Title
Resolution establishing the Greater Pittsburgh Affordable Housing Trust ("GPAHT") Implementation Committee.
(Held for Post Agenda)
Body
Whereas, much of the City's housing stock is older and in need of repair, and many existing and prospective homeowners lack the resources to make necessary repairs. Repairing the existing housing stock helps to stabilize neighborhoods by maintaining property values in the surrounding neighborhood, reducing the incidence of vacancy and blight, and decreasing the need for City-funded demolition; and,
Whereas, much of the City's housing stock is not energy efficient, and many property owners lack the resources to make energy efficiency improvements. Improving energy efficiency can help reduce utility costs and provide relief for families with severe housing cost burden. It can also help reduce the City's carbon footprint; and,
Whereas, many Pittsburgh neighborhoods have very low rates of homeownership and high rates of absentee-owned properties. Increasing resident ownership of housing gives people more of a stake in the upkeep of their communities and helps to stabilize neighborhoods; and,
Whereas, the City is experiencing a shortage of decent, safe and sanitary housing that is affordable to extremely low-income families and individuals. The shortage of housing that is affordable to extremely low income families forces them to pay more for housing than they can afford, which reduces the supply of housing that would otherwise be available for families and individuals at other income levels and creates a ripple effect of unaffordability; and,
Whereas, over 23,000 Pittsburgh households are paying more than half of their household income on housing costs. This severe cost burden can make these households vulnerable to eviction, foreclosure, utility termination, and other hardships; and,
Whereas, many very-low income and extremely low-income families and individuals in Pittsburgh need better access to opportunity reso...
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