City Council
The saga of inclusionary zoning takes another plot twist.
An effort to require affordable units in large new or renovated developments has stalled again. Council voted 5-4 for an amendment that would instead offer developers tax breaks and faster approvals to include them voluntarily. That sent the bill back to the Planning Commission, which has 90 days to review it. After that, council has 120 days to hold a public hearing before its vote.
Written by Amy Whipple
An effort to mandate affordable housing in large new or renovated developments has been stalled again. City council voted 5-4 to amend the inclusionary zoning (IZ) legislation, which sent the bill back to the Planning Commission.
Council Member Erika Strassburger of Squirrel Hill North proposed the new amendment, which would give tax breaks and expedited approvals to developers that choose to include affordable units rather than mandating them.
Council, Mayor Ed Gainey and the Planning Commission have been debating IZ legislation for more than a year. The commission’s most recent recommendation — which Gainey wants — calls for 10 percent of units to be affordable in new or renovated developments of 20 or more homes.
IZ unit prices cannot exceed 30 percent of a household’s income. Eligible households cannot earn more than 50 percent of AMI for rentals or more than 80 percent for purchase.
Proponents say that mandatory inclusion will help curb gentrification. Opponents say it will halt development. Council Member Anthony Coghill of Beechview said while all members of council recognize the need for affordable housing, they differ on the approach.
In January, the Planning Commission formally opposed legislation from Council Member Bob Charland of the South Side that would have given individual neighborhoods the power to determine whether low-income units had to be included in new developments. It also would have made the city or its development agencies compensate developers for the lost revenue. Council rejected the bill in July.
Lawrenceville, Bloomfield, Polish Hill and the majority of Oakland already have inclusionary zoning.
The commission has 90 days to consider the new amendments. Council then has 120 days to hold a public hearing ahead of its vote.
Connections to this story
- Elected officials:
- Erika StrassburgerAnthony Coghill
- Local issues:
- Pittsburgh's zoning rewrite
- Governments:
- City Council
- Public meetings:
- City Council · October 14, 2025
More surveys
Have your say on more of the stories we’re covering.
City Council
City’s vehicle fleet barely limping along.
To replace its older, high-mileage vehicles, the city would need about $22 million a year, according to its fleet manager. An Oct. 15 report, the first of its kind, found police, EMS, and trash vehicles are the most overused. The fleet manager recommended speeding up their replacement. Council's budget director suggested a dedicated fleet fund, but council didn't plan any immediate action.
Follow the issues:
Pittsburgh's broken-down vehicle fleetCity Council
Three Sisters Bridges, Schenley Park and Pump Stations are on the verge of historic designations.
The Three Sisters bridges, two pump stations, and Schenley Park are close to gaining historic protection. Council gave them preliminary approval, and final designation is expected next week. Separately, a pending nomination already protects the former Office of Municipal Investigations building, which council approved selling in June. Council plans a public hearing on it, though no date is set.
Follow the issues:
Preserving Pittsburgh's historyManaging the city property portfolioCity Council
Coghill finds money to repair a playground and buy a garbage truck.
Brookline Memorial Park's busy playground has broken equipment, some of it roped off, a council member said. Now, he wants to spend $415,000 in interest savings on playground upgrades and a garbage truck. Still, a 2023 controller's analysis ranked the park near the bottom of the priority list. Another council member said her district needs playground upgrades too.
Follow the issues:
Pittsburgh's broken-down vehicle fleetFixing up city parksCity Council
Duquesne Light’s infrastructure took a hard hit during April’s storm.
Some city residents went nine days without power after the April 29 storm. Five months later, a Duquesne Light official told council the storm did more damage than the company usually sees in a year. The company will invest $2.7 billion over five years, he added. Still, a state utility commission official said burying most city power lines won't be feasible.
Follow the issues:
After the April 2025 stormCity Council
Community groups may be out of the business of organizing neighborhood development meetings.
Since 2018, neighborhood groups have run the community meetings developers must hold for projects that need city commission approval. On Oct. 8, a council member proposed suspending that, saying the city relies too much on nonprofits. The Planning Department wants to run the meetings itself, the council president said. For now, council agreed to the department's request for a two-week hold.
Follow the issues:
Who gets a say in neighborhood developmentCity Council
A plan to have Munhall assist with plowing the streets gets kicked to the curb.
Snow removal is a long-standing frustration across the city. On Oct. 8, a council member proposed exploring a services swap so Munhall could help plow three harder-to-serve neighborhoods. Another member said the plan threatened the jobs of union workers who plow city streets. In the end, a majority voted against advancing it.
Follow the issues:
Clearing Pittsburgh's snowCity Council
Warwick looks to use unspent fuel money on new snow plows.
An overlooked liquid fuels trust fund has money that could go toward new snowplows. A council member proposed moving $750,000 from that fund to the Equipment Leasing Authority. She said that should cover four new plows. Council moved the bill forward on a seven to two vote.
Follow the issues:
Clearing Pittsburgh's snowPittsburgh's broken-down vehicle fleetCity Council
West End sidewalk, bus stop repair program gets $100,000 boost from the county.
Sidewalk and bus stop repairs, plus new crosswalks, are part of a mobility plan for the West End, Esplen, Elliott, and Sheraden. The county's redevelopment authority has added another $100,000, doubling its contribution to $200,000. City officials hope the work also draws people to the area's under-used business district. A council member said residents still oppose rezoning but favor this plan.
Follow the issues:
Fixing streets, steps, and wallsWho gets a say in neighborhood developmentCity Council
Private vendor’s contract may be extended for city police promotions.
Since 2015, a private company has run the city's police promotion exams for sergeant and lieutenant. Council now plans to take up a $74,000 extension so it can run them again next year. The company gives written and oral exams. It also brings in outside officers of the same rank or higher to assess candidates.
Follow the issues:
Rebuilding Pittsburgh's police forceCity Council
Petition calls for Pittsburgh to declare itself a Sanctuary City.
In mid-August, ICE raided two local Emiliano's restaurants and detained 16 people. Nearly 1,500 residents have signed a petition asking council for a hearing on becoming a sanctuary city. That would bar all city agencies from cooperating with ICE. Members indicated they'd hold one, but no date is set, and no action is required afterward.
Follow the issues:
Pittsburgh as a sanctuary cityCity Council
City could bar landlords from rejecting applicants over housing gaps.
Landlords increasingly ask for a housing history, and some reject applicants with gaps or past shelter addresses, a city official said. The city's human relations commission wants to make housing status a protected status in city code. However, two council members worried about an undue burden on landlords and the city. The final vote is set for Sept. 30.
Follow the issues:
Updating Pittsburgh's civil rights protectionsCity Council
City looks to monitor social media for 311.
The city's switch to a new 311 system has drawn confusion and complaints. Now, the city plans to expand it to monitor social media and tie users to their comments. A council member said the city should get trash pickup right before adding capabilities like that. However, council doesn't get a vote on the expansion.
Follow the issues:
Reorganizing and modernizing City HallCity Council
Master plan for new emergency services training center proceeding.
Following weeks of public comment, City Council is poised to spend $1.8 million on a master plan to potentially build an $86 million public safety training facility in the Lincoln-Lemington-Belmar neighborhood.
Follow the issues:
The public safety training campusCity Council
Land Bank looks to take abandoned homes after three years of delinquent tax payments.
After informally working together to try to move tax-delinquent properties back onto the tax rolls, the city has put together an agreement with the land bank, the county and school district.
Follow the issues:
The Land Bank and the city's vacant homesCity Council
City is renting rooftops for surveillance cameras.
The city pays to keep video cameras and related equipment on a Mount Washington condominium roof. Council voted to support a new five-year, $105,600 deal, though it still needs final adoption. A council member said it was the first she'd heard of the cameras. A city official said the cameras there monitor traffic and can't zoom in on license plates or faces.
Follow the issues:
Police surveillance tech under reviewCity Council
Driver’s ed pilot program could help city residents get jobs.
Employers often require a driver's license, even for jobs that don't involve driving. Now, a council member has proposed reviving a workforce program dormant for six years. She said its unused $300,000 could fund a pilot helping people in workforce programs get or reinstate licenses. The plan would also create a driver's ed program, which could include commercial license courses.
Follow the issues:
Youth jobs and job trainingCity Council
Nonprofit to support teams of police, social workers.
Co-response teams pair social workers with police on mental health calls, but only weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. They also cover just three of the city's six police zones. Now, the Department of Public Safety wants council to approve a $483,000 nonprofit donation for Downtown coverage. The public safety director said it would mainly pay for police overtime.
Follow the issues:
Crisis response without policeCity Council
Lincoln Place Fire Station gets $4.5M budget boost to escape muddy floodplain.
Neighbors have wanted a new fire station in Lincoln Place for decades, a council member said. Now, Public Works has asked council for $4.5 million more to move Fire Station 20 there from a floodplain in Hays. That would bring the total cost to $17.7 million. Still, the station will have a small community room instead of the community center neighbors wanted.
Follow the issues:
Fire and EMS stretched thinPittsburgh's broken-down vehicle fleetCity Council
Red light cameras coming to six Pittsburgh intersections in early 2026.
Drivers at six city intersections picked using crash data could get red light camera tickets starting in early 2026. Council gave preliminary approval to the system, which would run under a five-year, $14 million contract. A city transportation official said ticket money will pay for the program. However, she said the city still pays if fines fall short.
Follow the issues:
Red light cameras come to PittsburghCity Council
Council prioritizes community needs over funding criteria for $1.7M grant distributions.
Thirty-nine community groups are in line for about $1.7 million from the Stop the Violence Fund. Council gave preliminary approval, though two members said seven groups didn't meet all funding criteria. A city supervisor said community need came first where a neighborhood has only one provider. Before next Tuesday's final vote, council will get a written rationale for the exceptions.