Pittsburgh Council approves extension of program to require affordable housing in Lawrenceville

A zoning experiment to preserve affordable housing in Pittsburgh’s Lawrenceville neighborhood as it continues to grow was given a six-month extension Tuesday. City council members are exploring if the strategy can be used in other neighborhoods.

The program started in July 2019. Council created an overlay district in Lawrenceville that required 10% of any project involving 20 or more units be affordable for people earning at least 50% of the Allegheny County’s area mean income. That figure is defined as $38,000 for a family of four.

Council approved extending the district through July. It had been set to expire next week.

The overlay district has seen results and cooperation from private developers in the neighborhood, said Councilwoman Deb Gross, who district includes Lawrenceville.

The zoning overlay district is an effort to combat gentrification in a neighborhood, which is home to UPMC Children’s Hospital and the Butler Street strip, where nightlife is booming in non-pandemic times.

The neighborhood is also one of the oldest in Pittsburgh. Some of its older, and more affordable, housing is being torn down in favor of trendy developments like Arsenal 201, developed by Indianapolis-based Milhaus at the site of a Civil War-era arsenal.

The first phase of the project opened in 2018 before the overlay district was created. Now, in the second phase of the development, 10% of the 343 units (34), will be considered affordable housing, Milhaus said.

The overlay district is the only one of its kind in Pennsylvania outside of State College, Gross said.

There has been “no negative backlash” to it, she said, and developers are still looking at the neighborhood and making plans that incorporate the requirements.

Last week, Pittsburgh Planning Director Andrew Dash told council members they’re watching what happens in Lawrenceville to see if it can be used in other neighborhoods and/or made permanent. The extension that council approved Tuesday is a step toward that.

“Affordability is a huge issue in Lawrenceville and we see inclusionary zoning as a critical part of our strategy to create housing opportunities for everyone as the neighborhood grows,” said Dave Breingan, executive director of neighborhood advocacy group Lawrenceville United. “We are grateful for the city’s partnership.”