. On Feb. 4, council gave preliminary approval to a $2 million PNC Foundation gift covering 15 of them. With other funds and retrofitted trucks, the city will have 70 snow vehicles. The mayor's chief of staff said they won't be ready this winter, though they should arrive by next winter.
Follow the issues:
Clearing Pittsburgh's snowPittsburgh's broken-down vehicle fleetBig donors, public billsCity Council
Council interviews Pittsburgh’s next chief of police.
On Jan. 28, acting police chief Jason Lando told council the city won't assist federal immigration enforcement. He spoke under oath in a four-hour interview, as council moves toward installing a new chief. He committed to working with leaders, the city's attorney, and affected residents on a plan. Lando also wants to bring in an in-house clinician for officer mental health.
Follow the issues:
Searching for a police chiefPittsburgh as a sanctuary cityCounty Council
County may codify a lack of cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.
Allegheny County serves residents regardless of immigration status, but that practice isn't written into county law. Six county council members have now proposed an ordinance to codify it. It would also bar county police and workers from helping federal immigration agents without a federal court order. For now, the bill has gone to the public safety committee.
Follow the issues:
Allegheny County's limits on ICECounty Council
The county executive may be limited to three terms total.
Allegheny County's charter limits the executive to three terms in a row, but doesn't bar a return after a break. Five county council members want voters to close that gap with a May ballot question capping the job at three terms total. The ordinance calls that ambiguity undesirable. Next, the bill goes to the government reform committee.
Follow the issues:
How the county government operatesCity Council
Pittsburgh ponders plans to spend $20 million every year on new vehicles.
When ambulances and snowplows sit in the shop, residents' safety suffers, city officials have warned. Now a council member has proposed a vehicle fund, with a goal of at least $20 million a year from 2027. The aim is to keep 70% of the fleet young enough that major repairs aren't expected. But council has held the bill for four weeks.
Follow the issues:
Pittsburgh's broken-down vehicle fleetCity Council
Council calls on state to increase its funding for Pittsburgh Action Against Rape.
Rape crisis centers across Pennsylvania have gone six years without a state funding increase. Now, City Council has called on the legislature to raise funding for Pittsburgh Action Against Rape and centers statewide. PAAR served nearly 2,500 people in the past year, about 15% of them children, council's request said. About 20% of its funding comes from the state, the Tribune-Review reported.
Follow the issues:
Support for sexual assault survivorsCity Council
The North Shore may have a lot of new signs.
The North Shore could soon get signs the rest of the city doesn't allow, like big screens showing sporting events. On Jan. 21, council advanced a bill creating an entertainment district that includes the stadiums, casino, and museums. Still, product ads and large billboards visible from the highway would be banned. A final vote is expected Jan. 27.
Follow the issues:
North Shore signage rulesCity Council
City may institute a dashboard to keep track of the housing stock.
Nobody knows exactly how many housing units the city has, or how many are available. On Jan. 13, a council member introduced a bill to create a housing data dashboard. Each month, it would show new units ready for occupancy and units no longer available. If passed, it would go live on the city's website by year's end.
Follow the issues:
Tracking Pittsburgh's housing stockCity Council
Some of O’Connor’s appointees need council’s OK.
Council has to approve the mayor's pick for police chief, plus eight of his other appointments. That pick is Jason Lando, a former Pittsburgh officer who now leads police in Frederick, Maryland. Other appointees who need council's OK include the city solicitor. Lando is scheduled to meet with council on Jan. 28.