C O M P R E H E N S I V E C OMM UNI T Y P LAN Draft FINAL REPORT PUBLISHED: XXXXXXXX DRAFT APRIL 22, 2019 Contents Executive Summary........................................... 2 Process and Engagement................................ 16 Client Existing Conditions.......................................... 22 Framing the Existing Conditions...................................................... 24 In partnership with Urban Design.................................................................................... 27 Housing............................................................................................. 34 Sustainability.................................................................................... 46 Community Leadership Homewood Community Development Collaborative Race Street 2050, Inc. Homewood-Brushton YMCA YWCA Homewood Children’s Village Community Empowerment Association Building United of SWPA Homewood-Brushton Business Association Homewood Community Ministries Operation Better Block, Inc. Community Partners Urban Redevelopment Authority State Representative Gainey’s Office Department of City Planning House of Manna MAD DADS Alma Illery Community College of Allegheny County Knotzland Homewood Community Sports Black Urban Gardeners and Farmers Co-op Salvation Army University of Pittsburgh Community Engagement Center Bureau of Police Zone 5 Kilolo Luckett Nine Mile Run Watershed Association Negley Run Watershed Allegheny Housing Rehabilitation Corporation Port Authority Bridgeway Capital Political Leadership Councilman Burgess’ Office Office of the Mayor Consultants Culture............................................................................................... 54 Mobility............................................................................................. 66 Public Health..................................................................................... 72 Education.......................................................................................... 79 Workforce Development................................................................... 88 Business............................................................................................ 92 Vision Statement............................................. 96 Recommendations........................................... 98 Community...................................................................................... 100 Development................................................................................... 123 Mobility........................................................................................... 152 Infrastructure.................................................................................. 162 Implementation............................................. 168 Appendix........................................................ 187 Homewood Community Development Collaborative, the Department of City Planning, and Urban Redevelopment Authority developed the Homewood Comprehensive Community Plan in order to: • Develop goals, recommendations, and implementation strategies to steer planning and development in Homewood for years to come. • Tie together previous planning efforts and establish a common vision and direction for Homewood. • Create a plan that serves as the basis for planning activities, neighborhood design, and future investment decisions. • Engage residents and stakeholders to prioritize community's needs and desires. 2 HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN INTRODUCTION FROM THE HCDC Since the start of the Comprehensive Planning process in Homewood in early 2017, the Homewood Community Development Collaborative (HCDC) has worked together to identify and assess the needs of the Homewood community with our partners in the planning process. One major driving concern is providing economic opportunities that will allow current residents to thrive, while attracting new residents to our neighborhood. We are committed to rebuild Homewood, as a community of the future, to represent what a diverse, mixed-income and vibrant community can look like for our residents and the region. As part of the planning for that vision, we supported the comprehensive planning process outlined in this document, and have started to coordinate the actions necessary for a renewed Homewood. Through community meetings, actions teams, and partner engagement, this comprehensive process will leverage the assets of the people and places in this community, allowing us to transform Homewood from its current state into a thriving community which provides its residents with opportunities for jobs, goods, services, housing and healthcare. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This process has been a communitydriven and community-focused plan from its inception, led by the HCDC, which is a collaborative of local non-profits that work to provide resources to our neighborhood every day. Our focus that was reiterated through this process is our desire to respect current residents, protect them from displacement due to future growth, and to increase economic opportunities for the everyone, especially the seniors, youth and those living in poverty. HCDC’s support of this plan and future projects and programs that are developed from it are predicated on community benefit that fit this criteria. We would like to thank our partners including, the Office of Mayor Peduto, Councilman Ricky Burgess, State Representative Ed Gainey, the Department of City Planning, and the Urban Redevelopment Authority for the resources and talent to support us in completing this effort. We look forward to working with them and additional government, business, foundation and non-profit partners as we work next to implement the community vision outlined in this plan. February 5, 2019 3 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY VISION + MISSION VISION STATEMENT, DEVELOPED BY THE CORE TEAM: Homewood will be an AfricanAmerican cultural destination where people choose to live, work, worship, and visit. It will be safe, green, healthy, and innovative. It will have quality schools. It will be a place that protects long-term and low-income residents and equips them to be engaged and informed. MISSION STATEMENT, DEVELOPED BY A SUBCOMMITTEE AND APPROVED BY THE CORE TEAM: WHAT IS THE COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN? Homewood’s Comprehensive Community Plan is a neighborhood plan being facilitated by the City’s Department of City Planning. This Plan will be (we’ll change in the final version to has been) adopted by the City’s Planning Commission as a part of the City’s Comprehensive Plan to guide the future of the neighborhood for the next ten years, guiding future growth, protecting neighborhood character, creating opportunity, and enhancing the quality of life for all who live, work, and visit Homewood through the vision and input provided by the neighborhood and its residents through this process. The Plan focused on nine key areas determined by the Homewood Collaborative: 4 HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN Housing, Public Health & Safety, Culture & Recreation, Education, Workforce Development, Mobility, Business & Innovation, Sustainability, and Urban Design and Development. The above nine key focus areas helped inform this plan's recommendation areas: community, development, mobility, and infrastructure. These areas were identified through the formation and meetings of the Action Team. The Mission of the Homewood Community Comprehensive Plan is to incorporate the Nguzo Saba (Seven Principles) to craft strategies to transform Homewood into a desirable place to live, work, worship, and visit. Nquzo Saba Principles: • Umoja (Unity) • Kujichagulia (Self-Determination) • Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility) • Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics) • Nia (Purpose) • Kuumba (Creativity) • Imani (Faith) As many Homewood stakeholders have asked, “What makes this plan different?” Our answer is feasibility. The plan seeks to position community members to take this plan and guide Homewood’s development with a holistic command of the market and by integrating social equity and other program and policy strategies with brick and mortar change on the ground. February 5, 2019 5 The Homewood Comprehensive Community Plan’s Core Team and Steering Committee includes a committed group of leaders tasked with working closely with the project consultant during the planning process, as well as ensuring successful implementation after the project is completed. CORE TEAM Andrew Dash Assistant Director Department of City Planning Demi Kolke Senior Planner, Strategic Planning Department of City Planning Free Blackwell CEO and Executive Director of House of Manna Homewood Renaissance Association Mubarik Ismaeli President Homewood Community Sports Raqueeb Bay Co-Founder Black Urban Gardeners & Farmers Co-op Olguens Fils-Aime Corps Commanding Officer Fred Brown President and CEO Former President and CEO Daren Ellerbee Homewood Children’s Village Homewood Children's Village Director T. Rashad Byrdsong Julie Williams President and CEO Former Executive Director Mike Hiller Community Empowerment Association Homewood-Brushton YMCA Former Director of Policy and Outreach Elwin Green Christian Hughes President Treasurer Andrea Elock Race Street 2050, Inc. Homewood-Brushton Business Association Community Planning Coordinator University of Pittsburgh Community Engagement Center Nine Mile Run Watershed Association Port Authority Monique McIntosh Reverand Samuel Ware Chief Administrative Officer Executive Director Dwayne Rankin YWCA Building United of SWPA Chief Lending Officer Rev. Sam Ware Frances Jordan Executive Director Homewood Community Ministies Cmdr. Jason Lando Executive Director Monte Robinson Kilolo Luckett Operation Better Block, Inc. Former Site Director (Lincoln PreK-5) Art Historian/Cultural Producer/Writer Homewood Children’s Village Chief of Staff Jose Diaz Office of Councilman Burgess Director, Hope For All & Y Achievers Majestic Lane Homewood-Brushton YMCA Deputy Chief of Neighborhood Empowerment Bugumba Lowry Office of the Mayor Volunteer and Resident Emily Mitchell MAD DADS, Harambee Project Manager David Hopkins Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) Former Director Melvin Hubbard El Housing Sustainability Culture & Recreation Mobility Public Health and Safety Education Workforce Development David Hopkins Primary Care Health Services Inc. John Stephen Business & Innovation Negley Run Task Force Diamonte Walker MWBA Program Officer URA Each team was led by at least one chair and different teams determined their meeting structure. In the following two pages, the process by which various input from the community, Core Team, Steering Committee, and Action Teams is outlined in detail. Alma Illery District Office Chief of Staff Vladimir St. Surin State Representative Gainey’s Office Assistant Dean of Students Ray Gastil Urban Design & Development Commander Bureau of Police Zone 5 Marita Bradley From the beginning of the Homewood Community Comprehensive Plan Process, nine focus areas were identified as essential considerations in creating a holistic plan. After an initial round of engagment, development of nine Action Teams was proposed as a method for encouraging more in depth involvement from our community of experts around th nine areas outlined below: Bridgeway Capital STEERING COMMITTEE Jerome Jackson ACTION TEAMS Salvation Army Walter Lewis Building United of SWPA EXECUTIVE SUMMARY PROJECT LEADERSHIP Community College of Allegheny County Director Nisha Blackwell Department of City Planning Founder and CEO Knotzland 6 HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN February 5, 2019 7 50 0 to $25,000 to $35,000 $49,999 $34,999 $0 to $24,999 5% 0% $50,000 to $74,999 $75,000+ Renter Incomes and Cost of City Planning demi.kolke@pittsburghpa.gov Burden “The other Homewood: We’re finding next-door heroes and writing a new narrative of the black males who live in one of our most maligned neighborhoods” Homewood’s Future C O M P R E H E N S I V E C OMMUNITY P LAN 2017 of City Planning demi.kolke@pittsburghpa.gov What’s the headline you want to read about Homewood 10 years from now? 412.255.2233 MEETING 2017 WHAT WORDS DO YOU of City Planning demi.kolke@pittsburghpa.gov C O M P R E H E N S I V E COMMUNITY PLAN MEETING Vol. 96, No. 12 10/5/17 SAVE THE DATE: FIRST COMMUNITY 412.255.2233 C O M P R E H E N S I V E C OMMUNI TY P LAN @HomewoodCommunityPlan #PlanHomewood Project Contact: Demi Kolke Department @HomewoodCommunityPlan #PlanHomewood MEETING of City Planning demi.kolke@pittsburghpa.gov SAVE THE DATE: FIRST COMMUNITY 5:00 - 8:00 pm, Thursday, October 5th, Dinner, entertainment, and childcare provided! Location: Homewood YMCA, 7140 Bennett St Homewood Comprehensive Community Plan: The Homewood Collaborative along and stakeholders to participate in with the City of Pittsburgh invite Homewood residents recommendations for planning andan interactive meeting that will help to develop goals and development in Homewood for years to come. 5:00 - 8:00 pm, Thursday, October 5th, 2017 @HomewoodCommunityPlan #PlanHomewood Project Contact: Demi Kolke Department strategies. Dinner, entertainment, and childcare provided! Location: Homewood YMCA, 7140 Bennett St Homewood Comprehensive Community Plan: SAVE THE DATE: FIRST COMMUNITY 5:00 - 8:00 pm, Thursday, October 5th, Dinner, entertainment, and childcare provided! Location: Homewood YMCA, 7140 Bennett St Homewood Comprehensive Community Plan: The Homewood Collaborative along and stakeholders to participate in with the City of Pittsburgh invite Homewood residents recommendations for planning andan interactive meeting that will help to develop goals and development in Homewood for years to come. March 2018 FINAL PLAN COMPLETED A final plan will include a summary of the planning process including specific recommendations for projects, policies, and programs as well as implementation Core Team and/or Steering Commmittee Meetings Community Meetings #PlanHomewood The Homewood Collaborative along and stakeholders to participate in with the City of Pittsburgh invite Homewood residents recommendations for planning andan interactive meeting that will help to develop goals and development in Homewood for years to come. 412.255.2233 MEETING Winter 2018 IMPLEMENTATION PLAN How can community stakeholders and other project partners utilize local, regional, state, and national funding and programs to directly implement Plan recommendations? of City Planning demi.kolke@pittsburghpa.gov HOMEWOOD 412.255.2233 By Asakura Robinson 1,200 Late Fall 2017 DESIGN RECOMMENDATIONS How can broad goals and strategies be translated into detailed recommendations for projects, policies, and programs? Thursday, October 5, 2027 @HomewoodCommunityPlan #PlanHomewood Project Contact: Demi Kolke Department 2017 C O M P R E H E N S I V E COMMUNITY PLAN MEETING Submit your headline Take a moment to think about recent headlines that have been written about your neighborhood. Here are some recent headlines from the Post-Gazette: SAVE THE DATE: FIRST COMMUNITY 2017 The Homewood Collaborative along and stakeholders to participate in with the City of Pittsburgh invite Homewood residents recommendations for planning andan interactive meeting that will help to develop goals and development in Homewood for years to come. 21% strategies can further the diverse goals of the project? @HomewoodCommunityPlan Project Contact: Demi Kolke Department Dinner, entertainment, $Free.99 and childcare provided! Location: Homewood YMCA, 7140 Bennett St Homewood Comprehensive Community Plan: 48% 100 CONCEPT PLANNING Building on vision development and needs assessment, what 5:00 - 8:00 pm, Thursday, October 5th, 5:00 - 8:00 pm, Thursday, October 5th, 150 Fall 2017 WE ARE HERE barriers? of City Planning demi.kolke@pittsburghpa.gov Summer/Early Fall 2017 CORE ENGAGEMENT EVENTS VISION DEVELOPMENT + NEEDS ASSESSMENT What are the needs of the community? How can this plan leverage a shared community vision into action? What are the Plan’s biggest 412.255.2233 C O M P R E H E N S I V E COMMUN I TY PL AN WANT USED TO DESCRIBE HOMEWOOD? PUT YOUR POSTITS HERE!!!! Project Contact: Demi Kolke Department MEETING Project Timeline MEETING of City Planning demi.kolke@pittsburghpa.gov Dinner, entertainment, and childcare provided! Location: Homewood YMCA, 7140 Bennett St Homewood Comprehensive Community Plan: Project Contact: Demi Kolke Department SAVE THE DATE: FIRST COMMUNITY @HomewoodCommunityPlan #PlanHomewood 2017 @HomewoodCommunityPlan #PlanHomewood 64% 250 200 Community Plan? In partnership with the Homewood Collaborative, the City of Pittsburgh Department of Planning, the Pittsburgh Urban Redevelopment Authority, and Homewood residents and stakeholders, the Homewood Comprehensive Community Plan aims to develop goals, recommendations, and implementation strategies to steer planning and development in Homewood for years to come. The planning team is currently working to develop a vision and conceptual plan for Homewood shared by building on past studies, initiatives, and planning efforts such as Operation Better Block’s Cluster Plan; and, by focusing on the following key areas: public health and safety, and culture, innovation and business arts development, housing, education, mobility, land use and urban design, sustainability, and workforce development. C O M P R E H E N S I V E COMMUN I TY PL AN SAVE THE DATE: FIRST COMMUNITY 5:00 - 8:00 pm, Thursday, October 5th, Dinner, entertainment, and childcare provided! Location: Homewood YMCA, 7140 Bennett St Homewood Comprehensive Community Plan: The Homewood Collaborative along and stakeholders to participate in with the City of Pittsburgh invite Homewood residents recommendations for planning andan interactive meeting that will help to develop goals and development in Homewood for years to come. 300 The Homewood Collaborative along and stakeholders to participate in with the City of Pittsburgh invite Homewood residents recommendations for planning andan interactive meeting that will help to develop goals and development in Homewood for years to come. Burden 350 412.255.2233 HOMEWOOD DAWGS VICTORIOUS! “Man shot dead in Homewood South” 1,000 68% “Two injured in Homewood shooting” 800 Custom cleats by @camocustomz propel the Bulldawgs to another victory! “Returning to the land: Urban gardeners hope to put vacant lots to good use in Homewood” 600 What will future headlines read? 400 S I V E C O M P R E H E N PLAN COMMUNITY New Affordable and Mixed-Income Hsg. in Larger Buildings New Options for Higher-Income Families Restoration of Vacant Buildings at Accessible Prices Co-Housing Options for Residents to Support Each Other - EXISTING PUBLIC MEETING #1 New Public Housing and More Vouchers for Quality Housing Photo: post-gazette.com 200 0 39% $0 to $24,999 35% to $25,000 to $35,000 $49,999 $34,999 0% $50,000 to $74,999 0% $75,000+ Cost-burdened households of paying more than 30% their income for housing CONDITIONS C O M P R E H E N S I V E COMMUN ITY PLAN PUBLIC MEETING #1 Example Community Meeting Activities 1ST COMMUNITY MEETING: October 5th, 2017 PRIORITIES MEET RESIDENTS’ NEEDS *CORE TEAM MEETINGS Most of the homes in Homewood are single-family residences, and the majority of people who live in Homewood are renters. Residents tend to have lower incomes than Pittsburgh as a whole; the median household income is $19,642, which allows a monthly housing payment of about $500. A large number of elderly residents and female-headed households with children live in Homewood. ACTION TEAMS CREATED: October 2017 UNITS IN PROPERTY Key questions may include: What do these statistics suggest about housing needs in Homewood? Does the current housing available meet the needs of local residents? What new types of housing might Homewood need in the future? ASSIST COST-BURDENED RESIDENTS 400 350 300 250 64% 200 150 RENTER & OWNER OCCUPIED 100 48% 50 46% 0 70% of all units are single family 21% $0 to $24,999 41.8% owner occupied 1,000 58.2% renter occupied 24% $25,000 to $34,999 $35,000 to $49,999 5% 0% $50,000 to $74,999 $75,000+ The graphs at left show details about Homewood’s renter households and homeowner households, divided by their income levels. The dotted amounts in each income category show what percentage of those households are cost-burdened. Many households who are making less than $35,000 per year are cost-burdened, as are some households making $35,000 $50,000 per year. RENTER INCOMES AND COST BURDEN: HOMEWOOD (HOUSEHOLDS) 1,200 1,000 500 INITIAL ACTION TEAM MEETINGS: October-December 2017 Every person, family, and household needs housing that is affordable for their income level. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development recommends that families and households should pay no more than 30% of their income for housing costs, including rent or mortgage costs, insurance, and utilities. Households that pay more than 30% of their income are considered “Cost Burdened”: they have a “burden” because they are paying too much for housing and they do not have enough money left for other needs such as food, transportation, education, or medical expenses. OWNER INCOMES AND COST BURDEN: HOMEWOOD (HOUSEHOLDS) 2,000 1,500 10% 8% et ac t At he d ta ch ed 2 -4 U ni 5 - 9 ts U ni - 49 ts U 50 nits + U ni ts tD 800 Out of 2,684 total housing units 400 200 Median household income $19,642 compared to NOTES PRIORITY #1: 6 Key questions may include: In light of this issue, do we need more affordable housing in Homewood? What income levels should that housing serve? Who provides housing for residents at those income levels? What do renters and owners need? 600 Source: American Community Survey 2015 10 ni 68% 8% 4% 0 0 in Homewood is Initial Action Team Meetings occurred between October and December 2017 for most focus areas of the plan: Urban Design and Development, Housing, Sustainability, Culture and Recreation, Mobility, Public Health and Safety, Education, Workforce Development, and Business and Innovation. Each Action Team was presented with results from community engagement to date that oulined feedback relevant to their focus area; and, a compilation of priorities for their focus area based on community feedback and with supporting existing conditions data and mapping (right). The goal of this initial meeting was to finalize the priorities and goals within each Action Team’s focus area. & INNOVATION MEETING #1: March 19, 2018 39% $0 to $24,999 $25,000 to $34,999 35% $35,000 to $49,999 0% 0% $50,000 to $74,999 $75,000+ Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2011-2015 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates $40,715 in the City of Pittsburgh 7 HOUSING PRIORITIES STRATEGIES PRIORITY #2: PRIORITY #3: PRIORITY #4: PRIORITY #5: PRIORITY #6: 14 15 Action Team Documents NEAR-TERM (1-2 YEARS) LONG-TERM (5-10 YEARS) IMMEDIATE (FIRST YEAR) PROJECT POLICY 2ND AND 3RD ROUND ACTION TEAM MEETINGS: December 2017 - May 2018 PRIORITY KEY PARTNERS PPPs KEY CONSIDERATIONS / AMENDMENTS: Increase healthy food access STRATEGY #1: PROGRAM GOAL 1: INTERMEDIATE (2-5 YEARS) *CORE TEAM MEETINGS SUSTAINABILITY ACTION TEAM MEETING 3: Strategies, Priorities, and Partners GOAL SETTING In the Goal Setting phase, Action Teams worked together to solidify goals for each of their focus areas. C O M P R E H E N S I V E COMMUNITY PLAN ACTION TEAM: BUSINESS ni During the Prioritization phase, initial priorities evident from both the first public engagement activities, as well as the existing conditions document, were vetted by both the Core Team and recently created Action Teams. Once a consensus on priorities was reached, each Action Team moved into the goal setting phase. The meeting brought together over 100 dedicated members of the Homewood community for a robust conversation The project Core Team and Steering Committee members have signed up to lead nine Actions Teams, each focused on one of the nine key areas above. These Action Teams made up of residents and stakeholders will directly shape the final recommendations of the Community Plan. about the priorities, joys, needs, hopes, and challenges of the neighborhood. HOUSING PRIORITIES PRIORITIZATION The graphic to the right explains each step in detail, including the development of Action Teams focused on the nine areas of the plan, first developed to assist in vetting how priorities were being chosen. These Action Teams remained a key component of efforts through the development of goals and strategies. Participation was encouraged from both Core Team and Steering Committee members, as well as members of the community. What is the Homewood Comprehensive Community Land Trusts for Affordable Ownership Energy Efficiency and Weatherization Programs Disability and Agingin-Place Adaptation Assistance Assistance for Renters to Become Homeowners Repairs for Homeowners This meeting prepared the Steering Committee and Core Team with a preview of the upcoming community meeting materials. U Draft and Final Strategies C O M P R E H E N S I V E C O M M U N I T Y P L A N SAVE THE DATE: FIRST COMMUNITY 5:00 - 8:00 pm, Thursday, October 5th, 2017 Dinner, entertainment, and childcare provided! Location: Homewood YMCA, 7140 Bennett St Owner Incomes and Cost 400 The words “affordable property. But every person, family, and household of Housing and Urban Development that it is a public housing level. The U.S. Departmentno more than 30% of their income for is affordable for their income and households should pay recommends that familiesrent or mortgage costs, insurance, and utilities. housing costs, including do we hope the by this definition? What today have affordable housing Do Homewood’s families in Homewood will look like? Let’s decide together. next generation of housing U • ACTIVITY: Vision for HOUSING IN LE HOUSING” MEAN WHAT DOES “AFFORDAB funds, or ? is subsidized with public HOMEWOODhousing” often imply that a property needs housing that le Goal Setting d’s Existing Housing Options for Homewoo and New Residents le • MEETING: October 4th, 2017 Results from feedback ng Prioritization 2. A deep dive into the data that led to an existing conditions analysis focused on all areas of the plan. An initial kickoff meeting with the Core Team and Steering Committee set the stage for the project team to understand priorities for the October Community Meeting and for the upcoming existing conditions research. ng • 1. On the initial public engagement tasks, including agenda setting, understanding the community vision broadly, and introducing the project to the community; and KICKOFF MEETING: June 20th, 2017 Si Information Gathering During the Information Gathering phase, efforts were focused in two areas: EXAMPLE DOCUMENTS + PROJECT TEAM WORK Si • INFORMATION GATHERING The Homewood Comprehensive Community Plan was created with the input of regular engagement with the community, key stakeholders, and local organizations. The process was iterative and included regular coordination with the Homewood Community Development Collaborative (HCDC), the City of Pittsburgh, and the Urban Redevelopment Authority. Generally, there were four major steps in the planning process (outlined in more detail to the right): CORE TEAM Project Contact: Demi Kolke Department PROJECT PROCESS STEERING COMMITTEE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY COMMUNITY Create a Buying club/ Food Cooperative STRATEGY #2: Promote an increase in farmers markets in Homewood STRATEGY #3: During the Final Strategies phase, draft strategies were organized into the four final categories for this plan: Community, Development, Mobility and Infrastructure. Create a Green Cart Program STRATEGY #4: Create a program to encourage Home Gardening January 30th, 2018 FINAL STRATEGIES DRAFT STRATEGIES During the Draft Strategies phase, initial strategies were created that aligned with each of the nine focus areas' goals. Many Action Teams continued to meet a number of times leading up to the May 2018 Community Meeting. At this phase, Action Teams focused on taking the consensus on Homewood’s priorities and goals and created actionable recommendations. The worksheet to the right was created for each Action Team at this stage in order to help organize the process. Action Team Chairs were responsible for attending the May 2018 Community Meeting and presenting those draft recommendations to the community for comment in an open house format. STRATEGY #5: Promote Food Education STRATEGY #6: Engage in a market feasibility assessment for a grocery store 3 2 Action Team Documents *CORE TEAM MEETINGS 2ND COMMUNITY MEETING: May 10th, 2018 This second meeting with the community vetted the goals and recommendations set forth by each Action Team and informed the changes made to develop the final goals and recommendations outlined in this planning document. *CORE TEAM MEETINGS DRAFT PLAN E N S I V E C O M P R E H ITY PLAN COMMUN T Draft FINAL REPOR DRAFT PUBLISHED: XXXXXXXX 8 HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN February 5, 2019 9 DEVELOPMENT Community goals primarily focus on the connections among the Urban Design and Development, Sustainability, Culture and Recreation, Public Health and Safety, Education, and Workforce Development. Goals within this theme offer strategies aimed at addressing more holistic considerations for the quality of life of Homewood's residents from food access and quality education, to career readiness and preservation of Homewood's heritage and culture. Within the Development theme, goals primarily address Urban Design and Development, Public Health and Safety, Housing, and Business and Innovation. Many of the goals and strategies in this theme are related to the future growth and development of Homewood and aim to ensure steps are being taken in the nearterm to ensure long-term development outcomes that bolster existing residents and businesses, and encapsulate their vision for the design of future development. MOBILITY INFRASTRUCTURE Mobility goals cut across Sustainability, Mobility, Public Health and Safety, Education, and Workforce Development focus areas. From ensuring the future of Homewood is accessible for all regardless of ability, to ensuring we have access to high quality transit, and finally, advocating for safe routes to school for our youth, Mobility goals are an integral part of the holistic vision of this plan. Infrastructure forms the foundation of a livable community. Goals within this theme are primarily focused on Urban Design and Development, Sustainability, and Culture and Recreation. These goals will have long term impacts on the environment in and around Homewood, the way Homewood manages stormwater, and how open spaces can contribute not only to environmental and stormwater goals, but also provide accessible, high quality parks. KEY THEMES GOALS As a part of the final development of the strategies outlined in the recommendations section of this document, goals and strategies were reformatted to align around four key themes rather than around the nine initial focus areas outlined in the beginning of the planning process. These themes provide a better sense of the overlap of the issues and strategies in Homewood. For instance, a strategy for vacant land came up in a majority of the Action Team discussions and many of the focus areas included strategies for vacant land in the Draft Strategies phase. This reorganization allows for more holistic implementation of strategies that promote positive outcomes throughout all nine initial focus areas. Key themes are outlined in the graphic above. Among the four key themes, there are 22 goals with anywhere from three to nine strategies each outlined page right. In the recommendations section, each goal is paired with a number of implementable strategies. Each strategy outlines the type of strategy (program, policy, or project), the timeline for implementation, how the strategy connects to previous plans, and which Action Teams are directly related to ensuring implementation. HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 10 COMMUNITY COMMUNITY GOAL 1: Improve fresh and healthy food access Strategy 1.1: Form food access working group to facilitate creation of a buying club or food cooperative in Homewood that sells affordable, healthy food options Strategy 1.2: Promote an increase in farmers markets and farm stands in Homewood Strategy 1.3: Convene stakeholders to better understand how poverty, inequities, and food costs lead to food insecurity and how current initiatives are combating this and could be replicated in Homewood Strategy 1.4: Expand and solidify garden skillshare program to encourage home gardening and foster community knowledge Strategy 1.5: Encourage corner stores and small scale food retailers to become healthy food retailers that promote healthy food options Strategy 1.6: Coordinate access to healthy breakfast and lunch options for residents, seniors, and students, especially outside regular school hours GOAL 2: Improve education quality for all Homewood students Strategy 2.1: Improve overall quality of curriculum, access, and teaching force for early learning programs and K-12 schools Strategy 2.2: Seek out technical assistance to increase quality of early childhood programs Strategy 2.3: Develop and implement ongoing research and evaluation methodology for homewood school performance in partnership with universities. Link policies to research agenda Strategy 2.4: Ensure smaller class/group size with lower adult to student ratios and with opportunities for one-on-one student engagement Strategy 2.5: Seek the involvement of students, families, and community in the learning and educations decision making process Strategy 2.6: Ensure a safe and secure learning environment for all Homewood students Strategy 2.7: Create opportunities for parents and family members to be more involved in improving school and quality by encouraging parents to contribute to health activities, services, and programs at school GOAL 3: Create more and better out-of-school time options Strategy 3.1: Coordinate and align OST resources to ensure quality and necessary resources are available to all students. Align OST programming to school day curriculum and increase evening and weekend opportunities Strategy 3.2: Fund supplemental library options such as building a mobile library that travels throughout Homewood that community organizations or residents could rent books or textbooks from, or building little free libraries throughout the neighborhood to promote reading at a young age Strategy 3.3: Create an after school healthy cooking club for parents and students to learn about healthy eating, and partner with local restaurants to host cooking demonstation Strategy 3.4: Secure qualified, credentialled, and well-trained staff to increase the number of OST providers committed to continuous quality improvement Strategy 3.5: Create opportunities for youth to participate in OST program design and decision making GOAL 4: Organize community support teams that focus on public health and safety Strategy 4.1: Work with local drug abuse organizations to identify harm reduction strategies Strategy 4.2: Identify how young adult residents prioritize public safety and to remove barriers to reporting violent incidents Strategy 4.3: Bridge connection with jail, probation, and community so that returning citizens can be connected to existing program and jobs prior to their return and immediately afterward Strategy 4.4: Host community dialogues and events that center community experiences and improve relations with police Strategy 4.5: Increase Alma Illery's presence and capacity in Homewood Strategy 4.6: Work with Main street partners and businesses to increase safety through lighting, creative design, and other iniatives Strategy 4.7: Foster healthy living by providing physical activity programming before and after school February 5, 2019 11 Strategy 5.1: Develop a framework and hub so that community partners can better connect residents to local employers and business opportunities Strategy 5.2: Coordinate and communicate internship and training opportunities to community and students to increase access and placement Strategy 5.3: Connect with regional corporations and partners to better understand 21st Century job field projections and tailor workforce programs accordingly Strategy 5.4: Create outreach programs to support vulnerable populations and pursue subsidies, such as senior community service employment program, to employ seniors Strategy 5.5: Change the scope of job fairs and certificate programs to become career + continuing education fairs for living wage career paths Strategy 5.6: Create documents checklist and empower entities to ensure Homewood residents have documentation needed to access employment GOAL 6: Promote and preserve Homewood’s African-American heritage and culture Strategy 6.1: Promote Homewood's past through interpretive storytelling, neighborhood branding, murals and public art and the reuse of vacant parcels Strategy 6.2: Support existing community organzations and upgrade their facilities Strategy 6.3: Increase cultural education to include music, art, and black history Strategy 6.4: Utilize press relationships and positive media coverage to showcase Homewood's past and present Strategy 6.5: Develop a destination museum of African-American history and culture that tells the story of Homewood and the broader history of African American Pittsburgh Strategy 6.6: Partner with owners, historical organizations, and funders to secure, then potentially repair and reopen National Negro Opera Company building DEVELOPMENT GOAL 7: Focus on neighborhood level small business technical assistance Strategy 7.1: Partner with city and developers to rebuild Homewood's commercial district through mixed use, mixed income opportunities along Homewood Avenue Strategy 7.2: Provide education to residents regarding commercial property leasing and ownership, including creative ownership mechanisms such as co-op, rent-to-own, etc. Strategy 7.3: Partner with financial institutions and business development technical assistance providers to provide guidance on securing financing for commercial property purchase Strategy 7.4: Create incubator that offers below-market rents for resident-owned businesses, minority-owned businesses, and cultural spaces Strategy 7.5: Provide architectural/ design services for rehabs or new build commercial space for Homewood businesses Strategy 7.6: Provide pro bono or discounted assistance for Homewood business owners including legal services, busines plan assistance, and mentoring Strategy 7.7: Formalize HBBA's role in policy decisions related to commercial and business development in Homewood Strategy 7.8: Fund full-time staff member (such as Homwood Main Street manager or HBBA director) to act as liason among business owners, residents, developers, and city government 12 HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN GOAL 8: Bring Homewood’s regulatory framework into alignment with previous planning and shape Homewood’s future growth Strategy 8.1: Develop a neighborhood build-out strategy that includes long-term targets and initial focus areas, with a substantial population growth goal by 2040 Strategy 8.2: Update the city’s zoning code to support the community's goals. pursue zoning overlays to promote affordable development and access to rental income for residents Strategy 8.3: Assess feasibility of a neighborhood market or small scale grocery store EXECUTIVE SUMMARY GOAL 5: Increase career readiness and placement GOAL 9: Manage vacant properties comprehensively Strategy 9.1: Strategy 9.2: Strategy 9.3: Strategy 9.4: and notice Strategy 9.5: Review push-to-green parcels with community in order to establish long-term greening uses where appropriate Apply for grant funding to secure implementation and maintenance materials Where appropriate, transfer vacant lots to adjacent property owners through a mow-to-own or sideyard program Partner with permits, licensing, and inspection to prioritize properties for demolition and ensure community involvement Initiate 311 blitz to report buildings as vacant, request boarding up where needed, and attempt to contact owners GOAL 10: Encourage community led and driven development Strategy 10.1: Target development and redevelopment south of Frankstown Avenue in Homewood south and near neighborhood gateways to improve development conditions and create “tipping-points” for redevelopment Strategy 10.2: The ura should work with the collaborative to determine a pipeline of future development sites and request for proposals (RFPs) Strategy 10.3: Encourage neighborhood initiated development of land through tools such as pittsburgh property reserve and the land bank Strategy 10.4: Register the Homewood Community Development Collaborative as a registered community organization Strategy 10.5: Set standards for community benefits that include hiring Homewood residents and utilizing Homewood-based businesses GOAL 11: Renovate existing vacant housing to provide Homewood residents with pathways to homeownership Strategy 11.1: Focus on rehabilitating the following types of vacant housing stock: 1) dividing large homes into ownership and rental units to provide owners with rental income; 2) duplexes that can provide owners with rental income, and 3) single family homes Strategy 11.2: Provide homeownership education for homewood residents who are working toward buying a home or who already have a home and need additional assistance Strategy 11.3: Get banks' buy-in to provide closing cost/down payment assistance and appropriate loan products, and coordinate with programs that provide additional assistance with bank fees and down payments GOAL 12: Use innovative and targeted housing development to meet the needs of specific household demographics in Homewood Strategy 12.1: Maintain and develop quality senior housing options with a range of affordability and ownership optins including creative solutions such as communal living and service provision Strategy 12.2: Provide a broader diversity of housing types, including more high-quality market-rate and affordable rental housing units, and options for smaller households. target a final neighborhood composition of one-third affordable housing (<60% AMI), one-third workforce housing (60-80% AMI), and one-third market-rate housing (over 80% AMI) Strategy 12.3: Support single-parent headed households through developments that include supportive services and communal resources for single-parent families February 5, 2019 13 existing and future residents Strategy 13.1: Ensure that all new development projects, as well as substantial rehabilitations of vacant properties, include energy efficiency standards that help keep the property’s utility bills affordable Strategy 13.2: Help existing homeowners and landlords make their units energy- and water-efficient to reduce cost burdens on existing Homewood residents GOAL 14: Prevent displacement through affordable housing development, proactive policy, and stabilization of existing residents Strategy 14.1: Grow and fund homeowner stabilization programs for existing homeowners, including home repairs, tangled title services and property tax assistance Strategy 14.2: Create channels for existing organizations who aid with emergency financial need to share best practices and resources GOAL 15: Create Homewood-specific design standards for new development Strategy 15.1: Ensure contextually appropriate, sustainable and equitable development MOBILITY GOAL 16: Create a consistent, ADA compliant network of sidewalks that facilitates economic development and EXECUTIVE SUMMARY GOAL 13: Implement green building and energy efficiency programs and standards to reduce cost burdens for INFRASTRUCTURE GOAL 19: Improve access to and quality of open spaces Strategy 19.1: Redevelop Homewood field to improve the football field and swimming pool, to incorporate a new gathering space, and improve the connection Westinghouse Park Strategy 19.2: Create a new, centrally located park north of Frankstown Avenue Strategy 19.3: Relax restrictive policies on the use of Westinghouse Park to improve equitable community access GOAL 20: Improve local air quality Strategy 20.1: Work with ongoing efforts to develop tree planting strategy for Homewood Strategy 20.2: Streamline and target specific areas for ongoing air quality monitoring GOAL 21: Encourage the expansion of Stormwater Management Strategy 21.1: Align planning and redevelopment efforts toward establishing a network of green stormwater infrastructure practices that safely allow runoff to convey toward a restored silver lake Strategy 21.2: Advocate for expansion and alignment of city policy to support green infrastructure in Homewood Strategy 21.3: Collaborate with PWSA, 9MRWA, Negley Run task force to assess block-by-block approach for microshed small-scale green infrastructure projects serves the needs of community members Strategy 16.1: Conduct a pedestrian audit to a short term goal of prioritizing problem areas and a long term goal of providing safe and stable sidewalks in all of Homewood Strategy 16.2: Target sidewalk improvements to high traffic areas, transit locations, schools, and other community assets Strategy 16.3: Update pedestrian standards, including lighting, benches, and trashcans and ensure new development supports pedestrian activity Strategy 16.4: Improve access to grant programs for sidewalk repairs Strategy 16.5: Implement a neighborhood wayfinding system in coordination with community branding Strategy 16.6: Identify, advocate for and aggressively pursue federal, state, and regional funding sources to improve access to transit and parks GOAL 17: Ensure Homewood residents have access to high quality transit that increases economic opportunity and supports everyday needs Strategy 17.1: Update existing bus shelters and provide additional shelters within the neighborhood Strategy 17.2: Advocate for and improve access to information about transit organization priorities and plans Strategy 17.3: Calm traffic on major streets and stripe crossings at intersections with bus shelters Strategy 17.4: Create sustainable partnerships that allow for pre-loaded or discounted connectcards or ensure other methods of transit are provided in workforce pipeline programs GOAL 18: Create Safe Routes to School Strategy 18.1: Strategy 18.2: Strategy 18.3: Strategy 18.4: Strategy 18.5: Strategy 18.6: 14 Encourage parents, community members, elders, police and fire to volunteer as crossing guards Create signage along school routes with empowering messages and improve lighting along route install 15 mph signs and other appropriate signs in school safe zones Work with zone 5 to request officers to patrol school routes during morning and afternoon times Create a play street program in Homewood to provide free opportunities for community exercise Install "no idling" signage throughout the neighborhood; enforce "no idling" areas HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN February 5, 2019 15 ENGAGEMENT PROCESS AND ENGAGEMENT Community empowerment and building the capacity of the community was a key goal of the planning process. The engagement that took place sought to ensure that the Homewood Collaborative members were in the driver's seat for the planning process. 16 HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN February 5, 2019 17 ENGAGEMENT Vision for Homewood’s Future The activity engaged participants to envision how they would like to see Homewood portrayed in local media. The mockup’s front page headline read: “HOMEWOOD: What’s the headline you want to read about Homewood 10 years from now?” COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION The Public Engagement Plan for the community plan centered on ensuring that the core team, steering committee and community played as active a role as possible in the development of the plan's recommendations, with the consultant team playing the role of technical support and coordinator for the planning process. As such, the community should be considered the main author of this plan. PUBLIC MEETING #1 The Homewood Comprehensive Community Plan hosted its first community meeting at the Homewood YMCA on Thursday, October 5th from 5:00pm to 8:00pm. The event was well attended with over 100 people who worked, lived, and went to school in the neighborhood. The goals of the first meeting were: 1. Seek to understand neighborhood priorities, assets, needs, and 2. Gather input to create directions for planning process 18 HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN COMMUNITY VISIONING STATIONS Headlines from the activity varied in details and were consistent in themes. Commercial development, particularly community-oriented businesses, was the most common headline theme. Many headlines also expressed that community development should be led by the community to avoid displacement of current residents. Education, culture, safety, and greenspace were also common headline themes. Mapping Your Homewood Mt. Homewood Attendees were welcomed to “Map their Homewood” with stickers that represented where they or their children went to school, where they worked, where they lived, where they worshiped, areas they loved, and areas they thought needed improvements. Stickers were scattered all over the map however the largest congregation of all sticker types can be found around the intersection of Homewood Avenue and Bennett Street. This activity’s goal was to highlight influential Homewood residents past and present and to gain insight about which figures resonated most with current residents. Participants were asked to highlight four people whom they felt were most influential. The following four received the top votes: Opportunities at Every Stage of Life This activity’s goal was to better understand the challenges and opportunities experienced by Homewood residents of all ages. There were four boards with images of four stages of life: Children, Young Adults, Adults, Seniors. Each board asked one question about local opportunities and one about what is missing. While the answers covered a wide range of topics, there were common themes across age groups. Overall, there was a desire to enhance the capacity of existing organizations and programs. A variety of local organizations were listed as opportunities; and, challenges often brought up issues that some local organizations work within. More specifically, the local economy and education were brought up in every age group. There was also a consensus that challenges and opportunities are connected across age groups. Albert ‘Kippy’ French Cornelius Dorsey Sr. John Edgar Wideman Mary Lou Williams Poster from the Vision for Homewood’s Future Activity # of times chosen 24 14 12 11 To see a complete list of figures, please reference the appendix 1 Housing Options for Homewood’s Existing and New Residents The goal of this activity was to begin a conversation about affordability and housing challenges in order to gain an understanding of priorities. Participants agreed that: Existing residents need high-quality, affordable, safe housing; and, New residents should be served with mixedincome options, and housing strategies should be linked to increasing retail and basic services in the neighborhood. February 5, 2019 19 This activity’s goal was to gain a spatial understanding of travel patterns and the reasons people avoid places. “Neighborhood Destinations” pins were in a variety of locations. There were some areas of consensus throughout most of the southern half and west of The YMCA. Most pins were put on green spaces, cultural institutions, and businesses. The “Places You Avoid” pins were highly concentrated in a few streets and intersections. The vast majority were around the intersection of Frankstown & Homewood Avenues. There were also pins along Brushton Ave, south of Frankstown, and a couple around the Homewood Station. Many reasons for avoiding locations were related to crime and past violence. On a mobility map, the majority of stickers were drivers. There were also walking stickers around Homewood Field, Homewood Station, Everyday Cafe, and between Lang and Homewood Avenues and Bennett St. Community Priorities The Priorities Activity was set up for attendees to participate in as they left the meeting. Attendees were each given 100 points to vote on which topics they thought deserved the most attention by placing their points into small boxes for each focus area. The point breakdown for the focus groups are as follows: Priorities Points Housing 611 Education 506 Business + Innovation 417 Public Health + Safety 409 Urban Design + Development 367 Workforce Development 314 Culture + Recreation 309 Sustainability 253 Mobility 141 Map of responses to “places you avoid” and “neighborhood destinations” PUBLIC MEETING #2 Homewood Comprehensive Community Plan hosted its second community meeting at the Homewood YMCA on Thursday, May 10, 2018 from 6:30pm to 8:30pm. The event was well attended with over 120 people who worked, lived, and went to school in the neighborhood. The meeting was intended to: • Check in with residents and community stakeholders to review and discuss goals, recommendations, and implementation strategies developed by the Action Teams. Summarized Comments from “What is Missing” Activity: Public Health and Safety • Public health should be linked to biking and walkability • Enforce speed limit • Introduce schools/kids to police and encourage police careers Education • Increase access to learning outdoors • Focus on teaching life skills • Promote mental health services in early learning development • More school crossing guards needed Increase weekend programming and programming on trades to work in • Identify what is missing from the goals and strategies. • • Re-engage with residents and consider how the plan can effectively plug into existing community infrastructure. Sustainability Pulling It All Together Mapping Activity Attendees were welcomed to help design the future of Homewood by identifying missing information centered around the 9 Action Teams relating to an overall development strategy for the neighborhood. Focus of Conversation: • Create demolition process enforcement for Homewood • Need storm-water projects in Homewood Culture and Recreation • • • 1. Homewood Field and surrounding area NEIGHBORHOOD DESTINATIONS PLACES YOU AVOID 20 HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN Progressive dinner to highlight Homewood’s Culinary Assets Invest in sidewalks, streets, and playgrounds to encourage outdoor recreation Gathering space/studio for community classes: dance, movement, line dancing 2. Homewood Commercial Core Workforce Development 3. Homewood residential areas • Bring older investors/mentors to teach youth • Northside Job Fair for youth that includes internships and career planning • Evening meetings for WFAT Housing Activity: How do we ensure housing development will benefit our community? The Housing Activity was organized by the Housing Action Team Chair Rev. Ware. Participants who visited this table worked on defining gentrification and the potential positive and negative consequences of development and investment in Homewood. ENGAGEMENT Public Health, Safety, & Mobility in Homewood Mobility • Healthy ride curriculum in schools • Crossing streets are difficult • Difficult riding wheelchair on sidewalks • Need enclosed bus shelters February 5, 2019 21 EXISTING CONDITIONS EXISTING CONDITIONS A deep dive into what is happening on the ground in Homewood right now - from historic buildings, existing businesses, and new development to youth programs and green infrastructure. 22 HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN February 5, 2019 23 The following section focuses on the nine topic areas for the Homewood Comprehensive Community Plan identified by the Homewood Community Development Collaborative. Each item within this existing conditions section corresponds to a core community concern identified during community engagement efforts and focused stakeholder meetings. RACE RACE IN HOMEWOOD Today, the community is more than 90% AfricanAmerican, compared to 24% in the City of Pittsburgh. Bi- or multi-racial people make up the next largest demographic group, followed by small percentages of White and Asian residents. Source: 2011-2015 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates COMMUNITY DEMOGRAPHICS In the early twentieth century, Homewood was a diverse community of Irish, Italian, German and upper-middle class African-Americans. In the 1950's the displacement of numerous African-Americans from the Hill District, closer to downtown, caused an influx of new residents to the community and accelerated "white flight," taking the community from 22% Black in 1950 to 66% black in 1960. During this period, African-American owned business also thrived on Frankstown Avenue and the community developed as one of the most important Black communities in Western Pennsylvania. The overall population of the community has declined significantly from a high of more than 34,000 to around 6,500 people today due to various factors of disinvestment. INCOME Population loss has also lead to a significant decrease in the wealth and resources available in the neighborhood as residents of higher incomes have largely left the community. The median household income of Homewood residents is less than half of the City of Pittsburgh's median, and more than 29% of residents report less than $10,000 a year in income. 24 HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN 92.84% African American Two or more races 3.09% White 92.84% 201 2.09% 6,032 These were also outlined and presented to the nine Action Team groups. At each Action Team's first meeting, a document and worksheet was presented with the same structure seen in each of the sections below. Those documents and worksheets served as a starting point to both understand major community concerns and priorities and to begin proposing recommendations for the final Homewood Comprehensive Community Plan. EXISTING CONDITIONS FRAMING EXISTING CONDITIONS 136 of Homewood residents are African American, compared to 24.70% N S I V E C O M P R E H E PLAN COMMUNITY Asian Other American Indian 0.12% 1.62% 0.23% 8 105 15 of residents of the City of Pittsburgh Source: 2011-2015 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates AINABILITY ACTION TEAM: SUST PUBLISHED: November 16, 2017 DRAFT 1 RACE IN PITTSBURGH Source: 2011-2015 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates Urban Design & Development page 27 Housing page 34 Sustainability page 46 Culture & Recreation page 54 Mobility page 66 Public Health and Safety page 72 Education page 79 Workforce Development page 88 Business & Innovation page 92 African American Two or more races 6.28% White 24.70% 19,412 66.17% 76,397 204,671 Asian Other American Indian 0.18% 5.28% 0.51% 559 16,317 1,593 February 5, 2019 25 EXISTING CONDITIONS COMMUNITY GROWTH STRATEGY Throughout the early stages of the planning process, the project team found a number of common themes related to Urban Design and Development listed below: INCOME (% OF HOMEWOOD RESIDENTS) Source: 2011-2015 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates 700 29.1% 1. Development can’t just focus on one area (housing, safety, education, etc.). The social determinants of equity need to be addressed together. Median household income 600 2. Perception that everyone in Homewood lives in poverty, but that is not the reality. Those who are above the poverty line don’t qualify for senior housing, but many still can’t afford to leave their homes. in Homewood is 500 $19,642 compared to 400 $40,715 14.1% Source: 2011-2015 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates 4.4% 1.4% 2.0% 1.4% 0.4% 0.1% 99 ,9 99 99 ,9 50 ,0 00 -1 99 44 -1 ,9 00 ,0 25 $1 5. News only covers safety/crime issues in Homewood, residents don’t know what rumored developments are actually going to happen $1 99 24 -1 ,9 00 ,0 00 99 99 ,9 000 5, $7 $1 99 74 ,9 59 0, 00 0- 99 0- $6 00 $5 0, 0- 49 ,9 99 ,9 $4 5, 00 44 99 ,9 0, 00 0- 99 39 $4 $3 5, 00 0- 49 99 0- 3, ,9 $3 0, 00 29 99 ,9 $2 5, 00 0- 99 24 0- ,9 $2 0, 00 19 ,9 0- 14 00 $1 5, 0- 00 0, >$ 10 ,0 00 99 0 $1 4. All new community planning efforts stir up concerns about gentrification and higher taxes. Look at other national models, including Philadelphia, focused on preserving indigenous communities. + 2.8% 00 100 6.1% 5.9% 4.6% ,0 5.6% 00 7.2% 6.7% $2 8.2% 200 3. The needs of women in the community are unique. A majority of families in Homewood are headed by women, so development needs to be considered through the lens of gender. There should also be a bigger focus on women contractors. in the City of Pittsburgh 300 6. The neighborhood has a huge portion of the City’s vacant lots, but there’s few resources for taking care of them on this whole side of the city, leading to further disinvestment in the neighborhood 7. Blight was decreased but when abandoned home demolition occurs, vacant land results (looks bad) 8. Homewood could be very walkable but need better sidewalks, crosswalks; there are few public trash cans ARCHITECTURAL STYLES While not every detail of the core themes is able to be addressed within this section, the themes above directly influenced the existing conditions chapter outlined by top priorities. Homewood is home to many different architectural styles that inform the urban design character of the neighborhood. 26 HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN February 5, 2019 27 • What are the biggest differences between the Cluster Plan recommendations and current zoning districts in relation to land use? Do current landscaping and buffering standards reflect the Cluster Plan recommendation? • Where are the most pressing changes needed to align with the Cluster Plan? What is the process for making zoning changes with the City? • What barriers does the community face in accepting the Cluster Plan as a land use plan and how can these differences be addressed? CURRENT ZONING LNC • P Chau cer S t Upla nd S t Mt V erno Kedr o n St Herm nd S t itage RP Idlew ild S t Ave o St N Da UI rett St LNC Kelly St r St LNC LNC RM-M Ham ilton Ave ga S t UNC P LNC P NDI Brus Tio R1A-M R2-L P Collie Fran ksto wn A ve Felic ia W ay Benn ett S t RM-M N Br addo llas A ve Ster St heall La Sc R1D-L P N Ho LNC P Mon ticell ng A ve R2-L NM P RM-M R2-L St N La urtla UI LNC R3 P Stoneville St P R2 n St mew ood RM-H Lawndale St H What places should be kept as they are and how should these places be protected in the R2 face of development pressure? R1D-L ore Ave R1D-H RM-M P RM-M Blackad UI r St CLUSTER PLAN Wheele • Are there places where zoning changes would result in a legal issue, such as a downzoning and a major change? St • • What are the biggest differences between the Cluster Plan recommendations and current zoning districts in relation to urban form (build design, sitting and mass)? R2-L P Hale • What areas are less problematic? hton Ave The code changes should also reflect market conditions and the potential for increased development pressure. The process should identify key historic resources and culturallyimportant places, and create standards that ensure protection. • ck A ve The recent Cluster Planning process has created a community-driven plan for a complete community in Homewood. While supported by an intense community process and in-depth analysis, the Plan does not match existing zoning in Homewood, meaning that attempts to develop as suggested in the Plan would require a variance or not be permitted. Many stakeholders feel the Cluster Plan is the path forward, and zoning changes need to be made to reflect this work. Key questions that influenced recommendations: EXISTING CONDITIONS ZONING R1A-VH R1A-H P M.L UI .K. Jr. E ast Bus wa y RM-M UI R1D-L RM-M R1D-L R1A-VH LNC ale R1A-H LNC R1D-L LNC RM-M P Source: OBB Cluster Plan CBD Project Boundary R2-L R1 Ro sed P St UI R1-TOD R3, Residential Three-Unit Source: OBB Cluster Plan Cluster Boundary Hillside Preservation H, Hillside RM, Residential Multi-Unit Trails, bikelanes, busway Residential zoning changes P, Park LNC, Limited Neighborhood Commercial Ecological, open space, stormwater Rehabilitation of vacant homes R1, Residential NDI, Neighborhood Industrial Network of parks and gardens Infill at existing density R1D, Residential Single-Unit Detached UNC, Urban Neighborhood Commercial Streetscape improvements Infill at lower density R1A, Residential Single-Unit Attached UI, Urban Industrial LNC Extensions Diversity of housing types R1-TOD Residential CBD, Central Business District R2, Residential Two-Unit 28 HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN February 5, 2019 29 Source: City of Pittsburgh ONGOING DEVELOPMENT Chadwick Playground Chau t Upla LARIMER The map to the left shows recent, current and future development in Homewood, which has tended to cluster primarily south of Frankstown, with the exception of the Race Street area. LINCOLN-LEMINGTON-BELMAR cer S nd S t Mt V erno itage t 10 1 Green Space M.L Planned Development Recent Development .K. 5 16 3 Homewood Station Jr. E ast Stoneville St Lawndale St r St er St Ave Homewood Station: 7202 Susquehanna Street 2 Humane Animal Rescue: 6926 Hamilton Avenue 3 Susquehanna Homes 4 Race Street Rehabs 5 Lexington Technology Park: 400 N Lexington Street 6 Kelly Hamilton: 6900 & 7000 blocks of Kelly Street 7 Habitat for Humanity: 6900 Bennett Street 8 N Homewood Ave business district investment 9 Homewood School/Field: 7100 Hamilton Ave 10 TAP Pedestrian Improvements 11 Hamilton Townhouses: 6900 Kelly Street 12 Madiera bungalows: 400 Rosedale Street 13 7800 Susquehanna Street expansion 14 James T Givner Building: 627 N Homewood Avenue 15 Coliseum: 7310 Frankstown Avenue 16 Homewood Rowhouses Rehabs: 7300-7500 Hamilton Avenue 17-34 Homewood Esperanza Rehabs- Scattered Sites St ga S hton Ave Tio Address 1 Hale rk se Pa ilton ck A ve Ham d ewoo Hom ground Play ghou Baxter Parklet 14 Kelly St 9 n Westi 15 Brus 8 Colli ksto wn A ve Felic ia W ay Benn ett S t 6 Wheele rett St Ster Fran Blacka Ave N Ho 7 2 Project Boundary HOMEWOOD mew ood ng A ve N La 4 N Br addo N Da llas A ve St heall La Sc 11 t St ve dore A St St urtla nd NM Mon ticel lo ild S s Dallalet Park PENN HILLS n St Herm Idlew ID n St Kedr o EXISTING CONDITIONS CURRENT AND PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT Bus wa y EAST HILLS Current Development Public Transit St Ro s POINT BREEZE 13 ed ale POINT BREEZE NORTH N .2 mile 30 HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN 12 WILKINSBURG Layover Brushton Terminal February 5, 2019 31 VARIETY IN DESIGN STANDARDS Chadwick Playground Chau Homewood contains many historic buildings with distinct architectural styles and has building forms that support walkability and a strong public realm. To ensure new development furthers the community’s goals, and supports existing structures, design guidelines can help new development “fit” within existing patterns. cer S Upla t nd S t Mt V erno n St Kedro n St Herm St Mon �cell Jr. E ast Stoneville St Lawndale St Bus wa y Dutch Colonial Revival ale St .K. e dore Av Hale rk St Brus hton Ave Ham ilton Ave Tio ga S t M.L Blacka er St Wheel r St Craftsman Bungalow se Pa ghou n Wes� St N Bra d ewoo Hom ground Play Baxter Parklet ddoc Kelly Classic Cottage k Av e Fran ksto wn A ve Felic ia W ay Benn e� S t Collie N Ho s Dallalet Park Sterr e� S t mew ood ng A ve t N La ild S Ave o St Idlew N Da llas A ve La Sch eall S t NM urtla nd S t itage Ro s ed Rowhouse Key questions that influenced recommendations: • How can the community ensure quality development? • How can new development support historic resources? • What styles should new buildings have? • How should windows and doors relate to the street? • How tall should new development be? • Where should new development be placed on the lot? • Where should ornamentation on new buildings occur? • What building types would support the community now and in the future? 2000 1950 American Foursquare 1900 1850 Front Gable 1800 EXISTING CONDITIONS ARCHITECTURAL STYLES American Foursquare (1890-1930) Rowhouse (1800’s) Classic Cottage (1920-1930) Craftsman Bungalow (1900-present) Front Gable (1870-1910) Dutch Colonial Revival (1890-1930) 32 HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN February 5, 2019 33 UNDERSTANDING THE PLAYERS Throughout the early stages of the planning process, the project team found a number of common themes related to Housing listed below. Points 2 and 3 were also priorities of the Urban Design and Development Action Team: There are many different types of organizations who can be involved in building new housing, and many factors that influence what kind of housing will be built and who can afford to live in different parts of the city. This applies to every type of housing - rental or homeownership; single-family or multi-family; subsidized housing that is supported by the government to help make it affordable) or market-rate housing. Each type of development needs many people to come together to make it happen, including banks, non-profit and forprofit developers, planners, funders, housing authorities, and others. 1. Housing development needs to focus on a mix of homeownership and rentals, not just rental housing. 2. There is a perception that everyone in Homewood lives in poverty, but that is not the reality. Those who are above the poverty line don’t qualify for some types of subsidized housing, but many still can’t afford to maintain or rent their homes. EXISTING CONDITIONS HOUSING PRIORITIES Key questions that influenced recommendations: • What questions do you have about housing in Homewood today and in the future? • Did you have concerns or thoughts about past housing developments and how they could have been better? • What types of housing do you think Homewood needs? The graphics on the following pages illustrate some of the key players who might be involved in future housing strategies for Homewood and some questions that these players often ask when they are thinking about developing new housing in any location. 3. The needs of women in the community are unique. A majority of families in Homewood are headed by women, so development needs to be considered through the lens of gender. There should also be a bigger focus on women contractors. 4. Senior living is not kept up to standard: 5. Many buildings use antiquated heating sources, have deferred maintenance or are otherwise not up to current housing standards. While not every detail of the core themes is able to be addressed within this section, the themes above directly influenced the existing conditions chapter outlined by top priorities. CHANGES TO HOUSING Both photos above show changes to Homewood's housing stock - either through the addition of new-builds to the neighborhood (top) or through the renovation and rehabilitation of historic buildings (bottom) 34 HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN February 5, 2019 35 ASSIST COST-BURDENED RESIDENTS Most of the homes in Homewood are singlefamily residences, and the majority of people who live in Homewood are renters. Residents tend to have lower incomes than Pittsburgh as a whole; the median household income is $19,642, which allows a monthly housing payment of about $500. A large number of elderly residents and female-headed households with children live in Homewood. UNITS IN PROPERTY Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2011-2015 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates 2,000 46% 70% 1,500 of all units are single family Key questions that influenced recommendations: • • • EXISTING CONDITIONS MEET RESIDENTS' NEEDS 1,000 What do these statistics suggest about housing needs in Homewood? 24% Does the current housing available meet the needs of local residents? 500 What new types of housing might Homewood need in the future? 10% 8% 8% 4% $40,715 in the City of Pittsburgh ni ts ts U + 50 10 -4 9 U ni ts ni ts U ni -9 5 2 -4 U ch he tta ac tA et ni U tD ni le U ng le Si ng Si $19,642 in Homewood is compared to d Median household income ed 0 RENTER & OWNER OCCUPIED Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2011-2015 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates Every person, family, and household needs housing that is affordable for their income level. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development recommends that families and households should pay no more than 30% of their income for housing costs, including rent or mortgage costs, insurance, and utilities. Households that pay more than 30% of their income are considered “Cost Burdened”: they have a “burden” because they are paying too much for housing and they do not have enough money left for other needs such as food, transportation, education, or medical expenses. The graphs at left show details about Homewood’s renter households and homeowner households, divided by their income levels. The dotted amounts in each income category show what percentage of those households are costburdened. Many households who are making less than $35,000 per year are cost-burdened, as are some households making $35,000 - $50,000 per year. Key questions that influenced recommendations: Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2011-2015 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates 400 350 300 250 150 48% 100 50 0 21% $0 to $24,999 $25,000 to $34,999 $35,000 to $49,999 5% 0% $50,000 to $74,999 $75,000+ RENTER INCOMES AND COST BURDEN: HOMEWOOD (HOUSEHOLDS) In light of this issue, do we need more affordable housing in Homewood? • What income levels should that housing serve? 1,200 • Who provides housing for residents at those income levels? 1,000 What do renters and owners need? 64% 200 • • Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2011-2015 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates OWNER INCOMES AND COST BURDEN: HOMEWOOD (HOUSEHOLDS) Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2011-2015 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates 68% 800 600 41.8% owner occupied 400 39% 200 58.2% renter occupied 0 $0 to $24,999 35% 0% 0% $25,000 to $35,000 to $50,000 to $75,000+ $34,999 $49,999 $74,999 Out of 2,684 total housing units 36 HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN February 5, 2019 37 Residents of Homewood see rising housing prices in nearby neighborhoods and are concerned that Homewood might also become unaffordable to current residents in the future. One important priority is to prevent current residents from being displaced or forced out of their homes if housing values in Homewood rise. An important question is who is currently at risk of displacement, and who is less at risk. Those who are behind on water bills or have delinquent property taxes could have their properties taken through action by collection agencies. Many Homewood residents who lose their homes get notices of action and walk away. Other income-restricted affordable housing will also not immediately change in price, though eventually most of these income restrictions do expire. Owners who have paid off their mortgages and have low monthly costs are less at-risk, though they can be displaced by rising property taxes. Across the country, people who are particularly vulnerable to displacement when property values rise include: • Seniors or residents on fixed incomes • Owners who have not been able to keep up with repairs and might be inclined to take too low a pay-out for their home’s value from “Cash for Homes” buyers • Low-income renters who are not in incomerestricted affordable housing Key questions that influenced recommendations: • • • What types of new housing development or programs to help existing residents could help prevent displacement? What types of changes would indicate that property values are rising? Are there ways we can improve the neighborhood without risking displacement? EXISTING CONDITIONS PREVENT DISPLACEMENT UNDERSTAND THE HOUSING MARKET INCOME-RESTRICTED HOUSING IN HOMEWOOD There are 201 Project-Based Voucher units in Homew ood. 194 are occupied (Homewood North Buildings and Sliver Lake Commons). Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, HUD Open Data, Public Housing Buildings, updated June 2016 286 Homewood households utilize Section 8 Vouchers Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, HUD Open Data, Housing Choice Vouchers by Tract, last updated September 2017 There are 120 Low-Income Housing Tax Credit units in Homewood. 104 are one-bedroom units (as of June 2017). Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, HUD Open Data, Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Properties, last updated June 6, 2017 One of the issues that Homewood faces in developing new housing is the fact that it costs more to build a totally new home than that home will sell for on the market. This is called a financial gap, and many communities across the country have it. It is usually caused by a combination of: • High construction costs; • Lower incomes for residents, meaning they cannot afford to pay as much to purchase a home; and • Low “comparable values” or comps. Banks look at recent sales prices of similar homes in an area to get these comps, which determine how much they are willing to loan for the mortgage of a particular house. If other homes have sold for low values, then the bank will value a new home at a relatively low price even if it was expensive to build. The diagram below shows why it would be difficult to build many units of totally new single-family housing on vacant land in COSTS AND SALES PRICES FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION AND REHAB IN HOMEWOOD Cost of property purchase and construction: $300,000 $325,000 GAP: $180,000+ Key questions that influenced recommendations: • What resources can fill the financial gap for rehab or new construction? • Do we want sales prices to go up to close the gap? • Would multi-family or rental housing be more financially doable to build? Why Are New Homes So Costly? • Environmental issues like underground streams and lead contamination • Sunken foundations from previous homes • Costs of labor and materials have increased • New building codes maintain safety but cost more to follow • Problems with purchasing due to deeds/titles/liens Cost of construction: $100,000 $130,000 Sales price: $120,000 Homewood right now: developers would need to find about $180,000 in extra funds for each property in order to make up the difference between construction cost and sales price. Rehabilitating existing properties is often cheaper, but it depends on the size and condition of that property. Some reasons why construction costs are high in Homewood and Pittsburgh are also shown below. Sales price: $120,000 Best current sales price for a house in Homewood: approx. $120,000 (lower in many areas) Source: Zillow NEW CONSTRUCTION Single-Family House in Homewood 38 HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN REHABILITATED Single-Family House in Homewood February 5, 2019 39 EXISTING CONDITIONS VACANT LAND Source: City of Pittsburgh GIS ADDRESS VACANCY Chadwick Playground Chau LINCOLN-LEMINGTON-BELMAR cer S Upla LARIMER t nd S t Mt V erno n St .K. Jr. E ast Stoneville St St Homewood Station M.L ve dore A r St Wheele hton Ave Hale rk se Pa ghou n Westi Ham ilton Ave Tio ga S t Brus d ewoo Hom ground Play St N Br addo Kelly Baxter Parklet ck A ve ksto wn A ve Felic ia W ay Benn ett S t er St rett St Fran Colli llas A ve Ster s Dallalet Park Blacka Ave HOMEWOOD N Ho t ng A ve ild S St N La Mon ticel lo St N Da La Sc heall St NM urtla nd St itage mew ood Herm Idlew PENN HILLS n St Lawndale St Kedr o Bus wa y Rebuilding vacant homes and re-using lots to revitalize the neighborhood has been mentioned as a goal in many previous planning efforts, and community organizations and residents have already begun to act on both these strategies. However, the large number of remaining vacant properties within Homewood continue to affect the neighborhood’s character and the community’s well-being. As the map shows, the City owns a significant portion of vacant properties. Additionally, many privately owned properties have tangled titles and/or deceased owners. These ownership models create expensive hurdles to acquiring a vacant property. Key questions that influenced recommendations: • How do we address vacant properties when building new homes is so expensive? • How can we create joint strategies for vacant properties that work together to increase quality of life? • What processes are in place to acquire City owned vacant properties? • What are the most important factors in deciding what to do with a vacant structures? • Since vacancy is widespread, how do we decide where to start rebuilding with the resources we have? EAST HILLS ed ale Project Boundary Green Space Ro s POINT BREEZE St POINT BREEZE NORTH WILKINSBURG N .2 mile 40 HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN Layover Brushton Terminal Vacant Property (privately owned) Vacant Property (URA owned) Vacant Property (City owned) Public Transit February 5, 2019 41 EXISTING CONDITIONS HOUSING OCCUPANCY BY CENSUS BLOCK GROUP Chadwick Playground Chau LINCOLN-LEMINGTON-BELMAR cer S Upla LARIMER t nd S t Mon ticell Fran ksto wn A ve Felic ia W ay Benn ett S t Park ga S Stoneville St Lawndale St k Av e Ave St t St Hale ouse ngh Westi Tio ilton N Bra d ewoo Hom ground Play Ham Baxter Parklet ddoc Kelly Blackad N Da llas A ve s Dallalet Park er St Wheel HOMEWOOD Ster rett St t N Ho mew ood Ave ild S ore Ave o St Idlew N La ng A ve NM urtla nd S t PENN HILLS Homewood Station M.L .K. Jr. E ast Bus wa y EAST HILLS THIS PAGE WAS INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK POINT BREEZE NORTH Ro s ed ale St POINT BREEZE WILKINSBURG N Layover Brushton Terminal .2 mile 42 Project Boundary Block Groups Green Space Percent Housing Occupied Transit Station Percent Housing Vacant HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2011-2015 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates February 5, 2019 43 We know that because of high construction costs, lower income levels, and low comps, many types of housing in Homewood will need extra funding or subsidy to be built. There are many types of subsidies that come from different levels of government. All programs are targeted to serve a certain income level that is usually below the median income for an area. Many programs also have specific types of housing that are preferred or required. For example, Low-Income Housing Tax Credits are the largest source of subsidy for affordable housing in the country. LIHTC only funds rental housing development, and usually LIHTC criteria favor multi-family developments or single-family developments with many different homes included. New Markets Tax Credits, meanwhile, focus on creating commercial activity but can also be used for housing. All projects using NMTC as a funding source must have at least 20% commercial uses in the property. The Community Development Block Grant program and HOME Investments Partnership program SOURCE 44 CLUSTER PLAN HOUSING RECOMMENDATIONS are both federal sources that are granted to local governments, like the City of Pittsburgh, and can be used flexibly for multiple purposes, including homeownership, rental, and even repairs to owner-occupied houses. However, due to federal funding cuts, the amount of funding available has decreased in recent years. Local governments can also do things like issue bonds or create housing trust funds to create subsidies for new housing. Pittsburgh has created a Housing Opportunity Fund to provide subsidies and funded it initially with $10 million citywide. Key questions that influenced recommendations: • What are the available sources of subsidy, and what do they fund? • How does the availability of funding affect opportunities to accomplish goals set in the Cluster Plan, and to meet the needs of Homewood’s residents? TENURE TYPE BENEFIT FEATURES Housing Opportunity Fund Rental, ownership, owner-occupied rehab, counseling Many different types of projects can benefit Community land trust ownership favored Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) Rental Multi-family units, scattered site singlefamily 15-30 years of affordability before expiration; prefers larger projects New Market Tax Credits Rental Mixed-Use multi-family 20% must be commercial; prefers larger projects HOME and CDBG Block Grants Rental, ownership, owner-occupied rehab Flexible Based on City’s Consolidated Plan. Federal resources being cut. Project Based Voucher (PBV) Rental Multi-family or singlefamily Housing Choice Voucher (HCV/Section 8) Rental Provides rent assistance to individuals Long waiting lists that are rarely open; landlords do not have to accept Philanthropy Rental, ownership Meets gaps and needs that other sources don’t Prefers projects that already have other sources HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN EXISTING CONDITIONS FUND HOUSING DEVELOPMENT AND REHABILITATION N .2 mile Cluster Boundary Low Density Infill Green Space Rehab Housing Source: OBB Cluster Plan Infill Housing February 5, 2019 45 While not every detail of the core themes is able to be addressed within this section, the themes above directly influenced the existing conditions chapter outlined by top priorities. HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN • What interventions can occur to mitigate air pollution, i.e. clean the air? de Sc N hool hton Ave Jr. E ast Stoneville St Lawndale St Cre Elem scent enta ry St Hale Hele n Arts S. Faiso Acad n emy Homewood Station ore Ave Blackad r St Wheele Collie r St St ilton Ave ga S t Tio .K. St Be St Ham M.L Pitt Churcsburgh N h and ew Scho ol Student Baxter Achievement Parklet Center Brus rk se Pa ghou n Westi POINT BREEZE Ster rett urtla nd S t Fran ksto wn A ve Felic ia W ay Benn ett S t Bus wa y EAST HILLS POINT BREEZE NORTH St What key changes need to occur to minimize the output of air pollution in and around Homewood? HOMEWOOD ale • t Shad y Scho Lane ol Ster rett Acad Classica l emy ed 5. More green space is an important sustainability priority. ild S d ewoo Hom ground Play Are there significant correlations between resident health and air pollution concentrations? Does the impact of air pollution have impacts on youth absenteeism in school? o St Idlew Kelly What are the biggest sources of air pollution in and around Homewood? • 7. Living machines/gray water reuse are sustainability options the community should explore further. 46 • ge S t Mon ticell s Dallalet Park Key questions that influenced recommendations: 4. Lead contamination in soil is a concern especially how it relates to how dust travels during construction. 6. Green infrastructure and Rainwater/ stormwater capture are important sustainable design features for the future of Homewood. mita Operation Better Block has engaged in a community health study focused on cases of asthma in Homewood. Many stakeholders and community members feel residents, especially youth, are being impacted at a high rate by poor air quality. • PENN HILLS Westi Kedr n on S Acad ghouse t emy Her Ro s 3. Community based organizations have prioritized this need and created programs based on ensuring a more sustainable neighborhood. t n St ck A ve 50% of kids at hospital with asthma are from Homewood nd S Mt V erno Urban Lea Pittsburgh gue of Chart School er N Br addo • LARIMER t N Ho mew ood Ave Asthma rates for school children are impacted by poor air quality and our elementary school's proximity to the bus line could be part of the problem LINCOLN-LEMINGTON-BELMAR cer S Upla N La ng A ve • Chau NM Tree planting can improve air quality In a number of stakeholder conversations and during the first community meeting for the Homewood Comprehensive Community Plan, air quality was raised as one of the top concerns. The traffic on both Frankstown and Homewood Ave, in addition to the busway, all seem to be concerns for residents and stakeholders in regard to their contribution to poor air quality. N Da llas A ve • Chadwick Playground St 2. Air pollution mitigation is extremely important for both environmental health and the health of our children. AIR QUALITY heall 1. The neighborhood has a huge portion of the City’s vacant lots. TREE CANOPY AND OPEN SPACE La Sc Throughout the early stages of the planning process, the project team found a number of common themes related to Sustainability listed below: EXISTING CONDITIONS SUSTAINABILITY PRIORITIES WILKINSBURG Layover Brushton Terminal .2 mile Source: City of Pittsburgh GIS Project Boundary Public Transit Green Space Schools Tree Canopy (Evergreen Forest) Bus Routes Tree Canopy (Deciduous Forest) February 5, 2019 47 EXISTING CONDITIONS IMPERVIOUS COVER STORMWATER Homewood has a vast amount of impervious cover, which means much of the water that falls on Homewood is not able to filter through the ground naturally. Homewood is part of the A42/Negley Run sewershed and contributes significantly to the overall quantity of water that makes its way into the sewershed. PWSA has identified A42 as a priority area for green infrastructure improvements and it is their hope to find opportunities in Homewood for major green stormwater interventions that also provide other key community benefits including streetscape improvements for both pedestrians and transit and improved aesthetics, among others. Key questions that influenced recommendations: • What are the best sites for green stormwater infrastructure? • What types of green stormwater infrastructure are most appropriate for Homewood? • What other benefits beyond stormwater should be built into the design of these interventions? • What are the biggest barriers to green infrastructure implementation? • Is community perception of green infrastructure a concern in regard to implementation? Project Boundary Green Space Developed (Medium, High Intensity) Barren (Rock, Sand, Clay) Public Transit Food Garden Flower Garden Green Infrastructure N .2 mile 48 HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN Source: City of Pittsburgh GIS February 5, 2019 49 EXISTING CONDITIONS Living Waters of Larimer Map* highlights walking tour of Negley Run. CURRENT WATERSHED EFFORTS Throughout the Pittsburgh region organizations are working to improve existing watersheds and call to light the history of ecological landmarks such as Negley Run. Living Waters of Larimer is a community development project of The Kingsley Association, Larimer Green Team, and Larimer Consensus Group. The project demonstrates how green infrastructure can be integrated into our urban spaces, cultural life, and economic infrastructure in an artful way. * Images and Maps shown are products of the “Negley Run Was Here” pamphlet. The pamphlet and walking tour help locate where Silver Lake would be located today and highlight locations and businesses that tie into the history of Silver Lake’s development. Negley Run was historically connected to Squirrel Hill and to the Allegheny River. “Negley Run Was Here” is a notable effort that traces Negley Run and Silver Lake in the form of a walking tour and invites our community to understand how it shaped our urban space and community. HISTORY OF SILVER LAKE’S DEVELOPMENT* 50 HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN LIVING WATERS OF LARIMER MAP OF WATERSHEDS* February 5, 2019 51 POTENTIAL SUSTAINABLE DESIGN RESOURCES Most buildings and homes within Homewood were built before 1960 when building standards mandated a lower level of energy efficiency. Many buildings (57%) were built prior to 1939. Many homes have issue with basement flooding and busway underpasses flooding during heavy rain. Key questions for consideration: • Are mandatory or incentivized green building and landscape practices appropriate for Homewood? • Should home repair, major building renovation, and new developments be subject to certain energy efficiency standards? • EXISTING CONDITIONS WEATHERIZATION AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY • Is there a desire by the community to engage with sustainable certification programs like LEED and Sustainable SITES? • Who are the key partners in furthering weatherization and energy efficiency goals? • How can energy efficiency and weatherization decrease housing maintenance costs and improve affordability and quality of life for residents, improve affordability and quality of life for residents? LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is a U.S. Green Building Council metric that measures the sustainability of a building’s design, construction, operations and maintenance in terms of energy, water and resource use; waste and emissions reduction; indoor environmental quality; and innovative approaches to the development process. Pittsburgh has the only LEED Platinum convention center in the world. The first LEED Gold sports venue in the nation. The largest LEED Silver museum in the country. The most comprehensive system for developing sustainable landscapes, the SITES v2 Rating System, has been released by the Sustainable Sites Initiative (SITES) program for use by landscape architects, designers, engineers, architects, developers, policymakers and others who work in land design and development. What would sustainable building and landscape standards for Homewood look like? HOUSING AGE Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2011-2015 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates The SITES v2 Rating System and an accompanying Reference Guide provide a set of best practices, performance benchmarks and tools for creating and evaluating sustainable landscapes. Successful projects are recognized with certification. 57% 2,500 76% 2,000 of all housing units were built before 1,500 1960 Year built 52 HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN 1% >2014 0% 2000-2009 1990-1999 1960-1969 <1939 0 2010-2013 3% 7% 1980-1989 4% 6% 1970-1979 9% 1950-1959 4% 10% 500 1940-1949 1,000 Image Source: Google Maps February 5, 2019 53 Source: City of Pittsburgh GIS Chadwick Playground Chau Upla Green Space Music Landmark t Public Transit Faith-based nd S t Mt V erno n St Jr. E ast hton Ave St Hale Bus wa y EAST HILLS Ro s ed ale St POINT BREEZE NORTH WILKINSBURG N .2 mile HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN 5. Park space is important to Homewood residents but is currently limited 6. The Wheelmill is a local recreational business operated by folks from outside of Homewood but is a good example of building good will with the Homewood community CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS Homewood Station .K. ve dore A Wheele Colli ck A ve St Ham ilton Ave Tio ga S t M.L POINT BREEZE 2. The Homewood football stadium is a key cultural and recreational resource for the community While not every detail of the core themes is able to be addressed within this section, the themes above directly influenced the existing conditions chapter outlined by top priorities. Brus ark use P ngho Westi 1. Homewood needs more affordable and available space for cultural and recreational activities 7. Vacant land is an opportunity for the addition of park space and gathering spaces Baxter Parklet N Br addo N Da ksto wn A ve Felic ia W ay Benn ett S t er St rett St Ster Fran Kelly r St HOMEWOOD Blacka Ave s Dallalet k r a P d ewoo Hom ground y Pla Throughout the early stages of the planning process, the project team found a number of common themes related to Culture and Recreation listed below: 4. Murals provide key insight into part of the cultural identity of Homewood N Ho t ng A ve ild S St N La Mon ticel lo CULTURE AND RECREATION PRIORITIES 3. The way the neighborhood is branded related to its culture is important to the future of Homewood St llas A ve heall St NM urtla nd S t itage mew ood Herm La Sc PENN HILLS Lawndale St Kedr o Idlew Restaurant n St Stoneville St LARIMER Project Boundary LINCOLN-LEMINGTON-BELMAR cer S 54 EXISTING CONDITIONS CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS Layover Brushton Terminal Cultural institutions are often a source of pride for a neighborhood. Homewood has a wealth of cultural institutions including culinary, musical, faithbased, historical, and many more. Looking toward Homewood’s future, there are opportunities to establish significant cultural institutions that show the national and citywide contributions of people who lived, worked, and played in Homewood. Key questions that influenced recommendations: • How do institutions contribute to local culture? • What type of cultural institutions would fit in Homewood? • Who is currently preserving and promoting local culture; and, are they working together? • What partners would need to work together to bring a new cultural institution to Homewood? • What should be done to better highlight the existing institutions and historic resources in Homewood? February 5, 2019 55 Originally established in 1910, this historic Library underwent an award-winning renovation to revitalize its space in 2005. Today, this three-story neighborhood location is completely restored to its original grandeur and offers a fully-equipped 300-person auditorium. The recent Homewood-based exhibition, The People Are the Light curated by Alisha B. Wormsley, was a series of public art installations and workshops running from September 16 - October 15, 2017 in various locations. The exhibition was a program of the Carnegie Museum of Art and centered on healing and cleansing and invited participants to reflect on Homewood’s past, present, and future. With 12 artist-collaborators, The People Are the Light uplifted a citywide dialogue about Homewood and will result in photographs and a film premiering at Carnegie Museum of Art this December. EXISTING CONDITIONS CARNEGIE LIBRARY neighborhood to visit multiple installations, and patronized local businesses. This type of activity is significant for investment in Homewood. The People Are the Light bridged Culture Institution, Public Space, and Now. The exhibit brought significant positive attention to Homewood. Audience members, from Homewood and other parts of the city, spent time at formerly vacant lots, walked around the https://www. carnegielibrary.org/clp_ location/homewood/ 56 PUBLIC SPACE CULTURE - NOW Culture in the public space can provide a cohesive identity for a neighborhood. Homewood has a vibrant array of murals and publicly accessible art. Most of them are in the southern half of the neighborhood. Homewood also has a few historic landmarks recognized by the Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation. The landmarks are the following: Baxter-Brushton School (1909), Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, Homewood Branch (1910), Brilliant Cutoff Viaduct of the Pennsylvania Railroad (1902), The Church of the Holy Cross (1905-1906), Holy Rosary Roman Catholic Church (1928), Meado’cots (1912), and Westinghouse High School (1917). Promoting and uplifting Homewood’s culture includes recognizing contributions happening right now and looking into the future. Currently, Homewood is home to fashion designers, musicians, producers, sculptors, poets, painters and more. Additionally, some Pittsburgh creatives are experiencing burdensome rent increases in other parts of the city. Vacant or underutilized commercial space along multiple corridors could serve as affordable space for a locally relevant mix of contemporary and experimental art, performance, and installation. Homewood is in a unique position to be a creative hub for generations to come. Key questions that influenced recommendations: Key questions that influenced recommendations: • Which historical locations, moments, or people should be memorialized in Homewood? • Who are local creatives working and/or living in Homewood? • What purpose does public art currently serve? • Why do they live and/or work in Homewood? • What additional purpose can public art serve? • What assets does Homewood have to offer creatives looking for multi-use spaces? • Other than plaques or statues, what are ways to highlight Homewood’s culture and identity in the public realm? • What would these non-Homewood residents need to fit into the fabric of the neighborhood? • What multi-use space is available for local creatives (considering proximity to transit, potential for foot traffic, ability to have evening hours, etc.)? HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN MURALS + ARTISTS. Homewood has no shortage of local artists and craftsmen as evidenced by the People Are the Light exhibition (below); Murals are shown here and are throughout the walls of Homewood's buildings (left and top) Image Source: Heather Manning via facebook.com February 5, 2019 57 Source: City of Pittsburgh GIS PARKS ACCESS AND QUALITY Chadwick Playground Chau LINCOLN-LEMINGTON-BELMAR cer S t Upla LARIMER nd S t Mt V erno n St t Homewood Station M.L .K. Jr. E ast Stoneville St ve dore A r St Wheele St ga S Hale ark use P ngho Westi Tio Ave hton Ave d ewoo Hom ground y Pla ilton ck A ve Ham St N Br addo Kelly Baxter Parklet Brus ksto wn A ve Felic ia W ay Benn ett S t er St rett St Fran Colli llas A ve Ster s Dallalet k r a P Blacka Ave HOMEWOOD N Ho t N Da La Sc heall St ild S St ng A ve NM Mon ticel lo St N La urtla nd S t itage mew ood Herm Idlew PENN HILLS n St Lawndale St Kedr o Bus wa y EAST HILLS St POINT BREEZE NORTH le Ro s WILKINSBURG N .2 mile 58 HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN Layover Brushton Terminal Parks and recreation play a vital role in ensuring the health of the community and aid in improving the economic and environmental well being of a neighborhood. While Homewood has a number of park spaces not all of these parks are accessible to all community members and not all of the parks have adequate recreational equipment. By improving the quality of recreational space in Homewood and encouraging our neighbors to spend more time in green space we have the potential to reduce stress levels, lower blood pressure and improve physical health. Homewood can further improve the mental and physical well being of its residents by shortening the walking distance to green space. This map shows us a 5 minute and 10 minute walk radius from existing park space in Homewood, it is clear there is opportunity to improve access to park space. Key questions that influenced recommendations: • What are the existing programs in Homewood related to recreation? • Are people physically active? • Are these recreational spaces safe? • What are alternative options for recreational spaces such as Wheelmill? • Are these recreational spaces clean? • What is the quality of parks and open space in Homewood? • What area are most in need of new parks? • What are the key connections between parks and neighborhood centers? • Should parks serve many functions beyond just public amenity? If so, what functions? • What amenities do current parks provide? • What amenities do current parks NOT provide that the community needs? Project Boundary ed a POINT BREEZE EXISTING CONDITIONS PARK ACCESS Green Space Park (5 min walk radius) Park (10 min walk radius) Public Transit February 5, 2019 59 Source: City of Pittsburgh GIS VACANT LAND Chadwick Playground Chau LINCOLN-LEMINGTON-BELMAR cer S Upla LARIMER t nd S t Mt V erno n St Kedr o PENN HILLS n St Herm urtla nd S t itage M.L .K. Jr. E ast Stoneville St Lawndale St ve dore A Blacka r St Wheele Hale rk St Brus Ham ilton Ave Tio ga S t hton Ave St se Pa ghou n Wes� ck A ve Kelly Baxter Parklet N Br addo N Da ksto wn A ve Felic ia W ay Benn e� S t er St Fran HOMEWOOD Colli Ster re� St N Ho s Dallalet k r a P d ewoo Hom ground y Pla • How should we prioritize competing needs in Homewood to find the highest and best use for each vacant parcel? • What types of interventions could be implemented on vacant parcels to improve recreation goals? • Who are the key partners in moving forward for vacant land re-use? • How can we link vacant land to showcase existing culture and art? • How can we involve youth in re-imagining underutilized land? • How can we build on the success of the Wheelmill to encourage alternative uses for vacant space? • Which vacant parcels should be prioritized first for culture and recreation use? Ave mew ood ng A ve t N La NM ild S llas A ve St heall lo St Idlew Homewood is home to a vast amount of vacant land that is currently underutilized. Though a number of vacant parcels have been reclaimed as a variety of community resources including community gathering spaces and community gardens, there still remains great potential in vacant land within Homewood to improve the ecological well being of the neighborhood and provide space for relaxing and recreation. Key questions that influenced recommendations: St Mon �cel La Sc EXISTING CONDITIONS VACANT LAND OPPORTUNITIES Bus wa y EAST HILLS Project Boundary Green Space POINT BREEZE NORTH ed ale St Parklet Playspace Ro s POINT BREEZE Vacant Land WILKINSBURG N Flower Garden Rain Garden .2 mile 60 Food Garden HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN Public Transit February 5, 2019 61 EXISTING CONDITIONS PARKS SYSTEM CONNECTIONS Source: City of Pittsburgh GIS REGIONAL CONNECTIONS A regional park network would be a great asset to Pittsburgh with the potential to improve the health and wellness of local residents, provide opportunity for employment and educational exploration and would better connect neighborhoods with each other. Creating a sustainable regional park network would also greatly improve the ecological well-being of Pittsburgh with greater potential to address flooding, and air quality. Open Space PGH is a great guide to consider what next steps should be taken to improve vacant, green, and recreational spaces throughout the area. Open Space PGH recommendations are summarized below: • Baxter Park- Invest & Expand. Adjacent blocks have scattered public ownership. Redesign site, removing parking and fencing, and adding recreation amenities. • Dallas Park- Relocate. The park's current size and use are restricted, so expansion on another site is needed in order to serve as a neighborhood park. • Homewood Park- Invest & Expand. Adjacent sites have been identified that are suitable to hose the full range of neighborhood park amentities. This new site will have increased curb appeal and investment in recreation facilities. • Westinghouse Park- Invest. Highlight the rick cultural history of the site. 1-mile connection to Frick Park Key questions that influenced recommendations: N 5 miles 62 HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN • How can we link existing recreational spaces to create a larger network of publicly accessible park space? • What are existing trail networks (formal and informal)? • How can we expand on informal trail networks to create safe passageways throughout the neighborhood? • What is the potential for greenways? • What are the existing gaps in the recreation network? Project Boundary Pool Park Trail Ballfields Green Space Recreation Center February 5, 2019 63 EXISTING CONDITIONS HOMEWOOD PARK/ STARGELL FIELD Homewood Community Sports has already embarked on planning, design, and costing for the refurbishment of Homewood Park. The Stargell Field is an important community space and core cultural resource for families and children. to be demolished Key questions that influenced recommendations: • What should Stargell Field look like in 10-20 years? • What facilities need to be improved at the field? • What is important about the future design of the field? • What types of programming should be considered for the field? • How can it support safety and health? STARGELL FIELD Stargell Field is one of the community's most well-used assets and a place where many in the neighborhood connect with eachother (left and top); Homewood Community Sports concepts for the refurbishment of Stargell Field (right) 64 HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN February 5, 2019 65 EXISTING CONDITIONS MOBILITY PRIORITIES WALKABILITY - CONNECTIONS While not every detail of the core themes is able to be addressed within this section, the themes above directly influenced the existing conditions chapter outlined by top priorities. Throughout the early stages of the planning process, the project team found a number of common themes related to Mobility listed below: 1. Buses may be too expensive for many Homewood residents 2. Homewood could be very walkable but need better sidewalks, crosswalks, and a better pedestrian environment - there are no public trash cans! Homewood stakeholders indicated that increasing walkability was a priority. Walkability can be improved through improving connections; connectivity is how well places with in an area are accessible to each other by sidewalks and walking paths. Barriers to connectivity include missing sidewalks, topography, impassible roads, and unsafe conditions. Wayfinding in the neighborhood is limited, pedestrians would have a hard time navigating to parks and businesses. 3. Vehicular speeds are sometimes too fast, causing issues between pedestrians and cars in Homewood Key questions that influenced recommendations: 4. Community members want to put in speed bumps on Finance Street near the elementary school • Where are gaps in connectivity? • Where are major physical barriers that cannot be crossed or walked around? • Where are paths been created in areas where they are not intended? 5. Redesigning the road in front of Faison Elementary is a priority • How does topography hinder walkability? • Where can the topography support added connections? • How can hilltop and other disconnected areas of Homewood become better connected? • How can wayfinding be used? • What places should it direct users to? 6. Homewood needs safe routes to school and pedestrian lighting SIDEWALK CONDITIONS Map enlarged in the following pages Map enlarged in the following pages Chadwick Playground LINCOLN-LEMINGTON-BELMAR Chau LARIMER t M.L Jr. E ast rk se Pa ghou n Westi ga S t .K. Jr. E ast Bus wa y HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN Stoneville St Lawndale St POINT BREEZE WILKINSBURG N 66 ed ale POINT BREEZE .2 mile e dore Av EAST HILL Ro s ale ed POINT BREEZE NORTH Ro s POINT BREEZE NORTH Blacka er St Wheel Ave ddoc k Av e Homewood Station M.L EAST HILL St Ave t Tio ilton Hale S d ewoo Hom ground Play Ham r Baxtelet Park Brus hton N Ho Kelly Bus wa y HOMEWOOD r St ng A ve urtla NM La Sch eall S t Stoneville St Lawndale St e dore Av er St Wheel t St .K. ild S Ave ddoc k Av e Homewood Station Idlew Fran ksto wn A ve Felic ia W ay Benn ett S t t t o St St n Westi ga S Ave St Mon ticell s Dallalet Park Hale S rk se Pa ghou Tio St Brus hton d ewoo Hom ground Play ilton r Baxtelet Park N Bra Kelly Ham r St Sterr ett S t Fran ksto wn A ve Felic ia W ay Benn ett S t Collie mew ood N Ho N Da llas A ve eall S t s Dallalet Park La Sch HOMEWOOD Blacka Ave St ng A ve t St PENN HILLS n St itage N La ild S Kedro Herm nd S t nd S urtla NM Mon ticell o Idlew PENN HILLS n St itage n St N La Kedro Herm t Mt V erno N Bra n St t nd S Sterr ett S t t Mt V erno LINCOLN-LEMINGTON-BELMAR cer S Upla N Da llas A ve LARIMER t Ave cer S nd S mew ood Chau Upla Chadwick Playground Collie TRANSIT MOBILITY Layover Brushton Terminal WILKINSBURG N .2 mile Layover Brushton Terminal February 5, 2019 67 Source: City of Pittsburgh GIS Project Boundary Chadwick Playground Chau Upla Transit Station t Up to Current Standard In Poor Condition nd S t Mt V erno Westi Park Homewood Station Jr. E ast One important part of supporting walkability is to ensure consistent and safe sidewalks, with amenities such as trash cans, benches, and lights. Sidewalk condition throughout the area is inconsistent, and amenities such as trash cans, benches, and signs are rare. Safety is also a concern, with issues related to both traffic safety and crime-related public safety. At the Community Meeting in October residents identified areas they preferred to walk, bus, drive. We should consider replicating these walking conditions when improving areas with poor or no sidewalks. Ave Wheele St Bus wa y • What types of sidewalk improvements are needed? • Where are sidewalks lacking accessibility? • Where are new sidewalks needed? Which sidewalks are safe, and which need improvements? • How is sidewalk lighting? • What streetscape improvements are needed? • Where should trash cans, benches, and signs be located? • What style of new amenities fit with the neighborhood? • How can the community use wayfinding signage? What style should it be in? • What locations should it point to? EAST HILL POINT BREEZE NORTH Ro sed ale St .K. hton Ave ilton Ave ga S t Tio M.L Colli ck A ve Ham Hale use ngho St Brus d ewoo Hom ground Play r Baxtelet Park N Br addo N Da ksto wn A ve Felic ia W ay Benn ett S t er St rett St Ster Fran Kelly r St HOMEWOOD dore Blacka Ave s Dallalet Park WALKABILITY - STREETS AND SIDEWALKS Key questions that influenced recommendations: N Ho t ng A ve ild S St N La Mon ticel lo St llas A ve St NM urtla nd S t itage mew ood Herm heall PENN HILLS n St Lawndale St Kedr o Idlew No Sidewalk Present n St Stoneville St LARIMER Green Space LINCOLN-LEMINGTON-BELMAR cer S La Sc EXISTING CONDITIONS SIDEWALK CONDITIONS POINT BREEZE WILKINSBURG N .2 mile 68 HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN Layover Brushton Terminal February 5, 2019 69 TRANSIT DESTINATIONS AND CONNECTIVITY Source: City of Pittsburgh GIS Chadwick Playground Chau LINCOLN-LEMINGTON-BELMAR cer S Upla LARIMER t nd S t Mt V erno n St Kedr o St Homewood Station M.L Jr. E ast Stoneville St Lawndale St Blacka r St Wheele St Bus wa y EAST HILL POINT BREEZE NORTH Ro sed ale St .K. hton Ave ilton Ave ga S t Tio POINT BREEZE WILKINSBURG N .2 mile 70 HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN • How well is transit serving the community? • Does transit go where people need it to? • Where do most people who use transit to go? • How can transfers be reduced? • Where are special services for the elderly or disabled? • What station amenities are needed? • How can we better deal with weather-related transit concerns? Key questions that influenced recommendations: Hale rk se Pa ghou Ham Brus d ewoo Hom ground Play St Key questions that influenced recommendations: Another transit issue that concerns Homewood stakeholders is affordability. Based on the Homewood community’s demographics, transit costs may be cost burdening residents. ck A ve Kelly Homewood stakeholders have indicated that challenges related to mobility include a lack of needed destinations and stop amenities. Research indicates that a majority of Homewood residents work in healthcare and education, meaning they work at schools and healthcare facilities scattered throughout the City, not downtown where transit destinations often are located. Another issue affecting transit use is stop condition. Considerations include amenities, such as benches and trash cans, as well as climate considerations during the colder months. TRANSIT AFFORDABILITY r Baxtelet Park N Br addo N Da ksto wn A ve Felic ia W ay Benn ett S t Colli Fran er St rett St Ster llas A ve heall St s Dallalet Park La Sc HOMEWOOD N Ho t mew ood ild S ng A ve Idlew Ave lo St ve dore A Mon ticel N La urtla nd S t itage NM PENN HILLS n St Herm n Westi EXISTING CONDITIONS TRANSIT MOBILITY Layover Brushton Terminal • Is transit priced right for the people that use it? • How can costs be right-sized for the community? • In what ways can transit be a better value? Project Boundary P67 Monroeville Flyer Green Space P68 Braddock Hills Flyer Transit Station P69 Trafford Flyer Bus Stop P71 Swissvale Flyer P1 East Busway 71C Point Breeze P2 East Busway Short 71D Hamilton P3 East Busway- Oakland 74 Homewood- Squirrel Hill P7 Mckeesport Flyer P76 Lincoln Highway Flyer P12 Holiday Park Flyer P78 Oakmont Flyer P16 Penn Hills Flyer 77 Penn Hills 67 Monroeville 86 Liberty February 5, 2019 71 WHERE DO YOU GO? WHERE DO YOU AVOID? Chadwick Playground Project Boundary Green Space Chau LINCOLN-LEMINGTON-BELMAR cer S Upla t Neighborhood Destinations Public Transit nd S Mt V erno n St Homewood Station .K. Jr. E ast ve dore A Blacka r St Wheele ksto wn A ve St Baxter Parklet St Hel e Arts n S. Fa Aca ison dem y The D re BBQ am The ARTho use Bus wa y EAST HILLS St ed ale Ro s 72 WILKINSBURG HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN 5. Liquor licenses for Homewood businesses are often perceived to be associated to crime rates. The perception of safety has been a common theme among all stakeholders. Both inside and outside of Homewood, the perception is often that Homewood is not safe. While each individual has different needs to feel safe, this common perception has tangible consequences for the community. The perception creates a barrier for residential and commercial development. It also creates a barrier for potential new residents. The perception is strengthened by any incidence of crime and by media coverage of Homewood. Key questions that influenced recommendations: N .2 mile 4. Drug use is impacting seniors too even though it is less visible; Drug use is an intergenerational issue PERCEPTION OF SAFETY POINT BREEZE NORTH POINT BREEZE 1. Demographics of the neighborhood, including the prevalence of seniors and more women than men, need to be considered explicitly for successful public health and safety improvements While not every detail of the core themes is able to be addressed within this section, the themes above directly influenced the selection of the existing conditions chapter outlined by top priorities. Deni se Earl’s & Hale Ham ilton Ave Tio ga S t Everyday Cafe M.L Fran ck A ve Kelly er St rett St a Wa y Benn ett S t hton Ave ark use P Felic i Brus d ewoo Hom ground y Pla Throughout the early stages of the planning process, the project team found a number of common themes related to Public Health and Safety listed below: 3. Some community members feel the neighborhood is safer than it was 20 years ago, but drug use is still a relevant concern N Br addo N Da Afro Musi America n c Ins titute Bapti Temp st Chur le ch Colli Hom e -Brus wood h YMC ton A Ster s Dallalet k r a P ngho Westi HOMEWOOD N Ho t St ng A ve ild S PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY PRIORITIES 2. Mothers in the community in particular fear about the safety of their black sons N La urtla nd S t NM Idlew llas A ve St heall La Sc Mon ticel lo St Ave Herm itage BaptiShiloh st Ch urch PENN HILLS n St Stoneville St Kedr o mew ood Westi n Acad ghouse emy t Lawndale St LARIMER Places you avoid EXISTING CONDITIONS Source: Community Meeting 1 Layover Brushton Terminal • How does the negative perception of Homewood affect the community? • What are opportunities to expand the perception of Homewood? • Which media entities produce Homewood stories about more than crime? • What makes you feel safe? February 5, 2019 73 While the perception of violence is an issue to be combated, there is also the reality of gun violence. Approximately 6,500 people live in Homewood - two percent of Pittsburgh’s population. In 2014, 11 homicides (15% of all of Pittsburgh's homicides) took place in Homewood. That went down to 7 homicides (12%) in 20151. Since 2014, over half of criminal offenses reported are not violent crimes, but are property crimes (i.e. theft, vandalism, burglary) and simple assaults (“...the use of threatening words and/or other conduct, but without displaying a weapon or subjecting the victim to actual physical attack.”).2 EXISTING CONDITIONS Key questions that influenced recommendations: GUN VIOLENCE SUPPORT WOMEN AND SENIORS • Is the local community aware of efforts such as Shot Spotter in Homewood? • What other crime reduction efforts have taken place? • Which efforts are most successful for the holistic health and safety of the community? • What are origins and disputes that result in violence? • How can community members intervene before violence becomes an option? Homewood residents represent all age groups, but the majority are women and a significant portion are 60 years or older. As of 2015, 60% are female, and 37% are 60 or over. These characteristics are important, and are higher than average in Pittsburgh. Older populations have unique needs across all areas, but especially health. Additionally, as the total population is majority female, there are targeted resources, information, and screenings needed to support women’s health. Key questions that influenced recommendations: The Pittsburgh Black Elected Officials Coalition and the City of Pittsburgh are prioritizing gun violence. Shot Spotter, a system to detect gunshots, was installed in Homewood in 2015. 1. City of Pittsburgh Department of Public Safety Bureau of Police Annual Report 2015 2. City of Pittsburgh Department of Public Safety Bureau of Police Violence Dashboards • What physical health services are needed? • What behavioral health services are needed? • Where do you currently seek health services? • Do the local services need larger capacity or resources? If so, what specific service areas are in most need and have the opportunity for growth? INCIDENCE OF HOMICIDES: HOMEWOOD VS. PITTSBURGH Source: Allegheny County Department of Human Services 70 60 HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN 58 CULTURE + WOMEN AND SENIORS Women and seniors are consistently shown as part of murals throughout Homewood - a testament to the importance of women and seniors as anchors in the community. 17 13 20 10 16 7 20 14 20 20 13 3 12 11 20 11 20 12 15 10 3 74 41 10 59 47 20 44 20 HOMICIDES 58 February 5, 2019 75 PEOPLE RETURNING FROM PRISON In the public meeting, a common Public Safety concern was drug activity, including both usage and dealing. Arrest reports show that there are a variety of substances involved in drugrelated arrests in the area; heroin has been the most prominent substance in Zone 5's weekly Community Crime Update. • How is drug dealing affecting Homewood? • What are proven methods to reduce the inflow of drugs such as heroin and crack to neighborhoods? A commonly expressed concern is that a significant number of Homewood residents were jailed following the War on Drugs escalation in the early 1990s. Formerly-incarcerated individuals often experience discrimination in job seeking, housing, and social stigma. This discrimination can easily encourage people to return to illegal activity as a means of survival. As prisons generally do very little in terms of rehabilitation, it's not uncommon for formerly-incarcerated individuals to increase their knowledge of illegal activities. What would it look like for a community to do this necessary rehabilitation work and re-introduce people back into the community? • What resources or options do dealers need in order to stop dealing those drugs? Key questions that influenced recommendations: • How is drug usage affecting Homewood? • • What are proven methods to address usage of narcotics such as heroin? What resources and opportunities are available to people returning from prison? • • As substances like heroin are highly addictive, what are methods to reduce the harm inflicted on the user and the community? What resources and opportunities are needed when someone returns to Homewood from prison? • Does any organization or individual focus on re-introducing formerly-incarcerated people into their neighborhood? Key questions that influenced recommendations: • If resources such as methadone clinics were available, what would it take to ensure their being fully utilized? • Are the organizations or individuals supported by the neighborhood or other organizations? PART 1 VS. PART 2 CRIMES IN HOMEWOOD 2015 62.4% Part 2 37.6% Part 1 PART 1 CRIMES Violent and property crimes counted by arrests and victim reports HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN COPING There is evidence throughout Homewood of using art as a method for coping with trauma: (left) "Being at the Arthouse is where you realize you had wings the whole time."; (below) A mural in memoriam of Taylor Coles TRAUMA Trauma can be passed on through generations. Trauma can also be experienced daily at school, home, work, and in the community. Ignoring trauma comes with health risks and can lead to perpetuating traumatic behavior. Learning emotionally healthy methods to deal with difficult circumstances is paramount for community members who are facing financial or housing instability, have witnessed violence, have lovedones incarcerated, and many other situations. Key questions that influenced recommendations: PART 2 CRIMES Drug offenses and “victimless” crimes, counted by arrests Sources: American Community Survey 2015, City of Pittsburgh Police 2015 Annual Report 76 EXISTING CONDITIONS DRUG ACTIVITY • What stigmas surround mental health in Homewood? • What are ways to reduce stigma and increase support for community members in need of mental and behavioral health support? • Who provides mental and behavioral health services and resources to Homewood residents? • Are they located in the neighborhood? • Do they partner or collaborate with each other? • What would increase mental and behavioral health in Homewood? February 5, 2019 77 There are no grocery stores in Homewood. This is a major health issue because in the absence of fresh produce, there are corner stores with limited capacity and a high concentration of unhealthy, processed, genetically modified products. This negatively impacts Homewood's health by eliminating easily accessible food options. Also of significant note, many families have students who receive free or reduced lunches during the school year. During the summer, food options for these children may be more limited. While transit accessible grocery stores are available nearby in East Liberty, it can be difficult to carry enough groceries for a family on transit, requiring more frequent shopping trips. This shopping option is most available to those who live within walking distance of a busway stop. EXISTING CONDITIONS EDUCATION PRIORITIES Key questions that influenced recommendations: FOOD ACCESS • Where do you get your groceries? • Which groceries or food providers would be welcome in Homewood? • How might we attract a grocery store to the area? • Would a pop-up provider, such as a farmer's market, be useful to current and potential residents? • Are there healthy food options for students during the summer? • Other than a grocery store, what additional resources would encourage healthy eating habits? Throughout the early stages of the planning process, the project team found a number of common themes related to Education listed below: 1. Education seems to be getting better in the area and is critical, especially math and science (STEM) 2. Westinghouse High School is underresourced and is viewed as a last resort option because of its low math and science test scores 3. Neighborhood schools need teachers who are qualified and invested 4. Resources are needed for students who do not have parental support 5. Families need to see education as essential to their family and community 6. It is difficult to determine the impact of organizations in community addressing education 7. Faison Elementary is a brand new, state of the art facility. Fully utilizing this asset is very important. FOOD ACCESS MAP While not every detail of the core themes is able to be addressed within this section, the themes above directly influenced the selection of the existing conditions chapter outlined by top priorities. LINCOLN-LEMINGTON-BELMAR PENN HILLS EAST LIBERTY LARIMER HOMEWOOD SHADYSIDE EAST HILLS POI NT BRE EZE NOR TH POINT BREEZE WILKINSBURG SCHOOLS IN HOMEWOOD N 78 Project Boundary Corner Market (HW only) Green Space Full Service Grocery HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN Public Transit Source: City of Pittsburgh GIS Westinghouse School (top); Helen S. Faison Arts Academy (middle and bottom) February 5, 2019 79 SCHOOL QUALITY AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMMING • How can the community support the school system to make incremental improvements? READING MATH PROMISEGRADUATION HIGHER ED. In a number of stakeholder conversations and during the first community meeting for the 8TH GRADERS TAKING Homewood Comprehensive Community Plan,ALGEBRA low school rankings were raised as one of the top # Milliones concerns or parents and students in the area. Westinghouse ACHIEVEMENT GAP (6-8) • # Key questions that influenced CAPA recommendations: • ACHIEVEMENT READY RATE ENROLLMENT What grants and2017 community GAP (6-8) can schools SENIORS 2017 apply#for to help #organizations # # Westinghouse # get supplies they need? # # ## ## # # Are current fundingSci-Tech efforts improving schools 33 and moving positiveUrban outcomes? # Pathways 6-12 • • How does the presence of Charter schools affect Public Schools? • • Is there a way to track number of Homewood students who attend Public vs Private vs Charter schools? 3Do CAPTURE RATE # # 333 # $ @ n/a $ @ n/a $ @ n/a $ @ n/a n/a @ 3 evaluations 3 state33 or other standardized students 33 in Homewood? @ n/a #disadvantage # STUDENTS RATED TEACHING * How does school quality impact rates of higher educational attainment in Homewood? School comparisons: Elementary School comparisons: Elementary School comparisons: High school ** ** School comparisons: Elementary Banksville Arsenal 3RD GRADE PSSA READING 3RD GRADE PSSA READING ## READING ACHIEVEMENT READING GAP (3-5) ACHIEVEMENT #(3-5) GAP MATH ACHIEVEMENT GAP MATH (3-5) ACHIEVEMENT #(3-5) GAP ENROLLMENT GAIN/LOSS ENROLLMENT 2015-18 GAIN/LOSS 33 2015-18 CAPTURE RATE CAPTURE RATE # STUDENTS RATED TEACHING STUDENTS RATED TEACHING @ $10,305 @ ## 3 # 33 # 3 33 33 # $ # @ $8,130 $10,305 @ 3 33 @ 3 PROMISEREADY SENIORS ENROLLMENT @ GAIN/LOSS 2015-18 @@ SCHOOL COMPARISONS TO3DISTRICT3 AVERAGES @ Beechwood Banksville Concord Beechwood 18 18 3 33 GRADUATION RATE 2017 3 CAPTURE RATE SITE-BASED BUDGET PER PUPIL SPENDING SITE-BASED BUDGET PER PUPIL SPENDING ENROLLMENT $8,397 # $8,130 CAPTURE GAIN/LOSS RATE # $8,556 2015-18 $8,397 SITE-BASED BUDGET PER PUPIL SPENDING HIGHER ED. $ ENROLLMENT STUDENTS $2017 RATED TEACHING $@ 3RD GRADE PSSA READING READING @ 3 ACHIEVEMENT # GAP @(3-5) Allderdice MATH # @ ACHIEVEMENT GAP #(3-5) Grandview Faison Arsenal @@ 3 School comparisons: 6-12 ## # # @@ @@ #School 33 # Brashear comparisons: 6-12 $# Lincoln Grandview Banksville @ ## 3 # Carrick # 33 # 3 @@ # 33 @@ $# Miller Lincoln Beechwood ## 3 @ # 3 Perry # @ # @# @# # 3 $# @# 3 # $11,140 $11,879 $8,397 # @ 3 Faison Concord # @ 8TH GRADERS TAKING 8TH GRADERS ALGEBRA TAKING ALGEBRA # READING ACHIEVEMENT READING GAP (6-8) ACHIEVEMENT GAP #(6-8) Westinghouse Milliones Spring Hill Roosevelt Grandview # # # ## 3 Weil Spring LincolnHill 3 # 33 # Minadeo Miller Concord Milliones Roosevelt Minadeo Faison CAPA Westinghouse Obama CAPA 3 West Weil MillerLiberty Sci-Tech Obama 33 Urban Pathways 6-12 333 Sci-Tech Westwood Minadeo West Liberty Urban Pathways 6-12 @ Whittier Roosevelt Westwood Allegheny Spring Hill Whittier Dilworth Weil Allegheny @ ## 3 # @ MATH ACHIEVEMENT MATH GAP (6-8) ACHIEVEMENT GAP #(6-8) # @ ### # 33 # @ # PROMISEREADY GRADUATION RATE @ HighPROMISE@ GRADUATION # # City SENIORS 2017 @ ## 3 READY SENIORS # ## # 3 ## @ # ## # @ # ## RATE 2017 # HIGHER ED. ENROLLMENT HIGHER 2017 ED. ENROLLMENT 2017 # ENROLLMENT GAIN/LOSS ENROLLMENT 2015-18 GAIN/LOSS 2015-18 # # 3 # # @@ ## # # @ 3 ## @ # $ Liberty Westwood Fulton $ Linden Whittier Liberty 3 # 3 @ # * 3 33 33 ## # 33 ## @ 3 @ average 33 Above national * 33 @ 33 # @ Close to national 3 average 33 3 33 @ # @ 333 # @ @ # $ $ @ 333 # n/a 33 @ * @PROMISE33 3 READY # $8,126 @@ # $10,941 $10,305 $8,566 3 $ # $9,131 3 # @@ $11,879 $10,941 $8,130 @ $ @ $9,320 @ $10,297 @ $10,619 SITE-BASED BUDGET 33 @ $ 3 33 ACHIEVEMENT GAP $ average 3 @ is smaller than district 3 n/a Gap @ # # 33 @ GRADUATION @ 3 $10,187 $11,291 $13,741 $10,941 $9,345 3 @ $11,652 $11,879 $13,741 33 n/a Gap than district average# # is much smaller $ 3 @ Gap is near district average # 3 n/a $ 3 33 @ n/a # @ @ 33 3 HIGHER ED. @ ENROLLMENTn/a CAPTURE # 3 $8,712 $12,905 $8,056 PER PUPIL SPENDING @ $ # SITE-BASED BUDGET $10,328 $8,712 $9,528 SITE-BASED BUDGET @ 3 @ @ # 33 # # @ @ # @ # 3 @ # @ @ n/a # @ 3 # # 3 # @ @ # @ # n/a 3333 n/a @ $ # $10,619 $10,297 $8,712 @ 3 3 @ @ n/a #Greater than one# standard deviation below the 33333 district average # n/a @ $10,619 @ $10,328 Carrick Brashear City PerryHigh @ # ## eater than two standard deviations above theAcademy district average Urban # eater than one standard deviation above the district average ### eater than three standard deviations above the district average 3 Greater than one above standard deviation above the district average ## eater than two standard deviations the district average Urban Pathways K-5 ar the district averageGreater than two standard deviations above the district average eater than three 33 standard deviations above deviation the district average 3 Greater than one standard above the district average### @ @ # @ @ @ RATED $ # @ # @ Brashear Allderdice • Are existing programs communicating with each other and schools? • Could after school programs help schools by reviewing curriculum with students? • What kind of programming exists for summer months? Are there any gaps in after-school programs that should be filled? RATE 33333 # STUDENTS* TEACHING # @ CAPTURE 3333 RATED RATE TEACHING 3 @ n/a 33333 # $ * # @ @ YMCA Lighthouse Source: The Sprout Fund See page 14 for more information. Homewood Early Learning Hub Source: 90.5 WESA 3 n/a $12,905 # @ $10,048 $8,232 Source: A Plus$Schools Pittsburgh 2018 Report 3333 n/a STUDENTS @ @ # 3 Urban Pathways K-5 LindenAcademy How many students from Homewood are attending some form of after school programming? $8,828 $9,018 $9,528 @ # 3 READY SENIORS @ Allderdice Urban LibertyAcademy Woolslair 33 @ • $10,048 $8,828 $9,596 @ # GAIN/LOSS ENROLLMENT 2015-18 GAIN/LOSS 2015-18 3 33 # What are all the existing options for after school programming? $9,528 $8,056 $9,644 @ # # Gap is bigger than district average ENROLLMENT HIGHER 2017 ED. ENROLLMENT 2017 @ SENIORS # 3 @PROMISE- • Based on survey responses $8,056 * $11,652 $8,232 RATE 2017 GRADUATION RATE 2017 @ Woolslair Fulton Phillips n/a $13,870 that influenced questions recommendations: 33 Key $11,562 $10,187 $8,232 $13,741 $9,596 # 33 @ ## Gap is much bigger than district average# @ @ 33 SITE-BASED BUDGET PER PUPIL SPENDING $ SPENDING $9,117 @ @ PER PUPIL$11,140 $8,556 n/a *# SITE-BASED BUDGET PER PUPIL SPENDING 3 @ $11,291 $9,345 *# $9,117 $8,566 3 3 @ @ High $ n/a 33 33 3 # # @ school School comparisons: School comparisons: @ @ @ # n/a 3 # 3 @ High 3 school $ Phillips Dilworth Montessori City High Woolslair eater than one standard deviation above the district average $ # @ Below national average Montessori Allegheny Linden Montessori Urban Pathways K-5 Perry Carrick # @ # * $8,566 $8,556 3 #3 STUDENTS RATED STUDENTS TEACHING RATED TEACHING $3 STUDENTS RATED TEACHING Homewood is fortunate to have a vast array of after school programming such as Homewood SITE-BASED BUDGET PER PUPIL SPENDING Early Learning Hub, Homewood YMCA and Children’s Village. Throughout the area, 3 $11,291 programming ranges from school affiliated @ $10,187 programming to private entities. With such a 3 $11,562 diverse array of options, it can be challenging to # $8,627 program will be the best fit for your choose which @ $9,832 child. 3 @ $ # 3 n/a $8,627 $11,562 # Greater than one standard deviation below the district average Magnet school Charter school 3 $9,644 # @ 3 # @ $ 3 @ $11,652 $11,140 @ $ @ average # n/a $9,832 $8,627 ## Greater than two standard deviations below the district 33 3 Greater than @ three standard $below# @ average n/a n/a $13,870 3 @ ### n/a $deviations $9,832 The “standard deviation” is a measure of how much schools vary from the district average on the indicators we $9,018 # @ # 3 @the district $9,117 $9,644 selected. One standard deviation above or below indicates a substantial difference from the average, and two @ n/a $ n/a $13,870 # 3 @ 33 $9,018 $9,596 3 @ n/a @ # $9,345 or more standard deviations indicates an even greater difference from the average. # than three standard # # 3 33 @ 33 3 33 @district 3 3 @ @above the @average Greater deviations Near the # district average # # 33 @ STUDENTS RATED TEACHING ** CAPTURE RATE CAPTURE RATE # 3 @3 @ # # @ @ @ 3 3 33 33 3 Greater than one standard deviation above the district average 3 3 @ ## @ # @ # 33 3 33 @ 3 # @ @ Greater than two standard deviations above the district average Fulton West Liberty Dilworth Phillips ENROLLMENT GAIN/LOSS 2015-18 • 33How can33 we change 3 negative3perceptions 3 of @ schools? @ @ 3 3 3 Obama Arsenal EXISTING CONDITIONS 18 School comparisons: 6-12 3 @ 3 than two@ standard deviations @Greater @ below the district @ average Greater than one standard deviation below the district average n/a $ $ n/a $ n/a PER PUPIL SPENDING # $8,126 33 n/a $ # @ # n/a @ # $ n/a @ Magnet school n/a $14,180 $10,328 $8,828 $9,131 $8,126 333 33 @ $16,897 $10,048 $14,180 333 3 $10,297 $9,320 $12,905 $16,897 $9,320 $9,131 33 Charter school $14,180 Magnet schooldeviation” is a measure Charter The “standard of school how much schools vary from the district average on the indicators we 333above or$16,897 school deviation selected. n/a OneCharter standard below indicates a substantial difference from the average, and two ## Greater than two standard deviations below the district average The “standard deviation” is a measure much schools vary from average on the indicators we Greater than three standard below the district deviations indicatesof anhow even greater difference fromthe thedistrict average. # Greater than one standarddeviations deviation below the district averageaverage Magnet school or more standard Charter ACHIEVEMENT GAP The “standard deviation” is a measure of school how much schools vary from the district average on the indicators we 333 Greater than three standard deviations above the district average ### Greater than three standard deviations below the district average selected. One standard deviation above or below indicates a substantial difference from the average, and two 33 Greater than two standard deviations above the district average ## Greater than two standard deviations below the district average ar the district average selected. One standard deviation or below indicates a substantial difference from the average, and two See page 14 above for more information. @ Near the district average TUDENTS RATED TEACHING 3 Gap is smaller than district average or more deviations indicates an the even greater difference from the Themore “standard deviation” is astandard measure how much schools vary from average on the indicators we average. 333 Greater than three standard deviations above the district average ### Greater than three standard deviations below the district average or standard deviations indicatesof an even greater difference from thedistrict average. ACHIEVEMENT GAP ACHIEVEMENT GAP selected. One standard deviation aboveperformed or below indicates a substantial the average, anddistrict. two students above the leveldifference of whitefrom students in the @ average $ Above national *SeeBlack Near the district average 33 Gap is much smaller than district average See page 14 for more information. page 14 for more information. TUDENTS RATED TEACHING 3 isGap 3 Gap is smaller than districtaverage average smaller than district or more standard deviations indicates an even greater difference from the average. GAP STUDENTS RATED TEACHING Based on survey responses Close to national average @ ACHIEVEMENT Gap near district average ** on survey * Based 33 is # Greater Gap isstandard much smaller thandistrict districtbelow averagethe district average See eater than one standard deviation above the district average than one deviation HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN Black students the level of white students in the district. 80 page 14 for more information. $ Above national average *responses 33 Gap much smaller Magnet school performed above Charter school 3 isGap $ is smaller thanthan district averageaverage Above national average STUDENTS RATED TEACHING $ Below national average # than Gap bigger than district average @ is Gap isstandard near district average ## Based on survey responses eater than two standard deviations above the district average Greater two deviations below the district average * 33 isGap is much smaller than district average Based on survey responses Close to national averageClose to national average @ Gap near district average ** $ Above national average # isGap is bigger thanthan district averageaverage ## than Gap much bigger district The “standard deviation” is a measure of how much schools vary from the district average on the indicators we ### Greater eater than three standard above the district average standard deviations below the district average @ three Gap is near district average $ deviations Below national average $ Below national average # Gap bigger than district average Close to national average ## isGap is much bigger than district average selected. One standard deviation above or below indicates a substantial difference from the average, and two # Gap is bigger than district average ar the district average $ Below national average ## Gap is much bigger than district average or more standard deviations indicates an even greater difference from the average. ## Gap is much bigger than district average ACHIEVEMENT GAP Greater than three standard deviations below the district average # Greater than@ one standard deviation thethe district average than two standard deviations below district #Greater @below @ average n/a Magnet school February 5, 2019 81 EARLY CHILDHOOOD EDUCATION Chadwick Playground Chau LINCOLN-LEMINGTON-BELMAR cer S Upla LARIMER nd S t ark use P ngho Westi ub d ewoo Hom ground y Pla Tio ilton ga S t Ave .K. Jr. E ast Stoneville St Lawndale St ve dore A Cresc e Child nt Early hood Righ Beginteous Learnnings ing Homewood Station M.L Blacka r St Baxter Parklet Kelly Early Le arnin St gH Ham Wheele rett St ksto wn A ve Felic ia W ay Benn ett S t St DISTRICT 4 Fran Brus llas A ve N Da Sweet Pea’s Learning Center YMC Do A Ho Keithris V. Brus mewood Early -Clark hton Educ ation Ster St heall La Sc Ave N Ho Nan ’s Ki The ds Arou Cloc nd k s Dallalet k r a P HOMEWOOD Hale t Stub ble Ho fields Child me care hton Ave ild S ck A ve A Idlew St ng A ve YWC Mon ticel lo Davis ChildFamily care St N La NM urtla nd S t itage mew ood Herm PENN HILLS Euge n Jacksia M. on er St n St N Br addo n St Kedr o Colli Mt V erno Urban Leag Pittsburgh ue of Charter School Tempie Boddy Children’s Domain Child Care t Bus wa y EXISTING CONDITIONS CHILDCARE OPTIONS Early childhood education can have a lasting impact on a child’s development, educational attainment, health, and wealth. The Brookings Institute has done ample research on Head Start programs throughout the country and has concluded that Head Start programs can improve educational outcomes by increasing high school graduation rates, percentage of students obtaining a college degree or license/certification. The map categorizes provider by type and each has a STARS Rating. Children in high quality (Keystone STAR 3 and 4) centers have better child outcomes, as measured by Work Sampling System (WSS) scores, than children in STAR 1 and 2 centers. Unfortunately, there are only two STARS 4 facilities in Homewood: the YWCA and Shady Lane- which is considered Point Breeze North. Key questions that influenced recommendations: • What is being taught in early childhood education? • Are students prepared for kindergarten? • If children are not being sent to programs in Homewood where are parents traveling to for early childhood programs? • Is there adequate transition support from preschool to elementary school? • Is early childhood education happening within the home as well? Project Boundary McC Learnoy’s Cent ing er EAST HILLS District 1 (Faison, Westinghouse) District 4 (Colfax, Linden, Allderdice) Childcare Center N Ster rett Acad Classica l emy .2 mile 82 HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN POINT BREEZE NORTH St Public Transit ed ale Shad y Scho Lane ol Family Child Care Home (Day care operated out of a home) Ro s POINT BREEZE Pitt Chur sburgh N ch an e d Sch w ool Pre-K Counts + Head Start + Child Care Center WILKINSBURG Layover Brushton Terminal Group Child Care Home (A larger family child care home) K-12 Schools and Programs Source: Homewood Comprehensive Community Plan Core Team, Google February 5, 2019 83 CURRICULUM SPECIALITIES STEM subjects includes chemistry, computer and information technology sciences, engineering, life sciences, and mathematical sciences. While there is STEM programming opportunities for Homewood students math and science score remain low and need to be improved. With improvements in STEM there is the potential to increase the rate of students attending higher education. Key questions that influenced recommendations: • Is there space in schools for STEM education? • What grants can schools apply for to increase STEM and Arts Education? • • How can we improve linkages between high school to work force training or college programs? LARIMER HOMEWOOD How can local colleges partner with Homewood schools to excite students about future educational opportunities? • Is there equal efforts to include girls in STEM programming? • How can exiting STEM after school programs be better supported? • How many Homewood Youth attend Science and Technology Academy? SHADYSIDE POI EAST HILLS NT BRE EZE NOR WILKINSBURG Source: American Community Survey 2015 Source: Yelp, Google 28% 84% 25% 1,200 of residents have at least a high school diploma or GED 800 13% 11% number of residents 1,000 23% 6% 6% 7% 400 2% 1% 200 HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN Post graduate degree Bachelors degree Associates degree Some college High school diploma GED Some high school, no diploma 8th grade or lower None 0 84 TH POINT BREEZE EDUCATIONAL LEVEL 600 EXISTING CONDITIONS PENN HILLS EAST LIBERTY of residents have a college degree PUBLIC HEALTH AS IT AFFECTS EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT Primary Care (HW only) Studies have noted that hunger and lack of physical activity can negatively effect children’s cognitive development and ability to pay attention in school. In addition hunger has been linked to causing depression, anxiety, and the desire to be more withdrawn. Students need adequate recess time for unorganized play because the brain cannot maintain concentration for long periods of time and a change in focus will improve the information being processed. As requirements for testing increases and time devoted to recess decreases students will need alternatives for physical activity. Children require medical care for the whole child, this includes primary care, mental, and physical health. Fitness Facility (HW only) Key questions that influenced recommendations: • How many students are obtaining free or reduced lunch? • Is there adequate access to healthy and affordable food in Homewood? • Is there adequate access to play spaces or recreational spaces? • How many residents attend YMCA fitness classes? • Are there primary care options for Homewood children? • Are there good quality doctors located in or near Homewood? • Are there mental and dental health options? Reproductive Health (HW only) Community Health (HW only) Corner Market (HW only) Full Service Grocery Alma Illery Medical Center Homewood-Brushton YMCA Image Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Cannon Design February 5, 2019 85 FAISON ELEMENTARY RECOMMENDATIONS Safe Routes to School is a federally funded program that works on making safer routes for children to walk or bike to school. Successful programs bring together key stakeholders such as parents, students, teachers, elected officials to address the lack of physical activity students are getting while improving the built environment surrounding schools. Programs actively encourage students to walk or bike to school and often result in healthier students, safer streets, better air quality and less congestion around schools. The City of Pittsburgh, in partnership with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, through the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation’s Engineering and Construction Management System (ECMS), and Pennoni Associates conducted a Safe Routes to School Project for Faison in 2016. Short-Term: Key questions that influenced recommendations: • How are students getting to school? • Have recommendations from Safe Routes to School been implemented? And, are recommendations accurate? • Has Safe Routes to School research been distributed effectively? • Is there funding to support improvements for short and long term recommendations? • • Upgrade/install crosswalks: $100 type A patterned white waterborne crosswalk or $750 type C patterned hot-thermoplastic crosswalk • Install stop bars: $500 hot-thermoplastic or $150/waterborne • Snow removal and sidewalk maintenance: Varies Long-Term: • Construct ADA compliant sidewalks and curb ramps along Richland: $85 square yard of concrete sidewalk, $35 linear foot of curb, $5,000 curb ramp • Upgrade pedestrian hardware: countdown timer $1000/each, push button $500, signs $30/SF and timing updates varies • Upgrade entire traffic signal at an intersection $250,000 How has built environment changed since Safe Routes to School? • Since Safe Routes to School has physical activity increased among Faison students? • Is there sufficient bike safety education for students and parents? • Has there been less congestion around schools since Safe Routes to School? • How can we utilize Safe Routes to School research and apply it to other schools in Homewood? EXISTING CONDITIONS SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL Image Source: Safe Routes to School 2016 The URA was awarded funds through PennDOTs transportation improvement program to implement some of the recommendations in the Safe Routes to School Plan. Improvements will include: •• Sidewalk repair and replacement on Tioga between Homewood Avenue and N. Richland, along with ADA ramps and “piano key” crosswalks •• Flashing School Zone signage in front of the school •• New “pedestrian scale” lighting and street furniture (trash cans, benches) on Homewood Avenue between the busway and Hamilton Avenue •• Tioga Street Speed Humps on Finance Street Image Source: Safe Routes to School National Partnership Image Source: Safe Routes to School report 86 HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN Braddock Ave February 5, 2019 87 88 HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN What kinds of career paths do young adults need to be aware of, and who can provide these opportunities? rin g Re Tra & tai de W lT r ar eh ade ou F In in Pr fo sin an of rm g ce ., Sc at & ie io In nc su n e, Te Re ran ce ch a Ad ni l E ca sta m in lS te ., M er W as an vic e te a H s ea M gem lth an ag ent Ca em re Ac Art , So Ed en uc t s, co c En ial at m io A t m n od ert ssi at ain sta io m nc n, en e Fo t od , Re Se c. Pu rv bl ic ic es Ad O m in the is tr r at io n • 0 n How can those role models connect more with Homewood residents and programs? 100 tu • 200 le Are they invested in the future of Homewood? 300 sa • 400 le Who are community and citywide role models? 500 tio • 20% of people who work in Homewood work in education 600 ta Key questions that influenced recommendations: 700 or At the public meeting, “lack of inspiration/role models” was a common theme listed as a barrier faced by young adults in Homewood. Being exposed to a variety of realities increases one’s life choices. The Mission of this comprehensive plan is to incorporate the Nguzo Saba (Seven Principles) to craft strategies to transform Homewood. The third principle is Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility), and is particularly relevant for this theme. There are a variety of programs in the community, in Pittsburgh, and in the nation who take on the responsibility of providing mentorship to youth and young adults. What will work best to continue this work in Homewood? WHAT DO PEOPLE WHO WORK IN HOMEWOOD DO? Source: LEHD-Jobs in Homewood, ACS 2011, Homewood Employed sp CAREER MENTORSHIP Co Uti ns liti e t an ruc s Tr W uf tio n ho ac an sp le tur sa i or le ng ta T tio n Ret rad a & e W il T r ar eh ade o Fi Pr na Inf usi of nc orm ng ., e Sc at & ie io In nc su n e, Ad ra T R nc m ec e a in e hn l ., ic Est W al a as Se te te H rv ea M ic lth an es ag Ca em re A , e E Ac So r du nt co ts, ci ca E a m m nte l As tion rt od si a s at i t io nm anc n, e e Fo nt, Re od Se c. Pu rv bl ic ic es Ad m Ot he in is tr r at io n How does transportation factor into this theme? M • n How might we address the barriers? tio • uc What are barriers that employers face in bringing quality jobs to Homewood? tr • 0 ac What do people need in order to obtain quality jobs? 100 ho • 200 W Who are quality employers? 300 an • 400 Tr While not every detail of the core themes is able to be addressed within this section, the themes above directly influenced the selection of the existing conditions chapter outlined by top priorities. What is a “quality job”? 500 ns 4. Employment is paramount to under 35 involvement • 49% of women living in Homewood work in health care and social services 600 uf 3. Need employment here to stay here (but also heard that we should think regionally, not just locally, about jobs) Key questions that influenced recommendations: 700 an 2. Neighborhood organizations need to begin to get past collaboration and into consolidation through increased trust and transparency. Some people we spoke with expressed that barriers to bringing quality jobs to Homewood are a lack of technical skills and a perception of violence. Source: LEHD-Jobs in Homewood, ACS 2011, Homewood Employed Co 1. A successful plan would set neighborhood organizations up to begin integrated service delivery. All of the necessary resources already exist in the community, but it’s now a question of working together. During our engagement process, community members expressed that low-wage jobs do not change a family’s trajectory of poverty. In addition, low-wage jobs ensure that most people work multiple jobs, which leaves them with very little time to be present for their children, participate in community meetings, or take time off to complete a workforce development program. WHAT DO PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN HOMEWOOD DO? M There are families raising children who work hard and long hours, often for low wages. They want a Homewood where their kids have a safe place to play and grow. They want strong schools and opportunities for their kids. These parents do not have time to come to regular community meetings. In their conversations, they often talk about the other Homewood (the old-timers) who are making decisions that do not include them or represent their needs or interests. The follow core themes arose in discussions with community members and stakeholders: QUALITY JOBS EXISTING CONDITIONS WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PRIORITIES February 5, 2019 89 LARGE EMPLOYERS AND TECHNICAL TRAINING PROGRAMS CONNECTION BETWEEN PROGRAMS AND EMPLOYERS Chadwick Playground Chau LINCOLN-LEMINGTON-BELMAR cer S Upla LARIMER t nd S t Mt V erno n St Kedr o PENN HILLS n St Herm urtla nd S t itage St t Ave .K. Jr. E ast Stoneville St Lawndale St St Homewood Sta�on M.L ve dore A r St Wheele hton Ave ga S Hale ark use P ngho Wes� Tio ilton While there are multiple opportunities and programs for workforce development, the perception is that they are not operating at their full capacity or they are not providing the expected results. Many people believe this is heightened by a lack of connection. If educational institutions are connected to the community, ideally, they would provide a pipeline to employers who pay a living wage. A commonly expressed perception about Community College of Allegheny County Homewood Branch is that “nobody knows about it.” Improving their connection to the community is an investment in long term career stability. There are additional organizations preparing youth for employment. Some groups have expressed that while “soft skills” are important, larger employers want to see certificates or some type of degree to prove “hard skills.” A streamlined connection between educational institutions, job readiness programs, and large employers will allow the community to better utilize federal dollars instead of competing with each other for funds. Key questions that influenced recommendations: Brus d ewoo Hom ground y Pla Ham St N Br addo Kelly Baxter Parklet ck A ve ksto wn A ve Felic ia W ay Benn e� S t er St re� St Fran Colli llas A ve Ster s Dallalet k r a P Blacka Ave mew ood HOMEWOOD N Ho t ng A ve ild S N La Idlew N Da La Sc heall St NM Mon �cel lo St EXISTING CONDITIONS Source: City of Pittsburgh GIS Bus wa y EAST HILLS • Who is currently doing workforce development programming? • How much are they utilized? • What is their organizational capacity? • How can groups better consolidate or partner to track outcomes? • How can workforce development leaders connect to employers? • How can institutions such as PITT be helpful in a meaningful way? ed ale Project Boundary Ro s POINT BREEZE St POINT BREEZE NORTH WILKINSBURG N .2 mile 90 HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN Layover Brushton Terminal Green Space Vocational Training Large Employer Public Transit February 5, 2019 91 7800 SUSQUEHANNA BUSINESSES + LOCAL BUSINESS ECOSYSTEM Throughout the early stages of the planning process, the project team found a number of common themes related to Business and Innovation listed below: 1. The neighborhood has no grocery store which impacts many other focus areas of this plan and should be prioritized as a business opportunity 2. Homewood currently has and needs more support from strong business support groups 3. Lack of everyday services and businesses impacts the entire community - businesses should be incentivized that can fill these gaps While not every detail of the core themes is able to be addressed within this section, the themes above directly influenced the selection of the existing conditions chapter outlined by top priorities. Homewood-Based Businesses 7800-Based Businesses William Baker's Dairy Foulke Fine Art Conservation Afro American Music Institute BoXYZ Rebuilding Together Urban Tree EXISTING CONDITIONS BUSINESS AND INNOVATION PRIORITIES Bridgeway Capital is working with local stakeholders on an economic revitalization strategy focused on 7800 Susquehanna Street with the support of the Richard King Mellon Foundation. The project has re-purposed the former industrial building into a platform for economic renewal in the neighborhood of Homewood. In addition to offering space for lease to local businesses, educational opportunities have been available to minority-owned construction businesses during the redevelopment of the space in hopes of better equipping contractors in Homewood to take advantage of Pittsburgh's larger construction boom. Lexington Technology Park Community Meeting November 2, 2017 History of the Site LEXINGTON TECHNOLOGY PARK Located just outside of Homewood at 400 North Lexington Street, this 16-acre property is currently owned by the URA. The URA is seeking to redevelop the property into a high-quality transit-oriented development that includes both mixed-income housing and quality job opportunities. The property will be sold through the URA’s disposition process, which guides the redevelopment of URA owned land. The future redevelopment of the site is in the conceptual stage. It is a significant development for area and will impact Homewood’s redevelopment. Key questions that influenced recommendations: • What will the development mean for Homewood? • What can Homewood do to better take advantage of this development for the community and community members? LEXINGTON TECHNOLOGY PARK Public meeting held about Lexington Technology Park (top); the site for Lexington Technology Park (bottom) Image Sources: pittsburghmodular.com, beautyshoppe. co, rtpittsburgh.org, boxzy.com, paintingsconservator.com, pittsburghurbantree.com 92 HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN February 5, 2019 93 MEANINGFUL INVESTMENT Source: Operation Better Block, Business & Institutional Core Cluster Plan, November 2015 Commercial Institutions Key questions that influenced recommendations: Idlew Consider Zoning Change to LNC for existing and new businesses ild Str eet Churches Fores t Benne Frank st tt Stre enue Felica Way Mixed Use, 3 Stories ton A ve Brush ddock Ave Stree 1500' Radius from Station N Bra Zen it hW ay NH ome woo d Mixed Use (60' or 4 Stories) Collie r Ave t Ave enue Bus 94 • Which organizations are involved in commercial development work in Homewood? • Do they all have the trust of community members? • Do they work together or in silos? When in close proximity to vacant properties, new businesses face many barriers to opening in a timely manner. Many existing buildings need significant improvements before being occupied, and vacant lots would require groundup design and construction. Both scenarios require significant time and money. Once spaces are occupied, success is often dependent on the variety of vibrant business clustered together. Key questions that influenced recommendations: • Massing Diagram Which resident-owned businesses would thrive along a commercial corridor? • Mixed-use buildings dominate the Core with a height of 4 stories nearest to Homewood Station (zoning allows for greater height due to transit proximity) and 3 stories along Homewood and Frankstown Avenues. Consider changing zoning in the RM-M district along Frankstown to LNC to encourage new business uses. What type of businesses could anchor a commercial corridor revitalization? • What infrastructure issues must be addressed to ensure a vibrant business corridor? • What improvements can residents make? • What improvements need City intervention? • Which corridor/s should be prioritized for infrastructure improvements? way 30 How can organizations involved in commercial development better work together to accomplish community-established goals? Vacant and/or abandoned properties in Homewood, shown by the orange parcels on the left, are an issue throughout the neighborhood. The commercial vacancies along business corridors, however, present a different concern than residential vacancies. The blue parcels indicate the commercial vacancies along North Homewood Ave as of 2016. Sterr ett St ton Av • VACANT + ABANDONED SPACES reet treet Hamil Way own A v et Kelly S NL ang Through outreach and meetings, we have heard an overwhelming desire to create and see meaningful investment in Homewood. This includes business development and resources that benefit current residents. Mixed Use, 3 Stories Vacant Retail EXISTING CONDITIONS Homewood Business & Institutional Core: Massing Homewood Cluster Planning Neighborhood Vision Plan HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN February 5, 2019 95 VISION STATEMENT Homewood will be an AfricanAmerican cultural destination where people choose to live, work, worship, and visit. It will be safe, green, healthy, and innovative. It will have quality schools. It will be a place that protects long-term and low-income residents and equips them to be engaged and informed. 96 HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN February 5, 2019 97 Community leaders and members involved in action teams worked together to develop recommendations in response to the priorities that were defined by the earlier public meeting. These recommendations were then further developed, consolidated and prioritized in order to develop a clear path for the community to achieve its goals. The recommendations have been grouped in four visions: • Community .................... pg. 96 Mobility ............................. pg. 121 Development ................. pg. 149 Infrastructure ............... pg. 159 98 HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN RECOMMENDATIONS RECOMMENDATIONS The nine Action Teams, listed below, developed the following strategies with extensive input. Each strategy has been divided into short, medium and long term projects, programming and policies. Time Frames are the length of time the Homewood Partners can expect to plan and implement their identified strategies. This can also help the groups prioritize efforts and funding. Additionally, the recommendations will be implemented by the Homewood Collaborative and their partners, but they will encourage opportunities to collaborate with public, private, and nonprofit organizations to leverage resources and ensure that other City led initiatives take the following strategies into consideration. Urban Design & Development Public Health and Safety Housing Education Sustainability Workforce Development Culture & Recreation Business & Innovation Mobility POLICY Policies are implemented by governmental structures, and costs are political. The need for policy change can be realized and advocated for at the community level. PROGRAM Programs are implemented by governments, businesses, and communities, and costs are human capital. Programs are often longer term and under the umbrella of one or several organizations. PROJECT Projects are implemented by government structures but also businesses and communities, and costs are high. Projects are often short term and might include several partners. SHORT 1-2 years MEDIUM 5-10 years LONG 10+ years February 5, 2019 99 RECOMMENDATIONS VISION STATEMENT: Homewood will be an African-American cultural destination where people choose to live, work, worship, and visit. It will be safe, green, healthy, and innovative. It will have quality schools. It will be a place that protects longterm and low-income residents and equips them to be engaged and informed. COMMUNITY COMMUNITY GOALS: GOAL 1: Improve fresh and healthy food access Action Teams: Urban Design & Development Public Health and Safety Sustainability Education Culture & Recreation Workforce Development COMMUNITY LIES AT THE HEART OF A NEIGHBORHOOD. FOR A NEIGHBORHOOD TO BE TRULY SUCCESSFUL, IT MUST DELIVER A HIGH QUALITY OF LIFE TO ITS PEOPLE SO THAT THEY CAN THRIVE. ACCESS TO QUALITY FOOD, EDUCATION, HEALTH CARE AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY MAKE UP THE GOALS AND STRATEGIES IN THIS SECTION. THESE SEVEN GOALS LAY THE GROUNDWORK FOR THE HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN TO SUCCESS BY ENSURING THAT COMMUNITY MEMBERS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE IN THE BENEFITS OF REDEVELOPMENT. 100 HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN GOAL 2: Improve education quality for all Homewood students GOAL 3: Create more and better out-of-school time options GOAL 4: Organize community support teams that focus on public health and safety GOAL 5: Increase career readiness and placement GOAL 6: Promote and preserve Homewood’s African-American heritage and culture February 5, 2019 101 STRATEGY 1.2: PROMOTE AN INCREASE IN FARMERS MARKETS AND FARM STANDS IN HOMEWOOD TYPE Program TIMELINE Medium CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS STRATEGY 1.1: FORM FOOD ACCESS WORKING GROUP TO FACILITATE CREATION OF A BUYING CLUB OR FOOD COOPERATIVE IN HOMEWOOD THAT SELLS AFFORDABLE, HEALTHY FOOD OPTIONS TYPE Program TIMELINE Short CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS Homewood-Brushton Community Coalition Organization Strategic Plan: Charting a New Future for Homewood-Brushton, Homewood Urban Agenda Strategy: An Inner-City Model for Urban Revitalization ACTION TEAM Public Health and Public Safety A lack of grocery stores in Homewood leaves residents to rely on five corner stores for quick food purchases. Unfortunately, these local corner stores have limited capacity with a lack of fresh produce and a high concentration of unhealthy, processed food. If residents desire to go to a full scale grocery store they have to travel 1+ miles. This seemingly short distance is loaded with a magnitude of challenges. Homewood residents who do not own a car are required to bike, walk the distance to the grocery store or rely on public transportation. Even for able-bodied persons this voyage proposes limitations in relying on public transportation outside of peak hours, carrying heavy grocery 102 bags, and dealing with trying to find healthy affordable options that your family will consume. •• This lack of access in Homewood is a clear indicator of a food desert. The CDC defines a food desert as an area that lacks affordable fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low fat milk, and other food that make up a healthy diet.3 This inequitable lack of access often manifests in unhealthy eating habits and chronic health issues inevitably causing larger financial burdens. •• Local and national organizations have taken action to address the approximately 23.5 million people living in areas throughout the U.S that are designated as food deserts.4 In the short term Homewood can improve their local food system by completing the following: •• •• Connect to Food Policy Council who is doing regional work to improve access to healthy and affordable food options Encourage corner stores and small scale food retailers to become healthy food retailers that promote healthy food options 3. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (2011), “CDC Features: Food Deserts,” https:// www.cdc.gov/features/food deserts/ 4. Feeding America, " Food Deserts Offer Little Access to Nutrition," https://www. ourcommunityfoodbank.org/food-insecurities/ finding-nutrition-in-a-food-desert/ HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN Apply for grant funding to improve the local food system Homewood-Brushton Community Coalition Organization Strategic Plan: Charting a New Future for Homewood-Brushton, Homewood Urban Agenda Strategy: An Inner-City Model for Urban Revitalization ACTION TEAM Sustainability Across the nation food access working groups are popping up to organize local buying clubs and food cooperatives that sell healthy, fresh food at a affordable rate. Buying clubs and food cooperatives are a reliable alternative to a full scale grocery store as a permanent physical location is not required and retail is determined by the organizer leading to healthier options. Starting a buying club or cooperative creates the opportunity to buy food at a lower rate. Buyers purchase food from distributors at wholesale price which cuts out the additional cost supermarkets add to make profit. Volunteers organize distribution to members, ordering food, and keeping the books. The option to have food delivered to your house or a central location eliminates many of the mobility challenges a typically associated with a grocery store trip. Farmers markets increase opportunities for community members to access fresh foods and vegetables and support local farmers. Many markets in Pittsburgh and across the country have innovatively structured their payment methods to include opportunities for families and individuals using WIC to purchase food from their markets. This payment structure is vital to the success of farmers markets in many low-income communities. Farmers markets Utilize Adopt-A-Lot and Farm-A-Lot to grown healthy foods on publiclyowned vacant lot In the long term Homewood can address food insecurity by incentivising businesses that will increase healthy food. RECOMMENDATIONS GOAL 1: IMPROVE FRESH AND HEALTHY FOOD ACCESS also provide space for local crafts and wares to be sold, supporting a local economy and minimizing unsustainable imports of goods. Finally, markets are social spaces that support a sense of community and provide opportunities to both disseminate information and feel connected to one another. Increasing the number of farmes markets and/or frequency would help to decrease food access issues. Additionally, adequately advertising and connecting residents is vital to this effort. STRATEGY 1.3: CONVENE STAKEHOLDERS TO BETER UNDERSTAND HOW POVERTY, INEQUITIES, AND FOOD COSTS LEAD TO FOOD INSECURITY AND HOW CURRENT INITIATIVES ARE COMBATING THIS AND COULD BE REPLICATED IN HOMEWOOD TYPE Program TIMELINE Medium CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS Homewood Urban Agenda Strategy: An Inner-City Model for Urban Revitalization ACTION TEAM Sustainability In addition to farmers markets and healthy corner store programs, many cities have utilized mobile fruit and vegetable delivery options, commonly called Green Grocer Programs. Typically, these programs utilize a refrigerated box truck that makes one hour stops at senior centers, public or senior housing on a weekly basis. STRATEGY 1.4: EXPAND AND SOLIDIFY GARDEN SKILLSHARE PROGRAM TO ENCOURAGE HOME GARDENING AND FOSTER COMMUNITY KNOWLEDGE TYPE Program TIMELINE Short CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS Homewood-Brushton Community Coalition Organization Strategic Plan: Charting a New Future for Homewood-Brushton, Homewood Urban Agenda Strategy: An Inner-City Model for Urban Revitalization A garden skillshare program would be complementary to Strategy 2. Gardeners in Homewood and existing non-profits would foster a collaborative and ongoing relationship with other residents interested in learning more about gardening and assist in one-on-one and group skill building to build individual and community capacity for gardening and continue to promote raised bed installation for residents coupled with education around maintenance, food choice, and food prep. ACTION TEAM Sustainability February 5, 2019 103 TYPE Program TIMELINE Short CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS Homewood-Brushton Community Coalition Organization Strategic Plan: Charting a New Future for Homewood-Brushton , Homewood Urban Agenda Strategy: An Inner-City Model for Urban Revitalization ACTION TEAM Public Health and Public Safety Healthy Corner Store Initiatives create partnerships between residents and local corner store owners to improve the healthy food retail. In Pittsburgh, Just Harvest is completing neighborhood assessments, and stakeholder meetings to identify corner store owners that are interested in improving their stores to support healthy food consumption. Interested stores can join the “Fresh Corners”network and obtain support from Just Food to obtain more healthy food options. like, the Green Light Foods that explains the nutrition facts. Shoppers who frequent these stores are having an easier time understanding how much sugar, saturated fat and sodium is in the food they buy and are making healthier choices. Since 2015, Food retailers in the network have successfully provided healthier options for all shoppers; stores in network are required to supply Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) and Federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) options. Revamped stores that have reorganized the interior to support healthy eating also suggest the use of mobile apps Just Harvest and the Allegheny County Health Department launched Fresh Corners, make it easy to get a Fresh Corner store in your neighborhood. Examples of existing healthy stores include: L. A. Grocery at Larimer 511 Larimer Ave, In & Out at McKees Rocks 300 Helen St, and Bailey Food Mart at McKeesport 2316 Bailie Ave. If residents desire to learn more about initiatives nationally, many cities have toolkits for organizing to improve healthy food retail. GOAL 2: IMPROVE EDUCATION QUALITY FOR ALL HOMEWOOD STUDENTS STRATEGY 2.1: IMPROVE OVERALL QUALITY OF CURRICULUM, ACCESS, AND TEACHING FORCE FOR EARLY LEARNING PROGRAMS AND K-12 SCHOOLS TYPE Program TIMELINE Short CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS Welcoming Pittsburgh: A Roadmap for Change, Anatomy of a Neighborhood: Homewood in the 21st Century ACTION TEAM Education STRATEGY 1.6: COORDINATE ACCESS TO HEALTHY BREAKFAST AND LUNCH OPTIONS FOR RESIDENTS, SENIORS AND STUDENTS, ESPECIALLY OUTSIDE REGULAR SCHOOL HOURS TYPE Program TIMELINE Short CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS An Inner-City Model for Urban Revitalization,HomewoodBrushton Community Coalition Organization Strategic Plan: Charting a New Future for Homewood-Brushton ACTION TEAM Education 104 Homewood schools should provide healthier breakfast and lunch options at school by eliminating the availability of processed meat and taking steps to improve school food overall, including use of more fresh and local fruits and vegetables. Schools should also seek out funding from the USDA to provide healthy food for after HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN school programs and over the summer, as many children depend on school food service for access to regular and healthy meals. By contacting the Pennsylvania Department of Education or Agriculture, Homewood schools can request to become eligible sites for the USDA’s Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), which funds summer meals for children under 18. RECOMMENDATIONS STRATEGY 1.5: ENCOURAGE CORNER STORES AND SMALL SCALE FOOD RETAILERS TO BECOME HEALTHY FOOD RETAILERS THAT PROMOTE HEALTHY FOOD OPTIONS Early childhood education, including preschool and prekindergarten (pre-K) education, has strong benefits for children’s future success in school, cognitive and emotional development, health, and income later in life. State expansions of funding for pre-K have helped to increase access through providers like the YWCA, which provides care for infants and toddlers and pre-K for three- and four-year-olds. As access to affordable pre-K expands, pre-K providers should work with other local organizations to promote enrollment among Homewood families to ensure that all Homewood children can take advantage of this resource. In addition, providers should work to ensure that when they have full enrollment, they can refer families to other providers who may have vacancies. STRATEGY 2.2: SEEK OUT TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO INCREASE QUALITY OF EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAMS TYPE Policy & Program TIMELINE Short CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS Pittsburgh Roadmap for Inclusive Innovation. Anatomy of a Neighborhood: Homewood in the 21st Century ACTION TEAM Education The Office of Child Development at the University of Pittsburgh, the City of Pittsburgh Early Childhood Program, and Working Together have access to the latest research and best practices in early childhood development and education. Homewood early childhood providers should partner with these institutions or other experts to ensure that programs are high-quality and use evidence-based practices. February 5, 2019 105 TYPE Program TIMELINE Short CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS Peace & Justice Initiative ACTION TEAM Education Student “comment boxes” or “suggestion boxes” is a practice that is used in classrooms and schools across the country. These boxes offer students an opportunity to provide anonymous feedback and highlight issues that may exist in the classroom, or discuss issues of interest to the school as a whole. To help students get used to using the comments and suggestion boxes, and to help promote critical thinking among students, it can be helpful for school administrators, teachers, and students to come up with school-wide topics of discussion that can be furthered through in-classroom discussions and through the comment box system. TYPE Program TIMELINE Medium CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS African American Neighborhoods of Choice Report,Welcoming Pittsburgh: A Roadmap for Change ACTION TEAM Education Homewood stakeholders are seeking ways to promote smaller student-to-staff ratios in local schools in order to decrease class sizes and improve the diversity of instruction and assistance available to students. These goals should be advocated with the superintendent, the school board and in speaking out at the school board meetings. Parent-teacher organizations can be also a valuable asset to school funding if they can navigate the grant-seeking world and work with local foundations, 106 HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN STRATEGY 2.5: SEEK THE INVOLVEMENT OF STUDENTS, FAMILIES, AND COMMUNITY IN THE LEARNING AND EDUCATION DECISION MAKING PROCESS TYPE Program TIMELINE Medium CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS Homewood: A Community Profile ACTION TEAM Education These topics could include everything from ideas about school lunches, to options for commemoration of Black History Month, to discussions about school policies and procedures. STRATEGY 2.4: ENSURE SMALLER CLASS/GROUP SIZE WITH LOWER ADULT TO STUDENT RATIOS AND WITH OPPORTUNITIES FOR ONE-ON-ONE STUDENT ENGAGEMENT corporations, and businesses to raise consistent funding for staff and programming. However, building this network will require capacity-building for local PTOs and building their ability to make a compelling case, connect with funders, and oversee long-term school improvements. The Homewood Collaborative may be able to assist local PTOs with strategic planning assistance and grantwriting / fundraising training. RECOMMENDATIONS STRATEGY 2.3: DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT ONGOING RESEARCH AND EVALUATION METHODOLOGY FOR HOMEWOOD SCHOOL PERFORMANCE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH UNIVERSITIES. LINK POLICIES TO RESEARCH AGENDA College preparatory classes are an essential ingredient for academic achievement in high schools. All Homewood students should have the opportunity to prepare for college and to take classes that can potentially count for college credit, such as Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate classes. While there is growing agreement that not all high school students need to be on a college track, holding students and schools to high standards of academic achievement signals to students that academics are valuable and that teachers and schools want to see them succeed. In addition, many of the growing industries in Pittsburgh, such as the technology and biotechnology fields, provide well-paying jobs but require advanced education. Homewood students should have opportunities to get an education that will prepare them for college and to enter these fields of work. STRATEGY 2.6: ENSURE A SAFE AND SECURE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL HOMEWOOD STUDENTS TYPE Program TIMELINE Short CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS African American Neighborhoods of Choice Report,Welcoming Pittsburgh: A Roadmap for Change ACTION TEAM Education Students respond positively to speaking with members of their community who have pursued a variety of career options; speaking with these role models makes the opportunity seem possible and relatable to the students’ own experiences. Role model programs should seek out mentors with a wide variety of experiences, including small business owners, community development organizations, professionals such as lawyers and doctors, people who work in trades and construction. Students should also be able to express interest in types of role models and mentors they would like to hear from next. For older students, these mentorship programs might evolve into job shadowing or internship placements as described in Education Strategy 4.3 and Workforce Development Strategy 2.5. February 5, 2019 107 TYPE Program TIMELINE Short CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS My Brother's Keeper: Allegheny County and City of Pittsburgh's plan ACTION TEAM Education Parent involvement in school settings has a wide array of positive effects on students inside and outside of school. The American Psychological Association notes that parent involvement improves students’ school attendance, test scores, and grades, as well as decreasing health risks such as substance abuse and involvement in violence.5 5. American Psychological Association, “Parent Engagement in Schools,” http://www.apa.org/ pi/lgbt/programs/safe-supportive/parentalengagement/default.aspx. Homewood schools should create more opportunities for parents to be engaged in school activities. Because many parents have constraints on their time and differing working hours, opportunities should include volunteering in classrooms during the day, participating in after-school events, taking part in health and wellness activities for students that could take place during evenings or on weekends, or other services that can accommodate a flexible range of times. GOAL 3: CREATE MORE AND BETTER OUT-OF-SCHOOL TIME OPTIONS STRATEGY 3.1: COORDINATE AND ALIGN OST RESOURCES TO ENSURE QUALITY AND NECESSARY RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE TO ALL STUDENTS. ALIGN OST PROGRAMMING TO SCHOOL DAY CURRICULUM AND INCREASE EVENING AND WEEKEND OPPORTUNITIES TYPE Program TIMELINE Short CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS Welcoming Pittsburgh: A Roadmap for Change ACTION TEAM Education Out-of-school-time (OST) programs help advance student learning, health, and wellbeing by providing enriching programming that can include physical activity, educational support such as homework help and tutoring, healthy food and meals, field trips, and other activities. Participation in sports, summer camps, reading and math-focused programs, arts and culture-focused programs, and any other supervised and structured program for children outside of school hours qualifies as OST. The U.S. CDC has found that OST programs can support academic achievement and 108 HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN RECOMMENDATIONS STRATEGY 2.7: CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PARENTS AND FAMILY MEMBERS TO BE MORE INVOLVED IN IMPROVING SCHOOL QUALITY BY ENCOURAGING PARENTS TO CONTRIBUTE TO HEALTH ACTIVITIES, SERVICES, AND PROGRAMS AT SCHOOL these students to test out child-centered work and professions, can give them a sense of responsibility, and can be a good reference for future work in child-centered fields. reduce health disparities when implemented according to evidence-based practices.6 The Education Action Team recommended three key steps for OST in Homewood: •• Grow resources, funding, and quality of OST programs. OST can be expensive for many families and often it does not fully meet the schedule needs of families. Growing resources and funding to help OST meet the needs of more families, and ensuring that OST programs are following evidence-based practices, will improve outcomes for children and families. •• Create opportunities for youth to collaborate in OST programs. Having older youth such as those 13 and up serve as “youth counselors” or mentors in OST programs can provide opportunities for •• Foster better communication between OST, teachers, and parents. When children encounter issues or problems during OST, there is not an automatic notification system for teachers and parents in the same way that schools are supposed to notify parents. Ensuring that schools and parents are aware of any health or behavioral issues that children may encounter at OST will ensure that families and schools can respond and provide assistance and care. 6. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Out of School Time Supports Student Health and Learning,” https://www.cdc.gov/ healthyschools/ost.htm. February 5, 2019 109 TYPE Program TIMELINE Short CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS Pittsburgh Roadmap for Inclusive Innovation ACTION TEAM Education Making books as accessible as possible to Homewood residents of all ages will help promote reading and literacy for Homewood’s youth. Additionally, schools have not always had sufficient numbers to textbooks for students, so having them avaialble at neighborhood library branch would greatly benefit students. Stakeholders suggested two options: •• Obtaining or building a Mobile Library that would travel the neighborhood and enable residents to check out books or textbooks. This mobile library could also be stationed at major events, along commercial corridors, at the Busway station, at parks, and in other high-traffic locations to encourage residents to integrate reading into their daily lives. •• RECOMMENDATIONS STRATEGY 3.2: FUND SUPPLEMENTAL LIBRARY OPTIONS SUCH AS BUILDING A MOBILE LIBRARY THAT TRAVELS THROUGHOUT HOMEWOOD THAT COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS OR RESIDENTS COULD RENT BOOKS OR TEXTBOOKS FROM, OR BUILDING LITTLE FREE LIBRARIES THROUGHOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD TO PROMOTE READING AT A YOUNG AGE STRATEGY 3.4: SECURE QUALIFIED, CREDENTIALED, AND WELL-TRAINED STAFF TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF OST PROVIDERS COMMITTED TO CONTINUOUS QUALITY IMPROVEMENT STRATEGY 3.5: CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUTH TO PARTICIPATE IN OST PROGRAM DESIGN AND DECISION MAKING Building Little Free Libraries throughout the neighborhood. Little Free Libraries are small stations where residents can donate their old and unused books for other residents to take and enjoy. The non-profit Little Free Library provides plans and installation tips to build the structures. A Homewood non-profit could sponsor “build days” where local households could build their own Little Free Libraries with donated materials, or a non-profit could actually build and distribute them in the neighborhood with residents’ permission. STRATEGY 3.3: CREATE AN AFTER SCHOOL HEALTHY COOKING CLUB FOR PARENTS AND STUDENTS TO LEARN ABOUT HEALTHY EATING, AND PARTNER WITH LOCAL RESTAURANTS TO HOST COOKING DEMONSTRATIONS TYPE Program TIMELINE Short CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS Homewood Urban Agenda Strategy: An Inner-City Model for Urban Revitalization,HomewoodBrushton Community Coalition Organization Strategic Plan: Charting a New Future for Homewood-Brushton ACTION TEAM Education 110 Learning to cook healthy, convenient, and inexpensive meals can benefit families’ budget and health equally; children learn to try and enjoy a variety of healthy meals, and busy parents learn techniques for putting healthy food on their family’s table on a regular basis. Parent-child cooking classes can also provide time for bonding between parents and children and promote parent involvement in school. HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN February 5, 2019 111 TYPE Program TIMELINE Short CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS 2017 Peace & Justice Initiative, Equitable, Development: The Path to an All-In Pittsburgh, My Brother's Keeper: Allegheny County and City of Pittsburgh's plan for addressing opportunity gaps for boys and young men of color ACTION TEAM Public Health and Public Safety STRATEGY 4.1: WORK WITH LOCAL DRUG ABUSE ORGANIZATIONS TO IDENTIFY HARM REDUCTION STRATEGIES TYPE Program TIMELINE Short CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS 2017 Peace & Justice Initiative, Equitable Development: The Path to an Aall-In Pittsburg ACTION TEAM Public Health and Public Safety In the public meetings throughout the Community Plan, a common Public Safety concern was drug activity (usage and dealing). Arrest reports show that there are a variety of substances involved in drug-related arrests in the area; heroin has been the most prominent substance in the Zone 5 weekly Community Crime Update. There is a need to work with local drug abuse organizations in Homewood to address tactics to reducing harm to both drug users and bystanders. Additionally, drug education helps children understand how drugs affect their mind and body, how to know if they or someone they love is addicted to drugs, and the potential ways that addiction can harm them and their family. Drug education can also include counseling for those who are addicted and their family members, which could be a component of the mental health counseling. All drug education courses should be based on evidence-based practices and include specific desired learning goals to ensure effectiveness. HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN Homewood-Brushton YMCA currently provides counseling for youth and families. Discussion around public safety for youth and young adults could be tied into existing services and programming at the YMCA. A resident, education or faith based working group should be organized to lead discussion alongside the YMCA to ensure all voices are heard on the subject. Youth and young adults should be invited to working group meetings to understand how they feel about public safety. Additionally, residents in Homewood need to have a plan for how to report violent incidents so that those reporting are not put in jeopardy or harm. Having consistent reporting can create ease for those reporting and those addressing the incident. STRATEGY 4.3: BRIDGE CONNECTION WITH JAIL, PROBATION, AND COMMUNITY SO THAT RETURNING CITIZENS CAN BE CONNECTED TO EXISTING PROGRAM AND JOBS PRIOR TO THEIR RETURN AND IMMEDIATELY AFTERWARD TYPE Policy & Program TIMELINE Long CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS Homewood Urban Agenda Strategy: An Inner-City Model for Urban Revitalization, HomewoodBrushton Community Coalition Organization Strategic Plan: Charting a New Future for Homewood-Brushton ACTION TEAM Workforce Development A commonly expressed concern is that a significant number of Homewood residents were jailed following the escalation of the War on Drugs in the early 1990s. When formerly incarcerated people began returning to Homewood, the community suffered. Formerly-incarcerated individuals often experience discrimination in job seeking, housing, and social stigma. This discrimination can easily 112 RECOMMENDATIONS GOAL 4: ORGANIZE COMMUNITY SUPPORT TEAMS THAT FOCUS ON PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY STRATEGY 4.2: IDENTIFY HOW YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULT RESIDENTS PRIORITIZE PUBLIC SAFETY AND TO REMOVE BARRIERS TO REPORTING VIOLENT INCIDENTS encourage people to return to illegal activity as a means of survival. As the prisons have generally done very little in terms of rehabilitation, it's not uncommon for formerlyincarcerated individuals to increase their knowledge of illegal activities. Creating a mentorship can help returning citizens consider viable options for personal development and employment. Returning citizens often have difficulty finding and retaining employment; many employers conduct background checks and exclude the formerly incarcerated from job opportunities, or may be put off by gaps in employment history and education. Creating opportunities for incarcerated people to access employment training and connect to employers during their periods of incarceration and probation can help ease the transition back into the job search, and potentially create job placements for returning citizens immediately upon their release. Homewood stakeholders feel that it is essential to find a way to institutionalize this process to prevent recidivism and grow opportunities for the formerly incarcerated. Currently, the Message Carriers of Pennsylvania work to assist addicted people, those in recovery, and people with mental health challenges -including those who have been incarcerated due to drug-related crimes -- to recovery and access employment. Learning from organizations who have created these pathways will help the HCDC determine how to move forward with institutionalizing such a program. Other efforts include Ban the Box advocacy and expungement services. February 5, 2019 113 TYPE Program TIMELINE Short CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS Homewood-Brushton Community Coalition Organization Strategic Plan: Charting a New Future for Homewood-Brushton , Homewood Urban Agenda Strategy: An Inner-City Model for Urban Revitalization There is little discussion about the effects of trauma and how to seek treatment for care. Trauma can be passed on through generations or experienced daily at school, home, work, and in the community. Ignoring trauma can lead to greater health risks and can cause perpetuating traumatic behavior. Learning ACTION TEAM Public Health and Public Safety and teaching emotionally healthy methods to deal with difficult circumstances is vital for Homewood community members who are facing financial or housing instability, have witnessed violence, have loved-ones who are incarcerated, or are facing other challenging situations. RECOMMENDATIONS STRATEGY 4.4: HOST COMMUNITY DIAGLOGUES AND EVENTS THAT CENTER COMMUNITY EXPERIENCES AND IMPROVE RELATIONS WITH POLICE STRATEGY 4.5: INCREASE ALMA ILLERY’S PRESENCE AND CAPACITY IN HOMEWOOD TYPE Program TIMELINE Short CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS Homewood-Brushton Community Coalition Organization Strategic Plan: Charting a New Future for Homewood-Brushton , Homewood Urban Agenda Strategy: An Inner-City Model for Urban Revitalization ACTION TEAM Public Health and Public Safety The Homewood community needs to break down the negative stigma around mental health that often prevents individuals or families from seeking care. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, 1 in 5 adults in the U.S. — 43.8 million, or 18.5% —experiences mental illness in a given year.7 Mental health services are not limited to individuals who have mental health disorders, services are also available to families seeking education and support about mental health, and individuals experiencing trauma or seeking substance abuse treatment. Seeking support for mental health care is a challenging venture for families and individuals. Families or individuals can obtain education about potential care through the local National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI) Pittsburgh Chapter. NAMI can supply resources about mental illnesses, related mental health conditions, 12week educational programing for families, support groups and information about homecare. Alma Illery Medical Center or Primary Care Health Services, Inc is a primary care provider in Homewood that offers behavioral health services as well as dental and medical services. The medical center in partnership with Homeless Pittsburgh also provides health care and social services to the homeless population of Allegheny County. The medical enter works with other healthcare, social service and community agencies to eliminate barriers to quality health care. Promotional material that is visually stimulating, and clearly states the services provided will help Homewood residents find the care they need. Navigating mental health services is challenging as many individuals are unaware they need help. Promotional material should provide examples of why someone should seek care, and how to obtain that care. If the promotional material is creatively made perhaps the stigma of seeking care can be lowered. Homewood residents and families seeking care for health are often faced with obstacles in finding affordable, helpful services. Inviting a health care provider like Alma Illery to be active in community events and gatherings will provide residents with the opportunity to ask questions about their particular needs. Bolstering Alma Illery’s presence in the neighborhood will make individuals or families who otherwise wouldn’t seek care feel comfortable discussing options for treatment. 7. National Institute of Health, "Mental Illness," https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/ mental-illness.shtml 114 HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN February 5, 2019 115 TYPE Program TIMELINE Short CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS 2017 Peace & Justice Initiative,Equitable Development: The Path to an All-In Pittsburgh ACTION TEAM Public Health and Public Safety Business owners should have community liaison to aid in addressing issues happening outside of places of work in Homewood. Having a community liaison to aid in navigating if and how to effectively report incident will help reduce overall crimes reported and improve the safety image in Homewood. GOAL 5: INCREASE CAREER READINESS AND PLACEMENT STRATEGY 5.1: DEVELOP A FRAMEWORK AND HUB SO THAT COMMUNITY PARTNERS CAN BETTER CONNECT RESIDENTS TO LOCAL EMPLOYERS AND BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES TYPE Program & Project TIMELINE Short CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS STRATEGY 4.7: FOSTER HEALTHY LIVING BY PROVIDING PHYSICAL ACTIVITY PROGRAMMING BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL TYPE Program TIMELINE Short CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS Anatomy of a Neighborhood: Homewood in the 21st Century, Homewood Urban Agenda Strategy: An Inner-City Model for Urban Revitalization,HomewoodBrushton Community Coalition Organization Strategic Plan: Charting a New Future for Homewood-Brushton ACTION TEAM Education Physical activity programming should be provided to all students during the school day, but providing additional opportunities for fun and entertaining physical activity before and after school will encourage youth to be more active throughout the day. The CDC recommends that children receive 60 minutes or more of active physical activity each day, including aerobic activities; muscle strengthening activities like gymnastics, yoga, or push-ups; and bone strengthening activities that involve impact, like jumping rope or running. Physical activities such as team sports can also teach teamwork and cooperation, while activities like yoga can provide mental and physical tools for well-being. Offering a variety of physical activities before and after school will enhance children’s health outcomes and may also enhance academic outcomes. Equitable Development: The Path to an All-In Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Roadmap for Inclusive Innovation ACTION TEAM Workforce Development TYPE Program TIMELINE Long Equitable Development: The Path to an All-In Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Roadmap for Inclusive Innovation, Homewood Urban Agenda Strategy: An Inner-City Model for Urban Revitalization ACTION TEAM Workforce Development HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN Operation Better Block is collaborating with other community stakeholders, local businesses, and HCDC organizations to create Homewood’s Workforce Development website page. The website will include profiles of local business owners to help job-seekers and entrepreneurs better understand the variety of successful businesses in the neighborhood already. It will also connect residents who are seeking training or jobs to local, citywide, and regional resources and opportunities, including training programs through the CCAC and local agencies and universities, and services provided by City agencies. HCDC and local organizations still need to make a collaborative plan for ongoing management, updating, and funding of this website, and to integrate it into a promotion strategy. STRATEGY 5.2: COORDINATE AND COMMUNIATE INTERNSHIP AND TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES TO COMMUNITY AND STUDENTS TO INCREASE ACCESS AND PLACEMENT CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS 116 RECOMMENDATIONS STRATEGY 4.6: WORK WITH MAIN STREET PARTNERS AND BUSINESSES TO INCREASE SAFETY THROUGH LIGHTING, CREATIVE DESIGN, AND OTHER INITIATIVES Homewood students, young adults, and residents looking to break into new careers can all benefit from internship opportunities. Homewood organizations can create an inventory of local internship programs by working with companies and organizations involved in target industries such as clean energy, green construction, design, health care, and more. They can also draw on the experience of existing programs devoted to connecting people with internships, like the national program INROADS, which has a presence in Pittsburgh. The inventory of internship opportunities will need to be maintained and updated on a regular basis to ensure accuracy and replace outdated contact information; the HCDC should work with Homewood organizations to define lead and support responsibilities for this task and seek funding. February 5, 2019 117 TYPE Policy TIMELINE Short CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS Pittsburgh Roadmap for Inclusive Innovation, Equitable Development: The Path to an AllIn Pittsburgh ACTION TEAM Workforce Development Connecting HCDC organizations with regional employers and workforce development groups will ensure that workforce development and educational programs lead Homewood residents into well-paying careers. Some of the key sectors identified in recent planning for the Pittsburgh region’s growing industries include energy, advanced manufacturing, health care, education, building and construction, and logistics and transportation. All of these industries include career paths open to employees with various levels of education and credentials. The Allegheny Conference and Partner4Work, Pittsburgh’s regional economic development agency and workforce development agency, both have strategies for building residents’ credentials and training to create the workforce of the future. HCDC should coordinate with these entities to make connections to regional employers and structure programs targeted at Homewood residents. STRATEGY 5.4: CREATE OUTREACH PROGRAMS TO SUPPORT VULNERABLE POPULATIONS AND PURSUE SUBSIDIES, SUCH AS SENIOR COMMUNITY SERVICE EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM, TO EMPLOY SENIORS TYPE Program TIMELINE Short & Medium CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS Homewood Urban Agenda Strategy: An Inner-City Model for Urban Revitalization, 2017 Peace & Justice Initiative, Equitable Development: The Path to an AllIn Pittsburgh ACTION TEAM Public Health and Public Safety; Workforce Development Homewood residents represent all age groups, but the majority are women and a significant portion are 60 years or older. As of 2015, 60% are female, and 37% are 60 or over. These characteristics are important, and they differ from the average Pittsburgh numbers. An older population has unique needs across all areas, but especially health. Additionally, as the total population is majority female, there are targeted resources, information, and screenings needed to support women’s health. Seniors often face additional barriers to employment and training in new careers due to age discrimination and difficulty finding appropriate job training and education. The Senior Community Service Employment Program is a federally subsidized 118 HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN program that connects seniors with paid, part-time job training opportunities at community service organizations. Seniors in this program can acquire valuable skills and experience and receive payment while continuing to search for a permanent job. Another local resource for seniors is the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at the University of Pittsburgh. This institute offers seniors the opportunity to audit undergraduate classes and access university amenities. While membership in OLLI costs over $200 on a yearly basis or $125 for one term as of 2018, scholarships are available for seniors who may have difficulty affording the membership fee. RECOMMENDATIONS STRATEGY 5.3: CONNECT WITH REGIONAL CORPORATIONS AND PARTNERS TO BETTER UNDERSTAND 21ST CENTURY JOB FIELD PROJECTIONS AND TAILOR WORKFORCE PROGRAMS ACCORDINGLY STRATEGY 5.5: CHANGE THE SCOPE OF JOB FAIRS AND CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS TO BECOME CAREER + CONTINUING EDUCATION FAIRS FOR LIVING WAGE CAREER PATHS TYPE Program TIMELINE Short CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS Pittsburgh Roadmap for Inclusive Innovation ACTION TEAM Workforce Development Career pathways and continuing education opportunities that can lead residents into well-paying jobs in growing industries must be a key focus of all Homewood workforce development efforts. After forging partnerships with employers (Strategy 1.1), creating an internship strategy (Strategy 2.5), and finalizing a workforce development asset map (Strategy 3.1), Homewood organizations should integrate this knowledge into organizing career and continuing education workshops and fairs that focus on career growth. These fairs should include industry representation as well as representatives of educational institutions and job training programs. Homewood organizations should work with employers to list required credentials for employment in various industries and at various levels of responsibility to ensure that residents understand how to move up the career ladder. STRATEGY 5.6: CREATE DOCUMENTS CHECKLIST AND EMPOWER ENTITIES TO ENSURE HOMEWOOD RESIDENTS HAVE DOCUMENTATION NEEDED TO ACCESS EMPLOYMENT TYPE Program TIMELINE Short CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS Homewood-Brushton Community Coalition Organization Strategic Plan: Charting a New Future for Homewood-Brushton ACTION TEAM Workforce Development Required employment documentation often includes documents for verifying citizenship; residents who do not have a passport will need other documents including a picture ID such as a drivers’ license, school ID or voter registration card, and verification of citizenship such as a Social Security card or certified birth certificate. Organizations that provide workforce development training should verify that their trainees have access to these required documents, and if not, should provide instruction on how to access copies of documents or obtain new ones. February 5, 2019 119 STRATEGY 6.1: PROMOTE HOMEWOOD’S PAST THROUGH INTERPRETIVE STORYTELLING, NEIGHBORHOOD BRANDING, MURALS AND PUBLIC ART AND THE REUSE OF VACANT PARCELS TYPE Project TIMELINE Short CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS N/A ACTION TEAM Culture and Recreation Interpretative storytelling, community branding, public art and wayfinding has numerous benefits. It improves the commercial environment, promotes community pride, teaches community members and visitors the history of the neighborhood and improves the pedestrian environment, encouraging healthy living. A branding, wayfinding and storytelling master plan and a public art master plan should both be developed, potentially in coordination with each other. Both projects should engage deeply with community members in order to incorporate local stories, memories and mementos in the final product. Local artists should be engaged to participate in the development of art, and any such development should include opportunities for participation from the community’s youth. National grant opportunities, such as those from Artspace, should be pursued in order to make Homewood Pittsburgh’s community of the arts. STRATEGY 6.2: SUPPORT EXISTING COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND UPGRADE THEIR FACILITIES TYPE Program & Project TIMELINE Short & Medium CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS N/A ACTION TEAM Culture and Recreation 120 Homewood’s community organizations are the lifeblood of the community. A full assessment of their program and space needs should be conducted and a grant fund should be created to ensure all of the community’s organizations have the facilities HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN necessary to elevate their work and provide for the community’s needs. A grant fund could be created for community organizations to expand their programing and test innovative program delivery. RECOMMENDATIONS GOAL 6: PROMOTE AND PRESERVE HOMEWOOD’S AFRICAN-AMERICAN HERITAGE AND CULTURE STRATEGY 6.3: INCREASE CULTURAL EDUCATION TO INCLUDE MUSIC, ART, AND BLACK HISTORY TYPE Program TIMELINE Short CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS PreservePGH: Preserving the character of Pittsburgh and its neighborhoods, Public Art Plan ACTION TEAM Education Education in the arts, including music and visual art, has a positive impact on child development by teaching motor skills and visual learning skills to young children, and promoting cultural awareness and creative thinking in children of all ages. Children of all ages are steeped in culture both inside and of school. For younger children, connecting this culture to their time in school can make learning more enjoyable. Older children can learn to evaluate TV or radio and enjoy music and art with a critical sensibility that will deepen their understanding of artistic choice and expose issues of race, gender, and class within pop culture. Increased exposure to Black history in schools is essential, not just during Black History Month but throughout humanities and STEM classes. Traditional curricula have tended to minimize the contributions of the Black community and people of color as a whole in American and world history, literature, and science. All teachers in Homewood schools should be asked to structure their lesson plans such that there is clear representation of the contributions of Black and Brown individuals and communities. Representations should vary and include ways in which these communities have advanced knowledge, conducted research, stood up for social justice, and changed history in numerous, substantial ways. STRATEGY 6.4: UTILIZE PRESS RELATIONSHIPS AND POSITIVE MEDIA COVERAGE TO SHOWCASE HOMEWOOD’S PAST AND PRESENT TYPE Program TIMELINE Short CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS 2017 Peace & Justice Initiative ACTION TEAM Public Health and Public Safety There is a need for action in Homewood to address fearbased media and how negative stories can prey on anxieties around safety in the community. Mass media often highlights negative crime stories in Homewood to seek higher ratings, these stories perpetuate the misconception of the actual crime in Homewood vs the perceived crime. Social media exacerbates this fear due to the rate at which information can be shared throughout networks. Having better media coverage in Homewood will help demystify rumored events and fear of crime. usable by media, local media should be contacted to consult on template form. To paint Homewood in a positive light and improve the perception of safety these steps should be taken: Building positive relationships with local media outlets will help foster conversations about how to present Homewood in the news. Encouraging the news to accurately depict crime in the neighborhood will reduce the potential for rumors spreading that increase feelings of fear. •• Create template for press releases •• Build relationships with media outlets •• Create main point of contact at media outlets Streamlined communication with media will aid in depicting Homewood in a positive light. Consistent, clear, organized messaging to the media will help Homewood get the positive messaging that it deserves. Longer term nonprofit or faith leaders should be in charge of the template and dispersing the press release as needed. To ensure template is official and The community can inquire about creating high school internships or opportunities to shadow news reporters with the intent of creating future job opportunities. If more local residents are involved in reporting about the news in their own community it will reduce the potential for miscommunication. February 5, 2019 121 STRATEGY 6.5: DEVELOP A DESTINATION MUSEUM OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY AND CULTURE THAT TELLS THE STORY OF HOMEWOOD AND THE BROADER HISTORY OF AFRICAN AMERICAN PITTSBURGH TYPE Project TIMELINE Long CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS N/A ACTION TEAM Culture and Recreation Throughout the United States, historically African-American districts are facing numerous challenges in preserving their cultural identity. In many of these districts, decades of disinvestment have suppressed land values, while proximity to Downtowns create attractive opportunities for developers, many of whom come from outside of the community. Coupled with challenges to minority owned businesses, the suburbanization of middle class African-Americans, the history of policy damage has made once flourishing communities throughout the country, from U Street in Washington, D.C. to the Treme in New Orleans to West Broadway in Minneapolis, not to mention Harlem and Bronzeville, places of significant change and conflict over the future of these places. At the same time, a significant interest in African-American history, perhaps best exemplified by the incredible success of the Museum of African American History and Culture at the Smithsonian, has been emerging throughout the country. As such, many African-American communities are taking active roles in shaping both their futures and the promotion of their past. In Pittsburgh, publications like Mark Whitaker’s Smoketown have raised interest in the city’s black heritage and it’s influence on the country. The August Wilson Center in Downtown Pittsburgh has created one space in the City that already celebrates African-American culture and achievement, however, it is not located in a historical AfricanAmerican Community. Homewood should work with local museums, foundations and other funders to create a state of the art museum of AfricanAmerican culture and history in Homewood which can tell the stories of the neighborhood, it’s inhabitants, and AfricanAmerican culture in Pittsburgh. A successful example of this approach is the National Negro League Museum and American Jazz Museums in Kansas City’s 18th and Vine District. Privately funded, the museums occupy a building developed by local nonprofits and serve as a key anchor destination for redevelopment in the community, and provide meeting spaces and cultural and educational programing for the community. STRATEGY 6.6: PARTNER WITH OWNERS, HISTORICAL ORGANIZATIONS, AND FUNDERS TO SECURE, THEN POTENTIALLY REPAIR AND REOPEN NATIONAL NEGRO OPERA COMPANY BUILDING TYPE Project TIMELINE Medium CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS N/A ACTION TEAM Culture and Recreation 122 The National Negro Opera Company Building is a unique asset that cannot be recreated elsewhere. Funding should be identified to stabilize, repair and reopen the NNOC building as a community asset. National organizations for HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN the preservation of AfricanAmerican history may serve as key partners in funding the building’s redevelopment. Consider partnerships with high schools or universities Afro American Music Institute to program the redeveloped space. DEVELOPMENT Action Teams: Urban Design & Development Public Health and Safety Housing Business & Innovation THE DEVELOPMENT RECOMMENDATIONS REPRESENT MANY OF THE PHYSICAL PROJECTS THAT WILL ALLOW THE COMMUNITY TO THRIVE. THE EIGHT GOALS IN THIS SECTION SEEK TO PROTECT EXISTING RESIDENTS AND HOMEOWNERS, CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR LOCAL, SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS, AND BUILD NEW, HIGH-QUALITY HOMES. THE STRATEGIES ALSO SEEK TO ENSURE THAT EXISTING COMMUNITY MEMBERS HAVE A SAY IN THE DEVELOPMENT THE OCCURS IN THEIR COMMUNITY AND HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO BENEFIT AND BUILD WEALTH THROUGH THAT DEVELOPMENT. February 5, 2019 123 Homewood will be an African-American cultural destination where people choose to live, work, worship, and visit. It will be safe, green, healthy, and innovative. It will have quality schools. It will be a place that protects longterm and low-income residents and equips them to be engaged and informed. DEVELOPMENT GOALS: GOAL 7: Focus on neighborhood level small business technical assistance GOAL 8: Bring Homewood’s regulatory framework into alignment with previous planning and shape Homewood’s future growth GOAL 7: FOCUS ON NEIGHBORHOOD LEVEL SMALL BUSINESS TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE STRATEGY 7.1: PARTNER WITH CITY AND DEVELOPERS TO REBUILD HOMEWOOD'S COMMERCIAL DISTRICT THROUGH MIXED USE, MIXED INCOME OPPORTUNITIES ALONG HOMEWOOD AVENUE GOAL 9: Manage vacant properties comprehensively TYPE Policy GOAL 10: Encourage community led and driven development TIMELINE Short GOAL 11: Renovate existing vacant housing to provide Homewood residents with pathways to homeownership N/A GOAL 12: Use innovative and targeted housing development to meet the needs of specific household demographics in Homewood RECOMMENDATIONS VISION STATEMENT: CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS ACTION TEAM Business and Innovation As business owners and entrepreneurs work to make decisions about how to best utilize vacant properties in Homewood, access to a single point of contact at the City and URA will help make the process of property purchase more transparent and easier to navigate. This single point of contact would have access to broader resources at the City and URA, and would be able to direct business owners and Homewood residents in the right direction to get their questions answered or fulfill their requests for technical assistance. GOAL 13: Implement green building and energy efficiency programs and standards to reduce cost burdens for existing and future residents GOAL 14: Prevent displacement through affordable housing development, proactive policy, and stabilization of existing residents GOAL 15: Create Homewood-specific design standards for new development 124 HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN February 5, 2019 125 TYPE Policy & Project TIMELINE Short CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS Cluster Plan, Equitable Development: The Path to an AllIn Pittsburgh ACTION TEAM Business and Innovation Commercial property leasing and ownership can be complicated, particularly when dealing with multi-use buildings and properties. Commercial leases can come with different terms about maintenance of common spaces and parking lots, buildout of the interior spaces, and other terms that can add up to thousands in additional expenses if business owners are not aware of key lease terms. Restaurants and food service establishments need especially expensive buildouts to create functioning kitchens that meet building codes and pass health inspections. Meanwhile, commercial property ownership requires expenditures and business loans that may be difficult to access for startup businesses. Providing technical assistance to small businesses on the nuts and bolts of property ownership and leasing, and its relationship to an overall business plan, will help local businesses thrive while taking over vacant spaces in Homewood. Livework spaces in large homes or small commercial buildings may also be an option for some independent entrepreneurs to reduce overhead costs. The City and URA should work with local organizations to put together an initiative to reduce barriers to commercial property leasing and ownership for Homewood businesses. This should include identification of City- and URA-owned properties that could meet the needs of various business types in Homewood; focus groups with businesses, entrepreneurs, and local technical assistance organizations to identify space needs and types of businesses to be served; and ultimate designation of one or several commercial spaces with leasing structures or affordable financing options to facilitate local property ownership. STRATEGY 7.3: PARTNER WITH FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROVIDERS TO PROVIDE GUIDANCE ON SECURING FINANCING FOR COMMERCIAL PROPERTY PURCHASE TYPE Project TIMELINE Medium CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS Cluster Plan, Pittsburgh Roadmap for Inclusive Innovation ACTION TEAM Business and Innovation TYPE Policy & Project TIMELINE Short Cluster Plan, Equitable Development: The Path to an AllIn Pittsburgh ACTION TEAM Business and Innovation HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN Local financial institutions and technical assistance providers can provide advice to business owners on securing the necessary financing and capital to purchase commercial properties. Because properties are not one-size-fits-all, these financial and technical assistance providers will need to work closely to ensure that the property in question will further the owner’s business plan, and to ensure the owner can access financing or save up for needed improvements as well as property purchase. STRATEGY 7.4: CREATE INCUBATOR THAT OFFERS BELOW-MARKET RENTS FOR RESIDENT-OWNED BUSINESSES, MINORITY-OWNED BUSINESSES, AND CULTURAL SPACES CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS 126 RECOMMENDATIONS STRATEGY 7.2: PROVIDE EDUCATION TO RESIDENTS REGARDING COMMERCIAL PROPERTY LEASING AND OWNERSHIP, INCLUDING CREATIVE OWNERSHIP MECHANISMS SUCH AS CO-OP, RENT-TO-OWN, ETC Homewood businesses and residents see a strong need for minority-owned businesses, local businesses, and cultural spaces to form the backbone of Homewood’s commercial district. Many of these businesses have a need for below-market commercial space in order to establish themselves in the neighborhood. A business incubator that provides intentional subsidies for tenants and serves as a center for small businesses to receive technical assistance, becomes a hub for coordinating ongoing needs with the City and URA, and houses neighborhood cultural events in a multi-purpose space would be a major asset to the neighborhood. This institution could help ensure that Homewood’s revitalized commercial area continues to reflect community character and benefit local businesses first and foremost. This model could be beneficial to review. February 5, 2019 127 TYPE Program TIMELINE Short CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS N/A ACTION TEAM Business and Innovation Small businesses can benefit from pro-bono or low-cost design assistance when working to renovate or build a new commercial space. Design assistance may focus on new and formerly vacant commercial spaces, or may extend to a “facade improvement” program TYPE Project TIMELINE Short CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS N/A ACTION TEAM Business and Innovation Small business owners may need help reviewing leases, contracts, and other legal documents to ensure that they are receiving appropriate terms. HR issues including hiring and firing may also require legal assistance, depending on the situation. While it may be difficult to find ongoing legal assistance for a small business on a probono basis, legal groups may be able to conduct workshops or seminars with Homewood small businesses to let them know what issues to look for in reviewing typical documents, structuring job descriptions, and more. The HBBA should survey its members and Homewood residents to determine what legal questions they have, and then work with partners to schedule appropriate TYPE Project TIMELINE Short The URA offers facade improvement programs to help commercial buildings or tenants improve their storefronts. N/A 128 workshops for small business owners and entrepreneurs in the neighborhood. plans on file for businesses in different industries that can be used as reference materials. Business plans are essential resources for entrepreneurs and small businesses. They serve multiple purposes; while many see them as tools for seeking investment, they also enable an entrepreneur to test their assumptions and ensure they have a path to success. Business plans encompass an operations and staffing plan, a financial plan, a marketing plan, and, most fundamentally, a “value proposition” that describes why this business will meet a need and generate revenue and sales. Pittsburgh SCORE offers small-business owners the opportunity to immediately schedule a meeting with a local mentor who has experience in the needs and challenges of small businesses. HBBA should work with Pittsburgh SCORE to determine how best to structure a mentoring program for Homewood businesses. Small Business Development Centers are funded by the Small Business Administration. They provide technical assistance to small businesses for business planning, including workshops, seminars, and one-on-one assistance. Pittsburgh has multiple SBDCs at both Pitt and Duquesne University; the Carnegie Library also has a large number of sample business HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN STRATEGY 7.7: FORMALIZE HBBA’S ROLE IN POLICY DECISIONS RELATED TO COMMERCIAL AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT IN HOMEWOOD that helps existing businesses improve their street presence as well. STRATEGY 7.6: PROVIDE PRO BONO OR DISCOUNTED ASSISTANCE FOR HOMEWOOD BUSINESS OWNERS INCLUDING LEGAL SERVICES, BUSINESS PLAN ASSISTANCE, AND MENTORING The URA also offers a microloan program to assist with business development. RECOMMENDATIONS STRATEGY 7.5: PROVIDE ARCHITECTURAL/DESIGN SERVICES FOR REHABS OR NEW BUILD COMMERCIAL SPACE FOR HOMEWOOD BUSINESSES CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS ACTION TEAM Business and Innovation Goal 8 relies heavily on HBBA to take an active role in meeting the needs -- and advancing the interests -- of Homewood businesses. Formalizing HBBA’s role in this process and recognizing HBBA as a counterpart in discussions with the City and URA will help ensure that Homewood has a business voice represented at the table in discussions about commercial and business development. In order for HBBA to take on this role, adequate funding and resources will be essential, including a proposed full-time staff member. The HBBA should organize a workshop or a series of interviews with longtime business partners in Homewood to begin the process of inventorying business development resources available to small and start-up businesses. The interviews or workshop should focus on documenting all the resources that these partners are aware of in Pittsburgh and the region; outreach should then continue to this “second level” of partners and resources until the HBBA has a complete inventory of available assistance for small businesses. The inventory should include the name of each institution, contact information, services available, cost (if any), and immediate opportunities for partnership. To ensure the inventory is kept up to date, the HBBA should work with interns or volunteers every 1-2 years to re-contact all the institutions on the list and confirm that they still provide the same services. STRATEGY 7.8: FUND FULL-TIME STAFF MEMBER (SUCH AS HOMEWOOD MAIN STREET MANAGER OR HBBA DIRECTOR) TO ACT AS LIAISON AMONG BUSINESS OWNERS, RESIDENTS, DEVELOPERS, AND CITY GOVERNMENT TYPE Project TIMELINE Short CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS N/A ACTION TEAM Business and Innovation Placing Homewood’s vacant commercial properties back into productive use is a longterm and complex proposition. Many vacant buildings and vacant lots in Homewood’s core commercial area are currently in the hands of the City and the URA; others are privately-owned. The expense of rehabilitating vacant properties or creating new ground-up buildings can be significant, especially when compared to the rents that are affordable to start-up and small businesses in Homewood. A liaison between the City, URA, Homewood businesses, Homewood residents, and developers of commercial property could provide valuable coordination between these organizations; beyond coordination, however, the liaison should also be involved in seeking funding for projects that meet important community priorities for commercial space. In the immediate future, this role might include participating in the development and planning for the business incubator described in Business and Innovation Strategy 8.4. February 5, 2019 129 STRATEGY 8.1: DEVELOP A NEIGHBORHOOD BUILD-OUT STRATEGY THAT INCLUDES LONG-TERM TARGETS AND INITIAL FOCUS AREAS, WITH A SUBSTANTIAL POPULATION GROWTH GOAL BY 2040 TYPE Policy TIMELINE Long CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS African American Neighborhoods of Choice, Homewood Cluster Plan ACTION TEAM Urban Design and Development Though gentrification and threats of displacement remain of significant concern to community members, in reality depopulation has been a much greater threat to the neighborhood over the previous decades. The community’s population has declined from around 35,000 people in the mid-1950s to near 6,000 today. A decline has occurred in every decade and 130 has not necessarily yet reached its low mark, though there are encouraging signs citywide that population loss has been stymied. While a portion of this decline is related to the decrease in household size (i.e. people having fewer children and being less likely to live in multigenerational housing), a significant portion of this loss has been due to the loss of upper and middle class professional African-Americans choosing to live elsewhere in the city or in the suburbs. This can be due to the availability of building stock, perception of crime or schools or any number of other choices that make sense for HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN individuals families, however, at a community level, this population loss causes a cycle of decline. Fewer people support fewer businesses, pay less in taxes, invest less in maintaining property and generally lowers the amount of resources available within the community. RECOMMENDATIONS GOAL 8: BRING HOMEWOOD’S REGULATORY FRAMEWORK INTO ALIGNMENT WITH PREVIOUS PLANNING AND SHAPE HOMEWOOD’S FUTURE GROWTH STRATEGY 8.2: UPDATE THE CITY’S ZONING CODE TO SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY'S GOALS. PURSUE ZONING OVERLAYS TO PROMOTE AFFORDABLE DEVELOPMENT AND ACCESS TO RENTAL INCOME FOR RESIDENTS TYPE Policy TIMELINE Short in the City’s zoning code. An example is where an area is zoned for singlefamily uses, but all of the existing commercial zones allow much more intense activity than the community desires. In this case, a new, less-intense commercial zone should be created and applied. CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS Homewood Cluster Plan ACTION TEAM Urban Design and Development The Cluster Plan details zoning changes that are key to implementing the community’s urban design goals. Recommended zoning changes addressed the following topical issues: •• Neighborhood Retail •• LNC Extensions •• Hillside Preservation •• Residential Zoning Changes The recommendations in these categories cover a variety of types of changes. In order to implement the changes details in these categories, a variety of zoning tools are needed. Recommendations include the following zoning changes: •• A goal of increasing population within the community (defined further within Housing recommendation 12.3) provides a baseline for community recovery that will provide more rooftops and resources to maintain and improve the community. •• Rezoning: Rezoning is applying a different zone to the area in question. This simple change should be used when an existing zone in the City’s zoning code better meets the goals for an area or areas. An example is a situation where an area is zoned for single-family, but the community wishes for the area to contain a mix of uses in the future. New Zones: A new zone should be created when the goals for an area or areas cannot be met by a zone that already exists •• Overlays: An overlay zone creates a special zoning district, placed over an existing base zone or zones, that identifies special provisions in addition to those in the underlying base zone. This tool should be used when the underlying zones applied to an area meets most of the needs of the community, but needs slight adjustment within a certain area. Examples include overlay zones for environmental protection, for historical protection, and for using incentives to increase entitlements in certain areas. Neighborhood Retail As the Cluster Plan details, Homewood historically was home to a variety of small commercial business on the ground floor of buildings in residential areas. Since the creation of Pittsburgh zoning code in 1958, most the parcels within Homewood that have structures than can support small ground floor retail operations have been zoned for single family use, meaning new businesses cannot inhabit these spaces. During the Cluster Planning process, the community voiced support for “Spot LNC Zoning”, or rezoning parcels with existing small commercial structures to the Local Neighborhood Commercial zone. As an alternative, the community also voiced support for creating a new Neighborhood Retail zone, that would allow a limited set of retail uses in existing small commercial spaces. While both strategies will work towards the community’s goals of increasing neighborhoodserving commercial uses in residential areas, there are considerations for each. Using the “Spot LNC Zoning” strategy would be the most expeditious, given that the zone itself already exists and there is strong community support for making the change. A downfall to using this spot zoning strategy is that certain uses would then be allowed that may not be desired by residents. For example, in the Local Neighborhood Commercial zone banks are allowed, which do not typically provide services later in the evening, reducing many of the community benefits of small commercial uses. Other problematic uses in the LNC zone may be animal care (noise), small laboratory (dangerous chemicals), and vocational school (parking). In some case, the maximum height of three stories and 45 feet, and the 90% maximum light cover, may be to intense for surrounding residential areas. Spot zoning itself is generally considered problematic, as it does not take into account compatibility with nearby uses, but in this case February 5, 2019 131 The other communitysupported option, creating a new Neighborhood Retail zone would be more politically and administratively arduous, as the zone would be available for use through the City as part of its zoning code and have to go through proper review during its creation. However the benefits of creating a new zone include hand selecting a limited set of uses and creating specific parking requirements for the zone. An overlay is not recommended as an implementation strategy, as the underlying zoning is not conducive to the community’s needs on the parcels in question. 132 LNC Extensions The Local Neighborhood Commercial Zone is used selectively and inconsistently throughout the commercial areas of Homewood. Portions of North Homewood, Brushton and Frankstown Avenues are full of mixed-use buildings but the LNC zoning district does not entirely capture all of the existing businesses along those streets. LNC zoning along Frankstown Avenue, at the center of the community and with the most potential to form a strong commercial corridor, is especially disjointed. During the Cluster Planning process and through Business and Innovation Action Team, the community voiced support for using LNC zoning to extend and fill in gaps in the commercial corridor along Frankstown, Homewood, and Brushton HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN Avenues in order to create a walkable and mixed use central core. Rezoning gaps along the corridors using LNC zoning is the quickest and easiest route towards implementing the community’s vision, as there is strong support from the community for these changes and is using an existing zone from the City’s zoning code. Uses that may be considered problematic in residential areas as described above are less of a concern in more intense commercial areas such as along these avenues, and maximum lot coverage is appropriate for the area. One potential problem with LNC zoning in this area is the three story, 45 feet maximum height limit. As demand for commercial and residential units in the neighborhood increases, the neighborhood may be able to support buildings that are four stories. The Urban Neighborhood Commercial District (UNC) allows for more intense development within 1,500 feet of the East Busway Homewood Station, but this does not reach the important commercial corridors in the neighborhood. In order for the community and existing land owners to capture the benefit of new development, an overlay should be considered for this area that allows taller buildings, perhaps in exchange for providing community amenities or affordable housing. If this overlay is created, it should contain compatibility considerations for areas that directly about residentiallyzoned parcels. Hillside Preservation Homewood is home to many steep and hilly areas, particularly to the north and east. These areas are difficult to service and to maintain structures on, and therefore during the Cluster Planning process the community voiced support for stabilizing and reforesting these slopes. The Hillside zoning district that exists within the City’s zoning code is a designation the drastically restricts the uses allowed, and could be applied to these parcels as a way to preserve and maintain them. While the community voiced support for this idea, they also recognized that preserving nearby hillsides is less of a priority than commerciallyfocused zoning issues discussed previously. One potential problem with rezoning certain parcels in this manner are any legal issues surrounding the drastic downzoning that results. However, this problem may be less of an issue of the majority of the properties are City-owned. It is also possible that the cluster plan did fully understand the nature of the Hillside zone, in that it is actually a less restrictive residential zone. Residential Zoning Changes During the cluster planning process, the community relayed that the current Homewood zoning map does not match existing on the ground uses. RECOMMENDATIONS since the zones in question are so close in intensity, problems should be limited. Historic single-family areas are in some cases zoned for highdensity residential or mixed use, and in other cases business and industrial areas are zoned with less intensity, making it hard to develop community-benefiting uses on these parcels. The most expedient solution to this problem would be an intensive mapping effort that first maps the existing conditions in Homewood, and then rezones the parcels to match existing uses and structures. Then, changes can be considered as appropriate. Some of the changes suggested during the HCCP process included: •• Ensuring that residential zoning permits the conversion of existing large single-family structures into two-family structures that incorporate a rental and an ownership unit •• Ensuring that residential zoning permits the construction of Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) that can enable homeowners to benefit from ongoing rental income or promote multigenerational households February 5, 2019 133 TYPE Project TIMELINE Medium CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS Homewood Cluster Plan ACTION TEAM Business and Innovation 134 A neighborhood market or small-scale grocery store would be a major asset to Homewood’s residents. Access to fresh food is essential for community health and well-being, and while Homewood may not be able to support a large grocery store, a small-format store might be feasible. The HBBA should work with the URA to issue an RFP for a consultant to evaluate opportunities for this type of fresh-food store to succeed in the neighborhood. The study should consider non-traditional business models including co-op ownership, incentive provision to existing corner stores to expand their offerings, and other mechanisms that could enhance fresh food accessibility in Homewood. The HBBA HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN may also work with the URA to contact local philanthropic institutions that could be able to contribute funding and expertise to the feasibility assessment. If a small-format neighborhood market or grocery store is not found to be a viable option at this time, strategies including neighborhood buying clubs (Community 1.1) and situating healthy products at the front of existing stores (Community 1.5) may be alternative interim options. As Homewood grows in the future, grocery store viability should be reassessed on a regular basis. RECOMMENDATIONS STRATEGY 8.3: ASSESS FEASIBILITY OF A NEIGHBORHOOD MARKET OR SMALL SCALE GROCERY STORE GOAL 9: MANAGE VACANT PROPERTIES COMPREHENSIVELY STRATEGY 9.1: REVIEW PUSH-TO-GREEN PARCELS WITH COMMUNITY IN ORDER TO ESTABLISH LONG-TERM GREENING USES WHERE APPROPRIATE TYPE Project TIMELINE Medium CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS Pittsburgh Vacant Lot Toolkit ACTION TEAM Urban Design and Development Though gentrification and threats of displacement remain of significant concern to community members, in reality depopulation has been a much greater threat to the neighborhood over the previous decades. A subset of vacant lots within the community should be removed from the land market and devoted to green infrastructure, food access, parks and open space and other greening activities. The Department of City Planning has evaluated these parcels to “push to green.” Criteria for selecting these vacant lots included: •• Irregular or undevelopable lots •• Sites that already house successful long-term greening projects •• Adjacent land uses that would support greening projects •• Low future development potential •• Steep slopes or undermined sites •• Creation of habitat opportunities •• Soil test results Additionally, both the City and the URA have created Adopt-aLot and Farm-a-Lot programs to make vacant publicly owned lots available to community members. Identifying properties for long-term greening will help stakeholders like community gardeners and urban farmers justify their up-front and longterm investments, but also reduces the number of vacant and underutilized lots in the community, directing investment to other areas. February 5, 2019 135 TYPE Program TIMELINE Short & Long CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS Homewood-Brushton Community Coalition, OBB ACTION TEAM Public Health and Public Safety Funding is required to maintain future development of the blighted lots. Local nonprofits will need to apply to funding to help design and maintain the lots. Once money is obtained, nonprofits can work with residents to manage funding and adequately utilize it over time. Potential source includes Love Your Block Grant as well as encouraging neighborhoodbased contractors to apply for contracts through City Cuts program TYPE Program TIMELINE Short, Medium, & Long CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS Pittsburgh Vacant Lot Toolkit ACTION TEAM Urban Design and Development 136 The City of Pittsburgh and the URA have developed existing mow-to-own and sideyard programs, which allow landowners to take possession of city or URA owned vacant lots adjacent to their own properties if certain expectations are met. Interested and eligible homeowners will be assisted in applying for sideyards where appropriate. HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN STRATEGY 9.4: PARTNER WITH PERMITS, LICENSING, AND INSPECTION TO PRIORITIZE PROPERTIES FOR DEMOLITION AND ENSURE COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT AND NOTICE TYPE Policy TIMELINE Short, Medium, & Long CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS N/A ACTION TEAM Urban Design and Development STRATEGY 9.3: WHERE APPROPRIATE, TRANSFER VACANT LOTS TO ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNERS THROUGH A MOW-TO-OWN OR SIDEYARD PROGRAM The City should work to transfer as many lots as feasible to homeowners who are willing and able to maintain lots adjacent to their homes. The City should consider working with a local non-profit or neighborhood organization to conduct a “blitz” that would transfer as much of this property as possible in order to improve the maintenance of vacant lots and reduce the City’s costs. RECOMMENDATIONS STRATEGY 9.2: APPLY FOR GRANT FUNDING TO SECURE IMPLEMENTATION AND MAINTENANCE MATERIALS Adopting and publishing a formal policy to categorize City or URA owned properties as well as privately-owned vacant and condemned properties in order of priority for demolition and clarifying the public notice and engagement processes will clarify the process for the demolition of properties and ensure that demolition happens in a considered, clear process. The Land Bank of Kansas City Missouri and the Greater Syracuse Property Development Corporation have each created specific ranking systems that take into account community preferences and ensure a transparent process for the demolition of buildings. STRATEGY 9.5: INITIATE 311 BLITZ TO REPORT BUILDINGS AS VACANT, REQUEST BOARDING UP WHERE NEEDED, AND ATTEMPT TO CONTACT OWNERS TYPE Program TIMELINE Short & Long CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS Operation Better Block ACTION TEAM Public Health and Public Safety Develop a protocol to contact owners of vacant land and buildings to attempt to mitigate blighted properties throughout the community. Identify contact person at the city to notify owner of misdemeanor. Seek out guidance from Action Housing Inc. on how to best approach notification. Consider replicating Hilltop Alliance's Property Stabilization Program. February 5, 2019 137 STRATEGY 10.1: TARGET DEVELOPMENT AND REDEVELOPMENT SOUTH OF FRANKSTOWN AVENUE IN HOMEWOOD SOUTH AND NEAR NEIGHBORHOOD GATEWAYS TO IMPROVE DEVELOPMENT CONDITIONS AND CREATE “TIPPING-POINTS” FOR REDEVELOPMENT TYPE Policy & Project TIMELINE Short & Medium CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS Homewood Cluster Plan ACTION TEAM Urban Design and Development In a community with significant vacancy and numerous needs, the question of where to direct investment for maximum impact can be a difficult one. Research, including work by urban designer Kevin Lynch, has shown that corner properties can have an outsized impact on the perceptions of urban spaces. As such, extra effort should be made to promote the redevelopment of corner properties, especially those on the major roads. Specifically, the redevelopment of the corners of Homewood and Frankstown and Homewood and Hamilton should be major priorities for the community. While this approach can be more complex for non-profit developers (developing in a linear fashion can provide certain cost savings), it has been shown to have more impact on catalyzing market rate development and on improving the perception of investment in the community. Additionally, expanding off the the recent development in Homewood South (Senior Station, Susquehanna Homes) will continue to catalyze investment. Major gateways to the neighborhood on the west (Hamilton and Frankstown at Fifth) and on the east (Susquehanna at Rosedale) also present prime opportunities for development and investment. RECOMMENDATIONS GOAL 10: ENCOURAGE COMMUNITY LED AND DRIVEN DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY 10.3: ENCOURAGE NEIGHBORHOOD INITIATED DEVELOPMENT OF LAND THROUGH TOOLS SUCH AS PITTSBURGH PROPERTY RESERVE AND THE LAND BANK TYPE Program & Project TIMELINE Short, Medium, & Long CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS Homewood Cluster Plan ACTION TEAM N/A The Land Bank and Pittsburgh Property Reserve provide additional options for community lead development, or the establishment of a community land trust to ensure long term community control and affordability in the neighborhood. The provision of land can have the duel benefit of reducing city liability on vacant land and giving the community more control over the scale of development within the community and reduces the costs of that development. STRATEGY 10.4: REGISTER THE HOMEWOOD COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COLLABORATIVE AS A REGISTERED COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION TYPE Policy TIMELINE Short CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS N/A ACTION TEAM N/A A Registered Community Organization (RCO) is a formal designation given to community organizations by the City of Pittsburgh which provides additional benefits and legitimization in the eyes of the City. In order to register, the Collaborative will need to follow a number of requirements, which are available at the City of Pittsburgh website, and include registration as a 501(c)3, bylaws, a statement of purpose, regular meetings and open elections. STRATEGY 10.5: SET STANDARDS FOR COMMUNITY BENEFITS THAT INCLUDE HIRING HOMEWOOD RESIDENTS AND UTILIZING HOMEWOOD-BASED BUSINESSES STRATEGY 10.2: THE URA SHOULD WORK WITH THE COLLABORATIVE TO DETERMINE A PIPELINE OF FUTURE DEVELOPMENT SITES AND REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFPS) TYPE Program TIMELINE Short, Medium, & Long CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS Homewood Cluster Plan ACTION TEAM Urban Design and Development 138 The City of Pittsburgh and the URA may desire to step up efforts to transfer existing inventory of vacant land to new ownership in order to meet the goals of UDD recommendation 1.1. One mechanism that has been successfully utilized by the URA is the crafting of RFPs to sell larger pieces of property. The HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN advantage of an RFP process over indiscriminate sales is that the RFP allows the URA and the community to define criteria for successful redevelopment, such as mixed-income housing, job generation, stormwater management and others. February 5, 2019 139 STRATEGY 11.1: FOCUS ON REHABILITATING THE FOLLOWING TYPES OF VACANT HOUSING STOCK: 1) DIVIDING LARGE HOMES INTO OWNERSHIP AND RENTAL UNITS TO PROVIDE OWNERS WITH RENTAL INCOME; 2) DUPLEXES THAT CAN PROVIDE OWNERS WITH RENTAL INCOME, AND 3) SINGLE FAMILY HOMES Homewood has numerous vacant single-family and two-family homes; many of the vacant single-family homes are large, with some reaching 2,000 or even 2,500 square feet, particularly in the northern portion of the neighborhood. While Homewood generally has a larger average household size than TYPE Project TIMELINE Short CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS Cluster Plan, Housing Development Strategy: The Community of Homewood ACTION TEAM Housing the rest of Pittsburgh, these extremely large single-family homes can be a burden to maintain, heat, and cool for families with a limited housing budget. Many seniors in Homewood also own large homes that are hard for them to maintain as they age and with a fixed monthly income. Large vacant homes are also more costly to rehabilitate than smaller homes, making it harder for neighborhood development groups to find adequate subsidy and qualified buyers for these large properties if sold as singlefamily homes. In order to preserve historic housing stock and serve Homewood’s population, as well as new market-rate buyers, the Housing Action Team and 140 HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN community members agreed that the following types of vacant properties should be prioritized for rehabilitation investments. •• Divide large homes into ownership and rental units to provide owners with rental income. This strategy should be pursued when rehabilitating large, vacant single-family homes; it could also apply to owner-occupied homes where the owner is on a fixed income or having trouble keeping up with their housing payments. This strategy should be pursued together with Strategy 11.2 to ensure that new owners are aware of their obligations as both •• Rehabilitate duplexes that can provide owners with rental income. While two-family homes are less common in Homewood than large single-family homes, those that exist should also be prioritized for rehabilitation and sale to owner-occupants who can rent out the other unit in the property. •• RECOMMENDATIONS GOAL 11: RENOVATE EXISTING VACANT HOUSING TO PROVIDE HOMEWOOD RESIDENTS WITH PATHWAYS TO HOMEOWNERSHIP owners and landlords; it should also be pursued together with Strategy 11.3 to ensure that potential homebuyers can secure mortgages for these new two-family properties. geographic priorities established in the Urban Design and Development chapter of this report. Rehabilitate single-family homes. Vacant single-family homes should be a third priority for rehabilitation. Because there are many vacant single-family homes in need of renovation, rehabilitation should proceed according to STRATEGY 11.2: PROVIDE HOMEOWNERSHIP EDUCATION FOR HOMEWOOD RESIDENTS WHO ARE WORKING TOWARD BUYING A HOME OR WHO ALREADY HAVE A HOME AND NEED ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE TYPE Program TIMELINE Short CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS Housing Development Strategy: The Community of Homewood, Pittsburgh Roadmap for Inclusive Innovation ACTION TEAM Housing Homeownership education is important for all first-time homebuyers, and is often a requirement for homebuyers who are receiving subsidies or assistance from government or non-profit entities. Education programs help homebuyers understand how to save to meet all of their likely expenses, including mortgage costs, property taxes, and insurance, as well as maintenance expenses. Education programs can also help homebuyers understand how to conduct proactive maintenance in their homes and keep costs low by choosing energy-efficient lighting and appliances. In Homewood, these programs could also help connect buyers with resources such as weatherization programs, mortgage lenders, and credit counseling if needed. Renters who are seeking to purchase a home are the primary audience for these programs, but existing owners who need assistance with budgeting and maintenance, and heirs to generational homes may also benefit from these programs. Education providers should also connect existing homeowners who need additional assistance to the homeowner stabilization services that are discussed in Housing Strategy 14.1. February 5, 2019 141 TYPE Program TIMELINE Medium CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS Housing Development Strategy: The Community of Homewood, Anatomy of a Neighborhood: Homewood in the 21st Century ACTION TEAM Housing These efforts should be coordinated with outreach to additional potential sources of financial assistance for homebuyers to supplement the assistance that banks and financial institutions are able to provide. These sources include: •• The Homewood Collaborative should work with Pittsburgh Community Reinvestment Group to convene local banks, credit unions, and Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) to inform them about objectives for growing homeownership and rehabilitating vacant properties in the neighborhood and secure these banks’ buy-in to help advance this plan. Some particular objectives of these conversations should include: •• •• •• 142 Identify appropriate loan products for Homewood homebuyers, including credit requirements and potential housing counseling opportunities. Ensure mortgage products are available for two-family properties that incorporate an owner-occupied unit and a rental unit. Seek to work with banks that will provide closing cost assistance and/or down payment assistance to homebuyers to help defray up-front costs of home purchase. •• URA: The URA works with local developers and community development corporations to sponsor rehabilitation of homes throughout Pittsburgh through their Housing Recovery Program Developer (HRP-D). For these HRP-D homes, developers can work with the URA to offer 0% interest “soft second” mortgages to homebuyers that do not need to be repaid until the home is sold. The amount of these mortgages varies and is worked out between the developer and the URA when the project is designed. For he URA also offers $3,000 in closingcost assistance to HRP-D homebuyers who earn less 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI). Housing Opportunity Fund (HOF): The City’s HOF will begin making investments in housing in 2018 with $10 million that has been committed from the City operating budget. An advisory board for the HOF has recently been appointed. While it is not yet clear what the HOF priorities will be, the HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN Homewood Collaborative should advocate for this funding to benefit Homewood homebuyers through potential closing cost and down payment assistance, or subsidies for rehabilitation of vacant properties to reduce the final cost to homebuyers. •• Neighborhood Assistance Corporation of America (NACA): Participants in NACA’s Housing Purchase program receive housing counseling and then have access to mortgages with preferential terms. NACA participants’ closing costs and down payments are fully paid by the mortgage lenders. RECOMMENDATIONS STRATEGY 11.3: GET BANKS' BUY-IN TO PROVIDE CLOSING COST/DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE AND APPROPRIATE LOAN PRODUCTS, AND COORDINATE WITH PROGRAMS THAT PROVIDE ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE WITH BANK FEES AND DOWN PAYMENTS GOAL 12: USE INNOVATIVE AND TARGETED HOUSING DEVELOPMENT TO MEET THE NEEDS OF SPECIFIC HOUSEHOLD DEMOGRAPHICS IN HOMEWOOD STRATEGY 12.1: MAINTAIN AND DEVELOP QUALITY SENIOR HOUSING OPTIONS WITH A RANGE OF AFFORDABILITY AND OWNERSHIP OPTINS INCLUDING CREATIVE SOLUTIONS SUCH AS COMMUNAL LIVING AND SERVICE PROVISION TYPE Project TIMELINE Long CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS Cluster Plan, Affordable Housing Taska Force Findings & Recommendations to Mayor William Peduto and the Pittsburgh City Council ACTION TEAM Housing Seniors are approximately 20% of Homewood’s population; many seniors are longtime homeowners who are confronting difficulties with maintaining large, two-story single-family homes and may need alternate housing options to stay in the neighborhood. Some may be able to age in place with the help of home repair and adaptation programs. However, others may need additional support. Providing high-quality, affordable senior housing in Homewood will help keep elders in the community and preserve family bonds. Residents and stakeholders want to ensure that senior housing has a home-like feel, and would like to avoid housing elders in large, impersonal highrise developments. However, much of the funding available for senior housing favors large, multi-unit development projects. Therefore, residents and community development entities need to work with architects, designers, the City, and the URA to come up with well-designed, attractive senior housing that remains competitive for funding. Opportunities may include attractive mid-rise developments, groups of four-to-six unit buildings with green space and access to retail, or similar types of design that accommodate density while remaining connected to community. February 5, 2019 143 TYPE Project TIMELINE Long CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS Cluster Plan, African American Neighborhoods of Choice Report, Housing Development Strategy: The Community of Homewood ACTION TEAM Housing As Homewood grows from its current population of 6,500, the housing stock will need to grow commensurately and offer a diversity of housing opportunities for residents. Homewood residents see opportunity for growth in three key areas: preserving and growing housing quality for existing residents and their families; attracting a portion of people who are migrating to Pittsburgh; and attracting families who have moved to the suburbs back to the city. The housing needs and desires of these populations require a diverse housing stock to successfully accommodate growth. •• 144 Preserve and grow housing quality for existing residents and their families: Homewood’s average household size is currently over three people per household, compared to Pittsburgh’s average household size of 2.12. Also, approximately 30% of Homewood’s residents are children, compared to 16% of Pittsburgh’s residents. With larger families and more children than the city as a whole, Homewood has an opportunity to grow its population internally if the neighborhood can provide a high quality of life, good education, high-quality housing, and long-term opportunities for HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN today’s children. However, currently, too many families are cost-burdened and living with low income levels that make it difficult to afford quality housing. The median household income in Homewood is $19,642, which allows for a housing payment of approximately $500 per month. Constructing high-quality, deeply affordable, familysized rental options of three bedrooms or more would benefit many of Homewood’s families at the moment -- while quality education, workforce development, job training, and homeownership education support will help families grow their current and future incomes and move into owner-occupied housing. •• Attract a portion of people who are migrating to Pittsburgh: Pittsburgh has seen an uptick in young workers moving to the city to take advantage of job opportunities in the growing local economy. Many of these young workers are singles or couples, ages 2534, with no children. Providing market-rate one-bedroom and twobedroom apartments with quick transit access to downtown and walkable access to neighborhood amenities will help attract these residents to Homewood. These young residents may transition to homeownership as they deepen their roots in the area. •• Attract families who have moved to the suburbs back to the city: A longer-term option for growth is to attract families who have moved to the suburbs, but have roots in Homewood or nearby neighborhoods, back to the city. The Homewood Collaborative will need to work with residents, faith leaders, and other social networks to convey the progress being made in Homewood and the opportunities that come with living near jobs and services in the city. Depending on their stage in life and family size, these residents may be looking for a variety of housing options, from apartments to homeownership options to senior housing. RECOMMENDATIONS STRATEGY 12.2: PROVIDE A BROADER DIVERSITY OF HOUSING TYPES, INCLUDING MORE HIGH-QUALITY MARKET-RATE AND AFFORDABLE RENTAL HOUSING UNITS, AND OPTIONS FOR SMALLER HOUSEHOLDS. TARGET A FINAL NEIGHBORHOOD COMPOSITION OF ONE-THIRD AFFORDABLE HOUSING (<60% AMI), ONE-THIRD WORKFORCE HOUSING (60-80% AMI), AND ONE-THIRD MARKET-RATE HOUSING (OVER 80% AMI) By 2040, Homewood residents would like to see housing options that include one-third affordable housing for residents making less than 60% of area median income; one-third workforce housing for residents making 60-80% of area median income; and one-third market rate housing for residents making 80% of area median income or more. STRATEGY 12.3: SUPPORT SINGLE-PARENT HEADED HOUSEHOLDS THROUGH DEVELOPMENTS THAT INCLUDE SUPPORTIVE SERVICES AND COMMUNAL RESOURCES FOR SINGLE-PARENT FAMILIES TYPE Program & Project TIMELINE Medium CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS Affordable Housing Task Force Findings & Recommendations to Mayor William Peduto and the Pittsburgh City Council, Housing Development Strategy: The Community of Homewood, African American Neighborhoods of Choice Report ACTION TEAM Housing Single parents face numerous barriers and challenges: basic needs such as housing, food, and clothing must come out of a single income; child care needs are greater while child care remains costly; and earning an adequate income while obtaining higher education may be difficult or impossible without adequate support. There are many examples nationally of single housing that combines with supportive services to help single parents afford housing while receiving job training, furthering their education, or looking for a new job. For example, the Jeremiah Program, with locations in six cities nationwide, provides affordable housing for lowincome single mothers who are working toward a college degree. Young children receive on-site early childhood education, and all mothers also take empowerment and life-skills training to help them succeed. Volunteers also connect mothers to local resources and job opportunities. Replicating a similar supportive model for Homewood’s single parents will require resources to fund affordable housing development, as well as ongoing resources and partnerships to fund and administer supportive services for families and children. Partners would include child care providers, job training and/or higher education providers, early childhood education providers, and volunteers. February 5, 2019 145 STRATEGY 13.1: ENSURE THAT ALL NEW DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS, AS WELL AS SUBSTANTIAL REHABILITATIONS OF VACANT PROPERTIES, INCLUDE ENERGY EFFICIENCY STANDARDS THAT HELP KEEP THE PROPERTY’S UTILITY BILLS AFFORDABLE TYPE Policy TIMELINE Short CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS Pittsburgh Climate Action Plan version 2.0, Affordable Housing Task Force Findings & Recommendations to Mayor William Peduto and the Pittsburgh City Council ACTION TEAM Housing 146 As existing homes receive adaptations to lower the energy burden for residents, stakeholders also wanted to make sure that new properties being added to the housing stock are energy-efficient and that new residents have low energy costs. The Homewood Collaborative plans to adopt a set of energyefficiency guidelines for new development that would apply for Collaborative members, and that the Collaborative would advocate for in all private developments in the neighborhood. At minimum, these guidelines would include: HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN •• Basic weatherization guidelines for properties that ensure that the “envelope” or exterior of the home is fully sealed •• Requirements for use of energy-efficient appliances •• A potential requirement to conduct an energy audit on completed homes and report the result to potential homebuyers or tenants. incentivize private developers to follow these guidelines, and to help community development organizations afford any additional costs associated with the guidelines (such as the cost of energy audits). RECOMMENDATIONS GOAL 13: IMPLEMENT GREEN BUILDING AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROGRAMS AND STANDARDS TO REDUCE COST BURDENS FOR EXISTING AND FUTURE RESIDENTS Participants in the planning process were divided on the use of more complex technologies such as solar panels, noting that these can be expensive to maintain and to fix if they break. Residents and Collaborative members also noted that incentives or funding sources may be needed to help Homewood students and residents in green building and green technologies. There is an opportunity to coordinate this strategy with training programs for STRATEGY 13.2: HELP EXISTING HOMEOWNERS AND LANDLORDS MAKE THEIR UNITS ENERGY- AND WATER-EFFICIENT TO REDUCE COST BURDENS ON EXISTING HOMEWOOD RESIDENTS TYPE Program & Project TIMELINE Medium CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS ONEPGH: Resilient Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Climate Action Plan version 2.0 ACTION TEAM Housing Many Homewood homeowners and renters are currently “cost-burdened,” meaning that they pay more than 30% of their income for housing costs. High energy and water bills for homeowners and renters can contribute to this cost burden. According to a 2018 news release from the Sierra Club, “Pittsburgh has one of the highest energy burdens for lowincome households of any city in the US. Nationally, 3.5 percent of a family’s income is spent on energy utilities. In Pittsburgh, that number is 9.5 percent; over a quarter of low-income families pay 16 percent of their income on energy bills.”8 8. Sierra Club, “Energy Efficiency Program Launches in Pittsburgh's Homewood Neighborhood,” https://www.sierraclub.org/ press-releases/2018/05/energy-efficiencyprogram-launches-pittsburghs-homewoodneighborhood To decrease this burden in Homewood, the Homewood Collaborative should work to connect landlords, renters, and homeowners with programs designed to improve properties and decrease utility costs. These programs include: •• •• Grassroots Green Homes: This program is a collaboration between Conservation Consultants Inc. and Operation Better Block to give 300 Homewood families the tools and knowledge to reduce their energy usage by up to 15%, all at no cost to the participants. Sign-up for the program began in May 2018 and is ongoing as of the writing of this plan. Duquesne Light Company Home Weatherization: This program, administered by ACTION Housing, offers free home weatherization services such as window caulking, furnace tune-ups, and more services that can help decrease utility bills. Households earning up to 200% of federal poverty guidelines are eligible, and renters may participate with their landlords’ permission. •• Solar United Neighbors of Pennsylvania: This organization is working to organize “solar co-ops” of 50-100 homeowners who all want solar panels installed on their homes. These neighbors can then qualify for a discounted rate on solar panel installation. •• Rain Barrel Program: As part of their work to decrease flooding and basement backups in the Nine Mile Run watershed, Operation Better Block is distributing rain barrels to Homewood residents, which capture water that can be used to water lawns and outdoor spaces. Rain barrels can therefore help residents decrease water usage and save on water bills. February 5, 2019 147 STRATEGY 14.1: GROW AND FUND HOMEOWNER STABILIZATION PROGRAMS FOR EXISTING HOMEOWNERS, INCLUDING HOME REPAIRS, TANGLED TITLE SERVICES AND PROPERTY TAX ASSISTANCE TYPE Program & Project TIMELINE Short CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS Cluster Plan, Housing Development Strategy: The Community of Homewood ACTION TEAM Housing Homewood has a high concentration of historic homes: fifty-seven percent of the housing stock was built before 1939. These aging homes often have high maintenance costs and are not often designed with concepts like ADA compliance or energy efficiency in mind. Home repair programs help to stabilize homeowners in place by helping them afford necessary repairs to their houses. These programs can assist seniors with aging 148 adaptations, low- and moderateincome owners who need help with major repairs like a new roof, or other types of residents who need assistance. Residents suggested working with and building on the efforts of Rebuilding Together Pittsburgh (RT). RT focuses on Homewood as ones of its three “Impact Neighborhoods” in Pittsburgh. In 2017, RT was able to rehabilitate 116 homes across those three neighborhoods. In 2018, with increased funding from the Federal Home Loan Bank and ongoing corporate and philanthropic donations, RT anticipates repairing approximately 150 homes in total, with an average budget of nearly $25,000 per home. Maintaining or increasing this funding level in future years would help to ensure that HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN Homewood residents can continue to receive significant benefit from RT’s work. The Housing Action Team and Homewood Collaborative should consult RT to determine opportunities for joint grants and funding applications that would expand RT’s resources to operate in Homewood. RT can only complete home repairs for homeowners who are current or on a payment plan on their property taxes. Many of the homeowners who are most in need of repair work in Homewood are also behind on property tax payments. Therefore, coordinating home repair efforts with property tax assistance as described next will be essential to ensure that residents can take advantage of repair services. •• Inherited Property and Tangled Titles: Generational properties in Homewood can have what is known as “tangled titles” if one generation of owners does not make a will specifying their intention to leave the property to a certain heir when they pass on. Without a will, a property technically belongs to all descendents of the previous owners, not just the heir or heirs who are living in the property. Occupants who face tangled title issues can be unable to receive financial assistance, home repair services, homestead exemptions, or sell their properties if they do not receive appropriate legal assistance to get the property title in the occupant’s name. Sometimes, heirs may not realize that they have inherited property or may abandon inherited properties due to lack of resources to maintain or sell them. Providing proactive assistance to Homewood residents and absentee owners to resolve tangled title situations will help stabilize families living in generational housing, and to reduce the number of abandoned properties with tangled title situations. Currently, Operation Better Block provides tangled title services, but resources are only sufficient to help about 20 existing owners per year. Funding this program with additional resources would help stabilize more neighborhood homeowners. •• Property Tax Assistance: Seniors in Pennsylvania who make less than $35,000 per year are eligible for a 30% rebate on their property taxes up to a total of $650 per year. Ensuring that senior homeowners are aware of and sign up for this rebate can help decrease property tax burdens and keep seniors in their homes. However, homeowners who are not seniors may also need assistance paying off property tax burdens, and there is no clear program to assist with this. The Homewood Collaborative should work to create a plan to provide property tax assistance to long-time, income-qualified owners and heirs to generational properties to help stabilize residents. •• Homestead Exclusions: All homeowners in Allegheny County are eligible to sign up for a “homestead exclusion” for their primary residence. This exclusion exempts $18,000 in home value from being considered in Allegheny County residents’ property taxes -- which saves each owner approximately $85 per year. The City of Pittsburgh offers additional rebates to homestead exclusion participants that can total up to approximately $400 per year. However, not all homeowners in Homewood are signed up for the exclusion. Conducting direct outreach to homeowners and helping them to sign up for the program will help decrease property tax burdens. •• LOOP •• Payment plans •• Tax and rent rebates •• Regional Housing Legal Services February 5, 2019 RECOMMENDATIONS GOAL 14: PREVENT DISPLACEMENT THROUGH AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT, PROACTIVE POLICY, AND STABILIZATION OF EXISTING RESIDENTS A comprehensive program to stabilize homeowners in Homewood must also deal with other challenges beyond home repair, including “tangled title” assistance for generational homes, property tax assistance for seniors, and homestead exemption awareness and signups. 149 TYPE Policy TIMELINE Short CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS Homewood-Brushton Community Coalition Organization Strategic Plan: Charting a New Future for Homewood-Brushton ACTION TEAM Workforce Development Emergency financial need can become a reality for any family upon losing a job or facing unexpected situations such as medical bills or car trouble. This reality can especially affect those who are working to receive new educational credentials or job training, because many face additional tuition expenses, or are earning less income due to time away from regular work. Creating pathways for Homewood organizations who assist with emergency financial need to address these issues will help keep residents in training or educational programs and enable them to complete their required credentials. RECOMMENDATIONS STRATEGY 14.2: CREATE CHANNELS FOR EXISTING ORGANIZATIONS WHO AID WITH EMERGENCY FINANCIAL NEED TO SHARE BEST PRACTICES AND RESOURCES GOAL 15: CREATE HOMEWOOD-SPECIFIC DESIGN STANDARDS FOR NEW DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY 15.1: ENSURE CONTEXTUALLY APPROPRIATE, SUSTAINABLE AND EQUITABLE DEVELOPMENT TYPE Policy TIMELINE Short CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS Homewood Cluster Plan ACTION TEAM Urban Design and Development Develop Homewood specific design standards for new development, including both commercial and residential development, and for streetscapes and other urban design elements, all tied to a community branding. Ensure the standards are flexible enough as not to constrain development, but that standards ensure the quality of construction and development that is appropriate to Homewood. Within the Homewood Design Standards, include standards for sustainable development requirements. Consider requiring higher building standards or LEED standards for development to ensure that costs for building maintenance and costs to owners and renters are kept reasonable over the life of building projects. Ensure that design standards are applied to all development, both affordable and market rate, to ensure that all new development meets standards for quality. 150 HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN February 5, 2019 151 RECOMMENDATIONS VISION STATEMENT: MOBILITY Homewood will be an African-American cultural destination where people choose to live, work, worship, and visit. It will be safe, green, healthy, and innovative. It will have quality schools. It will be a place that protects longterm and low-income residents and equips them to be engaged and informed. Action Teams: MOBILITY GOALS: Sustainability Education Mobility Workforce Development Public Health and Safety MOBILITY PROVIDES CONNECTIONS TO OPPORTUNITY, BOTH WITHIN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND TO THE REST OF THE REGION. ACCESS TO JOBS, FOOD, EDUCATION, AND HEALTH CARE ARE KEY TO THE THREE GOALS IN THIS SECTION. ALTHOUGH THERE HAS BEEN SOME INVESTMENT IN THE COMMUNITY'S TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM, ESPECIALLY NEAR SCHOOLS AND THE TRANSITWAY, THERE ARE STILL SIGNIFICANT OPPORTUNITIES TO IMPROVE MOBILITY IN HOMEWOOD. 152 HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN GOAL 16: Create a consistent, ADA compliant network of sidewalks that facilitates economic development and serves the needs of community members GOAL 17: Ensure Homewood residents have access to high quality busway that increases economic opportunity and supports everyday needs GOAL 18: Create Safe Routes to School February 5, 2019 153 TYPE Project TIMELINE Medium CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS Homewood Station Transit Oriented Development Study ACTION TEAM Mobility Program TIMELINE Short CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS Homewood Station Transit Oriented Development Study ACTION TEAM Mobility 154 Pedestrian audits have become an accepted tool for community groups seeking to improve the pedestrian environment. Guidelines can be downloaded from the Federal Highway Administration, the Center for Disease Control or the AARP. These audits focus on safety, access, comfort, and convenience through the identification of problem areas and solutions. This should be done in coordination with the City of Pittsburgh. HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN Utilizing the results of the pedestrian audit, target sidewalk improvements to the areas of highest traffic (for example, within the business district), near major transit locations, at schools, parks, senior housing and other community assets. This improvements can include repairing existing sidewalks, widening sidewalks, adding new sidewalks, improving ADA accessibility at intersections or numerous other improvements. STRATEGY 16.3: UPDATE PEDESTRIAN STANDARDS, INCLUDING LIGHTING, BENCHES, AND TRASHCANS AND ENSURE NEW DEVELOPMENT SUPPORTS PEDESTRIAN ACTIVITY TYPE Policy TIMELINE Short CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS Pittsburgh Comprehensive Plan ACTION TEAM Mobility STRATEGY 16.1: CONDUCT A PEDESTRIAN AUDIT TO A SHORT TERM GOAL OF PRIORITIZING PROBLEM AREAS AND A LONG TERM GOAL OF PROVIDING SAFE AND STABLE SIDEWALKS IN ALL OF HOMEWOOD TYPE RECOMMENDATIONS GOAL 16: CREATE A CONSISTENT, ADA COMPLIANT NETWORK OF SIDEWALKS THAT FACILITATES ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND SERVES THE NEEDS OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS STRATEGY 16.2: TARGET SIDEWALK IMPROVEMENTS TO HIGH TRAFFIC AREAS, TRANSIT LOCATIONS, SCHOOLS, AND OTHER COMMUNITY ASSETS. City standards provide uniformity of access over the course of many, many years. Updating the city standards to ensure that new development supports pedestrian activity can have a major impact over time, especially in communities that are experiencing major change. In developing standards, it is important to remember that pedestrians do not move in the same way as cars (that is to say, they do not travel single file). Allowing residents to walk together, ensuring ADA compliance and allowing space for businesses to activate the public realm should be additional priorities STRATEGY 16.4: IMPROVE ACCESS TO GRANT PROGRAMS FOR SIDEWALK REPAIRS. TYPE Program TIMELINE Short & Medium CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS N/A ACTION TEAM Mobility Many property owners, business owners and residents would like to improve the sidewalks adjacent to their properties but lack the resources to do so. The City of Pittsburgh currently runs a program to reimburse property owners for damage done by tree roots. This program could be the basis for a broader program for sidewalk repair, however, reimbursement rather than outright grants will limit the number of community members who can participate. A potential grant program must also include significant education to the community to ensure community members can access the program. Potentially, owners could be individually contacted if the pedestrian audit identifies their property as a good candidate for improvements. February 5, 2019 155 TYPE Project TIMELINE Medium CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS N/A ACTION TEAM Mobility Wayfinding within a community can be used to establish a community brand, improve the business climate, and encourage pedestrian activity. Wayfinding should typically include the "three ds:" destination, distance, and direction. The destinations can include major transit, libraries, parks, businesses and other community assets. Distance has typically been interpreted literally, for example, 0.5 miles to the library. Best practices today have expanded, and in many places signs will note a "10 minute walk" rather that the distance, as this can be easier for an average person to understand. In areas where exercise wearables have become very common, some signs will use that terminology, i.e. "1000 steps." This can encourage physical activity. Direction should be clearly indicated. Historic elements, community history and stories or other public art can be easily incorporated as well. STRATEGY 16.6: IDENTIFY, ADVOCATE FOR AND AGGRESSIVELY PURSUE FEDERAL, STATE, AND REGIONAL FUNDING SOURCES TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO TRANSIT AND PARKS. TYPE Policy & Project TIMELINE Short, Medium, & Long CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS N/A ACTION TEAM Mobility 156 Federal, state, and regional funding sources are often available for local projects with a local match. In many cases, this may involve leveraging local funding in order to receive double, triple or even four times the amount of funding available locally. Although federal funding has been changing under the new administration, it is likely that additional funding will be made available through the US Department of Transportation and the regional MPO for projects that will increase access to transit and parks, especially in communities where access has traditionally been limited. These sources should be considered whenever possible in order to ensure that community assets are leveraged for as much benefit as possible. HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN RECOMMENDATIONS STRATEGY 16.5: IMPLEMENT A NEIGHBORHOOD WAYFINDING SYSTEM IN COORDINATION WITH COMMUNITY BRANDING GOAL 17: ENSURE HOMEWOOD RESIDENTS HAVE ACCESS TO HIGH QUALITY TRANSIT THAT INCREASES ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AND SUPPORTS EVERYDAY NEEDS STRATEGY 17.1: UPDATE EXISTING BUS SHELTERS AND PROVIDE ADDITIONAL SHELTERS WITHIN THE NEIGHBORHOOD TYPE Project TIMELINE Short & Medium CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS N/A ACTION TEAM Mobility Bus shelters can significantly improve the quality of the transit experience and encourage community members to use transit more often, especially during inclement weather. Wherever feasible, given the availability of space within the public realm, bus shelters should be provided. Additionally, where available public right-of-way exists, lighting, benches, and trash cans should be provided and maintained. Opportunities to incorporate community branding, public art, or historic elements should be coordinated with the HBBA and the Homewood Collaborative. Initial shelters should be targeted at the highest use stops within the community and near senior facilities, schools and as a part of any new development. February 5, 2019 157 TYPE Project TIMELINE Short & Medium CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS N/A ACTION TEAM Mobility Transit has a major impact on the quality of life of Homewood residents. Currently, the only North-Side bus route in Homewood - the 74 - does not operate on Sundays. The community requested, both in 2015 and 2016, to see the frequency increased. Port Authority, during their analysis, did not increase due to low service usage on Sunday. The community suggests reviewing the route and then make alterations so that it is more direct and connects with other service. With these changes, the Port Authority could also increase ridership and reinstate Sunday service. The community can successfully advocate for new or improved service that better reflects the community through the Port Authorities service change request process. The proposals are evaluated by the Port Authority using the following metrics: • Efficiency of a proposal based on assumed costs or savings measured against projected ridership growth/ reductions. • How the proposal will effect coordination between other routes, walkable service area, span of service, frequency of service, travel time, or on time performance of a route. • Equity of a service proposal based on the demographics of the population which the service serves, including income, race, senior citizens, and riders with disabilities. These three elements are scored and the requests with the highest scores are prioritized for implementation. Utilizing this matrix, proposals to the Port Authority could be coordinated centrally and evaluated for likelihood of success by community organizations, especially those who provide services to communities, such as senior citizens, who are likely to benefit most from service improvements. RECOMMENDATIONS STRATEGY 17.2: ADVOCATE FOR AND IMPROVE ACCESS TO INFORMATION ABOUT TRANSIT ORGANIZATION PRIORITIES AND PLANS STRATEGY 17.4: CREATE SUSTAINABLE PARTNERSHIPS THAT ALLOW FOR PRELOADED OR DISCOUNTED CONNECTCARDS OR ENSURE OTHER METHODS OF TRANSIT ARE PROVIDED IN WORKFORCE PIPELINE PROGRAMS TYPE Project TIMELINE Short CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS Homewood Station Transit Oriented Development Study, Pittsburgh Roadmap for Inclusive Innovation, Equitable Development: The Path to an AllIn Pittsburgh ACTION TEAM Workforce Development The cost of transportation can be a barrier for residents in workforce development programs, and can prevent them from accessing training or traveling to job sites. Creating partnerships that provide ConnectCards to these trainees for free, or at a discounted cost, will help reduce these barriers and ensure that low-income residents can take full advantage of workforce development programs. Collaborations between Homewood and citywide service provider organizations including the YMCA, Travelers Aid Society, Community Empowerment Association, and PA Ways to Work can help close gaps and ensure that all Homewood residents in workforce development programs can access transit assistance if they need it.
 STRATEGY 17.3: CALM TRAFFIC ON MAJOR STREETS AND STRIPE CROSSINGS AT INTERSECTIONS WITH BUS SHELTERS TYPE Project TIMELINE Short & Long CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS Homewood Station Transit Oriented Development Study ACTION TEAM Mobility 158 Stripped crosswalks serve multiple goals. They create safer crossings for community members and create a visual queue for drivers to drive slower and more carefully in areas of high pedestrian activity. Targeting crossings at intersections with bus shelters provides an additional asset to transit users, but, since shelters are most often placed at the busiest intersections, also serve many other users. Crossings could be painted proactively, or based on community requests through 311 or another method. HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN February 5, 2019 159 STRATEGY 18.1: ENCOURAGE PARENTS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS, ELDERS, POLICE AND FIRE TO VOLUNTEER AS CROSSING GUARDS TYPE Program TIMELINE Short CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS N/A ACTION TEAM Mobility Community members can personally participate in creating safe routes to school for local kids. This can be an activity that happens throughout the year, or as "special events" which are often known as "walking school busses." This type of program could be developed in partnership with local parent teacher organizations or through the schools. In many cases, community elders will also be matched with older students to provide safe crossings to younger students. Where possible, safety equipment (flags, vests) should be provided. If not feasible on a regular basis, intersections should be prioritized. STRATEGY 18.2: CREATE SIGNAGE ALONG SCHOOL ROUTES WITH EMPOWERING MESSAGES AND IMPROVE LIGHTING ALONG ROUTE TYPE Program & Project TIMELINE Medium CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS N/A ACTION TEAM Mobility TIMELINE Short CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS N/A ACTION TEAM Ensure that school zones have appropriate signage to encourage safe driving and ensure student safety. The URA will be installing flashing signage in front of Faison next spring. N/A 160 HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN TIMELINE Short CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS N/A ACTION TEAM Mobility Coordinate with the Pittsburgh Police to encourage officers to patrol school routes during morning or afternoon times, and potentially seek to fund additional off duty officers to participate in keeping routes safe. STRATEGY 18.5: CREATE A PLAY STREET PROGRAM IN HOMEWOOD TO PROVIDE FREE OPPORTUNITIES FOR COMMUNITY EXERCISE TYPE Program TIMELINE Short CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS Anatomy of a Neighborhood: Homewood in the 21st Century, Homewood Urban Agenda Strategy: An Inner-City Model for Urban Revitalization,HomewoodBrushton Community Coalition Organization Strategic Plan: Charting a New Future for Homewood-Brushton Play Street programs promote physical activity for all community members on temporarily closed streets; these programs are similar to block parties but are focused on exercise and health-driven community fun. Homewood residents will work with community organizations to identify streets with less traffic and nominate them for the Play Street program; these organizations will work with the City to temporarily close these roads for a weekday evening, or a weekend day, for exercise and recreation. To program the Play Streets, community organizations will reach out to local teachers and community members interested in providing free exercise classes. Other health-focused community organizations, hospitals, food stores, and others may be approached for sponsorships of programming and refreshments, and may be invited to table with healthrelated information at these events. STRATEGY 18.6: INSTALL "NO IDLING" SIGNAGE THROUGHOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD; ENFORCE "NO IDLING" AREAS STRATEGY 18.3: INSTALL 15 MPH SIGNS AND OTHER APPROPRIATE SIGNS IN SCHOOL SAFE ZONES Project Program Education These routes should also be targeted for improved lighting. TYPE TYPE ACTION TEAM In coordination with Strategy 16.5, which recommends community wayfinding, routes to school can be specifically developed to provide messages of empowerment to school age children. RECOMMENDATIONS GOAL 18: CREATE SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL STRATEGY 18.4: WORK WITH ZONE 5 TO REQUEST OFFICERS TO PATROL SCHOOL ROUTES DURING MORNING AND AFTERNOON TIMES Also, specifically around Faison install Wrong Way and Do Not Enter on appropriate parts of Tioga. Add No Parking signs where buses load/unload. TYPE Program & Project TIMELINE Short CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS Homewood-Brushton Community Coalition Organization Strategic Plan: Charting a New Future for Homewood-Brushton; Open Space PGH: Optimizing Pittsburgh's open space, parks, and recreation system; ONEPGH: Resilient Pittsburgh; Pittsburgh Climate Action Plan version 2.0; Homewood Station Transit Oriented Development Study; Homewood Urban Agenda Strategy: An Inner-City Model for Urban Revitalization; Pittsburgh Principles for Design & Planning; Pittsburgh Bike Plan [DRAFT] ACTION TEAM Sustainability Many residents throughout Homewood are concerned that the number of cars allowed to idle, especially on routes to schools and near schools, is negatively impacting local air quality. The leading cause of school absenteeism is asthma which can be exacerbated by poor air quality. Both the installation of more no idling signs and better enforcement of no idling zones aims to improve local air quality by minimizing one potential cause of poor air quality. February 5, 2019 161 INFRASTRUCTURE Action Teams: Urban Design & Development Culture & Recreation Sustainability VISION STATEMENT: Homewood will be an African-American cultural destination where people choose to live, work, worship, and visit. It will be safe, green, healthy, and innovative. It will have quality schools. It will be a place that protects longterm and low-income residents and equips them to be engaged and informed. INFRASTRUCTURE GOALS: GOAL 19: Improve access to and quality of open spaces GOAL 20: Improve local air quality MANAGEMENT SUPPORTS A COMMUNITY. PARKS AND OPEN SPACES, STORMWATER INFRASTRUCTURE AND UTILITIES ALL CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR DEVELOPMENT AND SUPPORT A HIGH QUALITY OF LIFE FOR RESIDENTS. THE THREE GOALS IN THIS SECTION SUPPORT ALL OF THE OTHER GOALS IN THE HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT OF INFRASTRUCTURE THAT SUPPORTS COMMUNITY RESILIENCE. 162 HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN GOAL 21: Encourage the expansion of Stormwater Management February 5, 2019 163 STRATEGY 19.1: REDEVELOP HOMEWOOD FIELD TO IMPROVE THE FOOTBALL FIELD AND SWIMMING POOL, TO INCORPORATE A NEW GATHERING SPACE, AND IMPROVE THE CONNECTION WESTINGHOUSE PARK TYPE Project TIMELINE Medium CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS N/A ACTION TEAM Culture and Recreation Redevelop Homewood Field to improve the community’s football field and swimming pool, to incorporate a new gathering space across from the library and improving the pedestrian connection to Westinghouse Park. Consider improving the facilities utilized by the football programming including sidelines, locker rooms, fan area and stands, and concessions. STRATEGY 19.2: CREATE A NEW, CENTRALLY LOCATED PARK NORTH OF FRANKSTOWN AVE TYPE Project TIMELINE Long CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS Homewood Cluster Plan ACTION TEAM Develop a new signature open space in a central location in Homewood, as recommended by the Cluster Plan. Seek parcels that are vacant and City or URA owned potentially on Homewood Avenue north of Frankstown. Work closely with the community on the design and programing of the open space. Culture and Recreation GOAL 20: IMPROVE LOCAL AIR QUALITY STRATEGY 20.1: WORK WITH ONGOING EFFORTS TO DEVELOP TREE PLANTING STRATEGY FOR HOMEWOOD TYPE Program & Project TIMELINE Medium CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS Homewood-Brushton Community Coalition Organization Strategic Plan: Charting a New Future for Homewood-Brushton; Open Space PGH: Optimizing Pittsburgh's open space, parks, and recreation system; ONEPGH: Resilient Pittsburgh; Pittsburgh Climate Action Plan version 2.0; Homewood Urban Agenda Strategy: An Inner-City Model for Urban Revitalization; Pittsburgh Principles for Design & Planning TYPE Policy TIMELINE Short CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS Open Space PGH ACTION TEAM Culture and Recreation Many Homewood residents recognize Westinghouse Park as a key asset for the community but historically have not been welcomed there. Because of the passive park designation, it has reduced the accessibility of the park to many Homewood residents. Deeper engagements should occur with residents of both Homewood and Point Breeze North to identify equitable ways to ensure park access. This strategy specifically ties the growth of Homewood’s community with the growth of its urban forest. Urban forests provide many benefits for communities including: providing shading for pedestrians; cooling of buildings in the summer and reduced energy costs; reduction of harmful air pollution; aesthetic benefits; improved water quality of stormwater runoff and improved stormwater detention capacity of open space. Planting trees is one of the most important sustainability strategies in terms of the collective impact its implementation will have across other goals in the Homewood Comprehensive Community Plan. ACTION TEAM Sustainability STRATEGY 20.2: STREAMLINE AND TARGET SPECIFIC AREAS FOR ONGOING AIR QUALITY MONITORING TYPE Program & Project TIMELINE Medium CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS STRATEGY 19.3: RELAX RESTRICTIVE POLICIES ON THE USE OF WESTINGHOUSE PARK TO IMPROVE EQUITABLE COMMUNITY ACCESS RECOMMENDATIONS GOAL 19: IMPROVE ACCESS TO AND QUALITY OF OPEN SPACES Homewood-Brushton Community Coalition Organization Strategic Plan: Charting a New Future for Homewood-Brushton; Open Space PGH: Optimizing Pittsburgh's open space, parks, and recreation system; ONEPGH: Resilient Pittsburgh; Pittsburgh Climate Action Plan version 2.0; Homewood Urban Agenda Strategy: An Inner-City Model for Urban Revitalization; Pittsburgh Principles for Design & Planning Many residents in Homewood have concerns with air pollution from the number of cars on major roads like Frankstown and Homewood Ave, cars idling throughout the neighborhood, and diesel buses on the busway, among others. Some interim steps can be taken to curb these activities, such as No Idling signs and enforcement, though a major barrier to understanding the problem is the lack of air quality data in the community. A long-term solution would be to install a network of air quality monitoring stations that would continuously monitor air quality in Homewood and would help to understand what the key problems are and how to fix them in more targeted and effective ways. ACTION TEAM Sustainability 164 HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN February 5, 2019 165 STRATEGY 21.1: ALIGN PLANNING AND REDEVELOPMENT EFFORTS TOWARD ESTABLISHING A NETWORK OF GREEN STORMWATER INFRASTRUCTURE PRACTICES THAT SAFELY ALLOW RUNOFF TO CONVEY TOWARD A RESTORED SILVER LAKE TYPE Project TIMELINE Long CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS Homewood-Brushton Community Coalition Organization Strategic Plan: Charting a New Future for Homewood-Brushton; Race Street 2020; City-Wide Green First Plan; Open Space PGH: Optimizing Pittsburgh's open space, parks, and recreation system; ONEPGH: Resilient Pittsburgh; Pittsburgh Climate Action Plan version 2.0; Homewood Urban Agenda Strategy: An Inner-City Model for Urban Revitalization; Pittsburgh Principles for Design & Planning ACTION TEAM Sustainability 166 Negley Run Watershed Association has begun visioning and planning work on the restoration of Silver Lake as a location that can act as detention for flood waters approaching Negley Run. While changes were made to the inflows of Silver Lake in the early 1870s, it was not until the 1930s that the lake was drained and filled to cover up the pollution accumulating. Not only could the restoration of the lake provide many hydrological benefits to both Homewood and the Negley Run Watershed, but it would also provide an opportunity to add new open space to the HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN western edge of Homewood. Finally, a network of green infrastructure in Homewood would aim to slow and retain water, though in large storm events could be oriented to convey water to Silver Lake as a large volume detention basin with both gray and green stormwater controls to ensure improved water quality before water is released into Negley Run and the Allegheny River. RECOMMENDATIONS GOAL 21: ENCOURAGE THE EXPANSION OF STORMWATER MANAGEMENT STRATEGY 21.2: ADVOCATE FOR EXPANSION AND ALIGNMENT OF CITY POLICY TO SUPPORT GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE IN HOMEWOOD TYPE Policy & Program TIMELINE Short CONNECTION TO PREVIOUS PLANS Homewood-Brushton Community Coalition Organization Strategic Plan: Charting a New Future for Homewood-Brushton; City-Wide Green First Plan; Open Space PGH: Optimizing Pittsburgh's open space, parks, and recreation system; ONEPGH: Resilient Pittsburgh; Pittsburgh Climate Action Plan version 2.0; Homewood Station Transit Oriented Development Study; Homewood Urban Agenda Strategy: An Inner-City Model for Urban Revitalization; Pittsburgh Principles for Design & Planning; Pittsburgh Bike Plan [DRAFT] Work to ensure both the policies in place city-wide and the best practices utilized by the City are understood; and, that those practices are equitably applied to stormwater planning in Homewood. The Homewood Water Collective’s success is reliant on a good relationship with City and Watershed Organization stakeholders where both funding and knowledge can be pooled in green infrastructure planning, design, and implementation. ACTION TEAM Urban Design and Development; Sustainability STRATEGY 21.3: COLLABORATE WITH PWSA, 9MRWA, NEGLEY RUN TASK FORCE TO ASSESS BLOCK-BY-BLOCK APPROACH FOR MICROSHED SMALL-SCALE GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS February 5, 2019 167 IMPLEMENTATION IMPLEMENTATION The Homewood Comprehensive Community Plan articulates a vision that is comprehensive and intended to guide improvements to the neighborhood. Given the complexity of many of the proposed improvements, implementation of the Community Plan relies on a phasing strategy that prioritizes strategies easier to implement. There is a need to maintain interest and momentum over time, and the implementation of short-term goals is critical to enabling the intermediate and long-term goals to be realized. This plan represents a consensus among many of the passionate advocates and citizens of the community, as well as city staff and elected officials, for how to best improve and manage the neighborhood for future generations. Funding, feasibility, and changing city needs can create challenges to this plan’s implementation, but the variety of stakeholders- nonprofit, private, and public entities- provides a variety of implementers, even if there is significant changes in city priorities. STAKEHOLDERS AND PARTNERS Many of the partner entities who will be involved in implementing this Community Plan were also leaders through Action Teams and community engagement conducted throughout the planning process. HOMEWOOD COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COLLABORATIVE (LISTED ALPHABETICALLY) BUILDING UNITED OF SOUTHWEST PA BUSP is Pennsylvania 501 C3 non-profit Corporation with a mission to assist lowmoderate income persons acquire quality affordable housing. The organization represents an innovative approach to providing community development projects through the facilitation of faith based initiatives. The Board of Directors is comprised of Bishops, clergy and lay Christian leaders that represent several different denominations, with each committed to rebuilding communities through collaborative efforts. COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT ASSOCIATION HOMEWOOD CHILDREN’S VILLAGE Community Empowerment Association Inc. (CEA) was organized by Mr. T. Rashad Byrdsong in 1994 to address the needs of the children, youth, adults, and families among African American communities. CEA utilizes an Afrocentric strategy of integrating culture, social identity and empowerment techniques to effectively achieve desirable goals and objectives. The mission of the Homewood Children’s Village (HCV) is to improve the lives of Homewood’s children and simultaneously reweave the fabric of the community in which they live. Their work is about convening, coordinating, and building capacity in support of the community. They operate using a combination of practice and relationship building that is data-driven every step of the way. The mission of CEA is to empower communities and families by providing high quality, wellmanaged, innovative services, including family support services, education, housing, economic development, and employment. The Core belief of CEA is that families develop best in a community with a sense of order, positive social interaction, and opportunities supported by positive adults. CEA’s cultural frameworks are clearly unique to human and social service providers in the Pittsburgh region. CEA capitalizes on the powerful role that cultural influences play within the African American communities. HOMEWOOD-BRUSHTON BUSINESS ASSOCIATION The mission of the Homewood-Brushton Business Association (HBBA) is to foster the development and growth of the HomewoodBrushton Business Community, thus enhancing its visibility and preserve its history. HBBA builds stable foundations for businesses by increasing their capacity and providing access to capital, industry information, technical assistance and business support. Their overall vision is to increase the economic viability of HomewoodBrushton Businesses. HOMEWOOD BRUSHTON COMMUNITY MINISTRIES Homewood Brushton Community Ministries is and association of pastors who are united by our faith in Christ and whose respect, hope and pride in the Homewood neighborhood compels us to work with residents of the community to make a difference. The mission is to demonstrate the love of Jesus Christ through word and deed by providing and promoting community worship events and ministries that improve the overall spiritual health of the Homewood-Brushton neighborhood. The vision is that Homewood would be a desirable place in which to worship and live and whose residents feel a sense of peace, safety and belonging. 168 HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN February 5, 2019 169 YMCA HOMEWOOD-BRUSHTON The mission of Operation Better Block, Inc. is to strategize, organize and mobilize, block by block, to benefit the Homewood Community. They do this by: The Homewood-Brushton YMCA was founded in 1914 and held its first meetings at a church at the corner of Bennett Street and Homewood Avenue. The house at 7140 Bennett Street was purchased to be used as the permanent site of the Homewood-Brushton YMCA; and it has been recognized as a community asset ever since. • Providing technical and community development assistance to Block Associations engaged in self-help projects and selfsufficiency initiatives; • Fostering youth development through selfawareness, career exploration programs and community volunteer opportunities; • Participating in housing development efforts to construct new housing units; • Encouraging and supporting public and private investments to stimulate economic development in the community; • Building cooperative partnerships with others to promote community sustainability. RACE STREET 2050 INC. Race Street 2050’s purpose is to exercise care for Race Street residents and property owners and stewardship over their environment. Building on prior work, they are in the midst of exploring options for preserving the historic character of the street, while making Race Street an example of resident-led renewal. Now in its 104th year of serving the Pittsburgh region, the Homewood-Brushton YMCA is a place where the entire community gathers. The Y is a leading nonprofit organization for youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility; and the HomewoodBrushton YMCA encompasses those three areas of focus by delivering over 23,000 hours of free programing to Homewood residents each year through an employment center, computer lab, tutoring, counseling, STEM programing, childcare, a food pantry, and even a state-of-the-art recording studio. The Y’s over 500 wellness facility members can enjoy a fully equipped gym, sauna, steam room, full gymnasium, indoor track, locker rooms, and a multipurpose meeting room. All of these programs provide a stable and safe environment for residents, while also providing tools to enhance their lives. YWCA The Homewood branch of the YWCA houses a resource center, health and wellness opportunities as well as Homewood's only licensed PA Keystone Star 4 facility. Quality, comprehensive, interactive early development and education for children 6 weeks through 5 years of age is provided at the center. 170 HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS Planning URA The Planning Department works with communities, neighborhoods, and public entities through policy, code, and the Comprehensive Plan. The Department reviews all permits for compliance with city code and goals. The City of Pittsburgh’s Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) is an economic development agency committed to creating jobs, expanding the City’s tax base, and improving the vitality of businesses and neighborhoods. Public Works The Public Works Department maintains the City’s infrastructure, from streets to parks to public buildings. The Department also ensures public safety, from floods to snow and ice storms. Parks and Recreation The Parks and Recreation Department protects and maintains parkland, and offers recreation programs like sports, arts, natural, and cultural opportunities. Department of Mobility and Infrastructure The Department is responsible for the transportation of people and goods throughout the City of Pittsburgh, and for managing the operation of and access to the public right-ofway (the sidewalks, curbs, streets, and bridges that make up our network). IMPLEMENTATION OPERATION BETTER BLOCK, INC. Port Authority The Port Authority provides, maintains, and operated transit to the Allegheny County. Their transit opportunities include bus, light rail, incline, and paratransit services. Pittsburgh Land Bank The Pittsburgh Land Bank acquires, manages, maintains, and sells underutilized property, to revitalize neighborhoods and strengthen the City’s tax base. PennDOT Pennsylvania Department of Transportation is responsible for the planning, design, constructions, and maintenance of Pennsylvania’s multi-modal transportation system. Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority The Department is responsible for water treatment and delivery systems in the city of Pittsburgh, as well as the city's sewer system. February 5, 2019 171 IMPLEMENTATION PHASING STRATEGY The Phasing Strategy is conceived as a means of insuring that the Master Plan is sufficiently implemented and that public support for the plan’s vision is maintained over time. The plan’s strategies have been divided into three phases: Short-term, Medium-term, Long-term, or a combination of the three. Circumstances will often change and funding opportunities may arise, so that certain Medium-term strategies may be tackled before Short-term, etc. At the time of this report’s publication, strategies have been prioritized based on which are seen to be most straightforward to implement; those strategies which need to be implemented before other strategies for feasibility; and those strategies which need to be implemented soonest due to funding obligations, opportunities, or other constraints. 172 THEME GOAL STRATEGY NUMBER STRATEGY TEXT TYPE TIMELINE ACTION TEAM Community Improve Fresh and Healthy Food Access Strategy 1.1 Form food access working group to facilitate creation of a buying club or food cooperative in Homewood that sells affordable, healthy food options Program Short Public Health and Public Safety Community w Strategy 1.4 Create garden skillshare program to encourage home gardening and foster community knowledge Program Short Sustainability Community Improve Fresh and Healthy Food Access Strategy 1.5 Encourage corner stores and small scale food retailers to become healthy food retailers that promote healthy food options Program Short Public Health and Public Safety Community Improve Fresh and Healthy Food Access Strategy 1.6 Create an after school healthy cooking club for parents and students to learn about healthy eating, and partner with local restaurants to host cooking demonstrations Program Short Education Community Improve Fresh and Healthy Food Access Strategy 1.7 Provide healthy breakfast and lunch options during the school year, in after school programs, and over the summer Program Short Education Community Improve education quality for all Homewood students Strategy 2.1 Promote enrollment in pre-kindergarten and improve readiness for school Program Short Education Community Improve education quality for all Homewood students Strategy 2.2 Encourage the use of educational apps such as ReadyRosie at home to foster bonding between parents and kids Program Short Education Program Short Education Program Short Education Community Improve education quality for all Homewood students Strategy 2.4 Promote open communication with students, and identify and prioritize students’ needs, by installing comment boxes for students to provide feedback and contribute to schoolwide discussions Community Improve education quality for all Homewood students Strategy 2.7 Create mentor months throughout the year for locally trained mentors to be present in schools HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN February 5, 2019 173 Community Community Community 174 GOAL Improve education quality for all Homewood students Create more and better out-of-school time options Create more and better out-of-school time options STRATEGY NUMBER STRATEGY TEXT TYPE TIMELINE ACTION TEAM Strategy 2.8 Create opportunities for parents and family members to be more involved in improving school quality by encouraging parents to contribute to health activities, services, and programs at school Program Short Education Strategy 3.1 Grow Homewood “out of school time” (OST) resources, funding, and quality, and create opportunities for youth to collaborate on OST opportunities and foster better communication between OST and teachers or parents Program Short Education Strategy 3.2 Create volunteer time bank by hosting trainings for volunteers, seeking out partnerships with State universities, CCAC, and local universities (Pitt), and Kids Community Engagement Center, and considering new ways to share resources Program Short Education Program Short Education Community Create more and better out-of-school time options Strategy 3.3 Fund alternative library options such as building a Mobile Library that travels throughout Homewood that community organizations or residents could rent books or textbooks from, or building Little Free Libraries throughout the neighborhood to promote reading at a young age Community Create more and better out-of-school time options Strategy 3.4 Foster healthy living by providing physical activity programming before and after school Program Short Education Community Organize community support teams that focus on public health and safety Strategy 4.1 Work with local drug abuse organizations to identify harm reduction strategies Program Short Public Health and Public Safety Community Organize community support teams that focus on public health and safety Strategy 4.2 Identify how youth and young adult residents prioritize public safety and to remove barriers to reporting violent incidents Program Short Public Health and Public Safety Community Organize community support teams that focus on public health and safety Strategy 4.3 Establish team to take people to shelters, rehabs, or hospitals on Mondays at 8:00 am Program Short Public Health and Public Safety Community Organize community support teams that focus on public health and safety Strategy 4.5 Host facilitated community dialogues (without police presence) in rotating spaces after traumatic communal events occur Program Short Public Health and Public Safety Community Organize community support teams that focus on public health and safety Strategy 4.6 Increase Alma Illery’s presence and capacity in Homewood Program Short Public Health and Public Safety Community Organize community support teams that focus on public health and safety Strategy 4.7 Coordinate with businesses to address issues occurring outside their place of business Program Short Public Health and Public Safety Community Increase career readiness and placement Strategy 5.2 Ensure school counselors and support staff in Homewood Program have up to date information about career path resources Short Workforce Development Community Increase career readiness and placement Strategy 5.4 Work with local schools and organizations to incorporate entrepreneurship classes and clubs that students can obtain college credit in Program Short Education Community Promote and preserve Homewood’s African-American heritage and culture Strategy 6.3 Increase cultural education to include music, art, and Black history Program Short Education Community Promote and preserve Homewood’s African-American heritage and culture Strategy 6.4 Utilize press relationships and positive media coverage to showcase Homewood’s past and present Program Short Public Health and Public Safety Community Connect people with resources the increase selfsustenance Strategy 7.2 Change the scope of Job Fairs and certificate programs to become Career + Continuing Education Fairs for living wage career paths Program Short Workforce Development HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN February 5, 2019 IMPLEMENTATION THEME 175 176 GOAL STRATEGY NUMBER STRATEGY TEXT TIMELINE ACTION TEAM Strategy 7.4 Create documents checklist and empower entities to ensure Homewood residents have documentation needed Program to access employment TYPE Short Workforce Development Program Short Business and Innovation Community Connect people with resources the increase selfsustenance Development Focus on neighborhood level small business technical assistance Strategy 8.3 Partner with financial institutions and business development technical assistance providers to provide guidance on securing financing for commercial property purchase Development Focus on neighborhood level small business technical assistance Strategy 8.5 Provide architectural/design services for rehabs or new build commercial space for Homewood businesses Program Short Business and Innovation Development Renovate existing vacant housing to provide Homewood residents with pathways to homeownership Strategy 12.2 Provide homeownership education for Homewood residents who are working toward buying a home or who already have a home and need additional assistance Program Short Housing Mobility Create a consistent, ADA compliant network of sidewalks that facilitates economic development and serves the needs of community members Strategy 17.1 Conduct a pedestrian audit with a long term goal of improving sidewalks in Homewood Program Short Mobility Mobility Create Safe Routes to School Strategy 19.1 Encourage parents, community members, elders, police and fire to volunteer as crossing guards Program Short Mobility Mobility Create Safe Routes to School Strategy 19.4 Fund Officers to patrol school routes during morning and afternoon times Program Short Mobility Mobility Create Safe Routes to School Strategy 19.5 Create a Play Street program in Homewood to provide free opportunities for community exercise Program Short Education Community Increase career readiness and placement Strategy 5.6 Connect with regional corporations to better understand 21st century job field projections and tailor workforce programs accordingly Policy Short Workforce Development Community Connect people with resources the increase selfsustenance Strategy 7.3 Create channels for existing organizations who aid with emergency financial need to share best practices and resources Policy Short Workforce Development Development Focus on neighborhood level small business technical assistance Strategy 8.2 Identify an individual staff liaison both at the City and the URA to serve as single point of contact for business decisions with property and technical assistance Policy Short Business and Innovation Development Bring Homewood’s regulatory framework into alignment with previous planning and shape Homewood’s future growth Strategy 9.2 Update the City’s zoning code to support the community’s goals. Pursue zoning overlays to promote affordable development and access to rental income for residents Policy Short Urban Design and Development Development Encourage community led and driven development Strategy 11.4 Register the Homewood Community Development Collaborative as a Registered Community Organization Policy Short N/A Development Implement green building and energy efficiency programs and standards to reduce cost burdens for existing and future residents Strategy 14.1 Ensure that all new development projects, as well as substantial rehabilitations of vacant properties, include energy efficiency standards that help keep the property’s utility bills affordable Policy Short Housing Development Create Homewood-specific design standards for new development Strategy 16.1 Ensure contextually appropriate, sustainable and equitable development Policy Short Urban Design and Development Mobility Create a consistent, ADA compliant network of sidewalks that facilitates economic development and serves the needs of community members Strategy 17.3 Update pedestrian standards, including lighting and ensure new development supports pedestrian activity Policy Short Mobility Infrastructure Improve access to and quality of open spaces Strategy 20.3 Relax restrictive policies on the use of Westinghouse Park to improve equitable community access Policy Short Culture and Recreation HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN February 5, 2019 IMPLEMENTATION THEME 177 STRATEGY NUMBER STRATEGY TEXT TYPE TIMELINE ACTION TEAM Policy & Project Short Business and Innovation Development Focus on neighborhood level small business technical assistance Strategy 8.1 Provide education on commercial property leasing and ownership, and create a pilot program utilizing City and URA-owned properties to promote creative ownership mechanisms (co-op, rent-to-own, leasing, etc) Community Improve education quality for all Homewood students Strategy 2.3 Seek out technical assistance to increase quality of early childhood programs Policy & Program Short Education Community Increase career readiness and placement Strategy 5.5 Increase academic focus on literary, math, and critical thinking skills and project-based learning Policy & Program Short Education Policy & Program Short Urban Design and Development; Sustainability Infrastructure Encourage the expansion of Stormwater Management Strategy 22.2 Advocate for expansion and alignment of city policy to support green infrastructure in Homewood Community Promote and preserve Homewood’s African-American heritage and culture Strategy 6.1 Promote Homewood’s past through interpretive storytelling, neighborhood branding, murals and public art Project and the reuse of vacant parcels Short Culture and Recreation Development Focus on neighborhood level small business technical assistance Strategy 8.6 Provide pro bono or discounted assistance for Homewood business owners including legal services, business plan Project assistance, and mentoring Short Business and Innovation Development Focus on neighborhood level small business technical assistance Strategy 8.7 Formalize HBBA’s role in policy decisions related to commercial and business development in Homewood Project Short Business and Innovation Development Focus on neighborhood level small business technical assistance Strategy 8.8 Fund full-time staff member (such as Homewood Main Street Manager or HBBA Director) to act as liaison among business owners, residents, developers, and City government Project Short Business and Innovation Short Housing Development Renovate existing vacant housing to provide Homewood residents with pathways to homeownership Strategy 12.1 Focus on rehabilitating the following types of vacant housing stock: 1) Dividing large homes into ownership and rental units to provide owners with rental income; 2) Project Duplexes that can provide owners with rental income, and 3) Single family homes Mobility Ensure Homewood residents have access to high quality transit that increases economic opportunity and supports everyday needs Strategy 18.4 Create sustainable partnerships that allow for pre-loaded or discounted ConnectCards or ensure other methods of transit are provided in workforce pipeline programs Project Short Workforce Development Mobility Create Safe Routes to School Strategy 19.3 Install 15 MPH signs in school safe zones Project Short N/A Program & Short Project Sustainability Community Improve Fresh and Healthy Food Access Strategy 1.8 Install “no idling” signage throughout the neighborhood; Enforce “no idling” areas Community Increase career readiness and placement Strategy 5.1 Create a Homewood’s Workforce Development Page on HCDC’s website as a service to connect applicants to local employers Program & Short Project Workforce Development Development Prevent displacement through affordable housing development, proactive policy, and stabilization of existing residents Strategy 15.1 Grow and fund home rehabilitation programs for existing homeowners, including home repairs, tangled title services and property tax assistance Program & Short Project Housing Strategy 7.1 Create outreach programs to support vulnerable populations and pursue subsidies, such as Senior Community Service Employment Program, to employ seniors Community 178 GOAL Connect people with resources the increase selfsustenance HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN Program Short & Medium IMPLEMENTATION THEME Public Health and Public Safety; Workforce Development February 5, 2019 179 GOAL STRATEGY NUMBER STRATEGY TEXT TYPE TIMELINE ACTION TEAM Mobility Create a consistent, ADA compliant network of sidewalks that facilitates economic development and serves the needs of community members Strategy 17.4 Improve Access to grant programs for sidewalk repairs. Program Short & Medium Mobility Mobility Ensure Homewood residents have access to high quality transit that increases economic opportunity and supports everyday needs Strategy 18.1 Update existing bus shelters and provide additional shelters within the neighborhood Project Short & Medium Mobility Mobility Ensure Homewood residents have access to high quality transit that increases economic opportunity and supports everyday needs Strategy 18.2 Advocate for and improve access to information about transit organization priorities and plans Project Short & Medium Mobility Community Promote and preserve Homewood’s African-American heritage and culture Strategy 6.2 Support existing community organizations and upgrade their facilities Program & Short & Project Medium Culture and Recreation Development Encourage community led and driven development Strategy 11.2 Target development and redevelopment at major intersections to improve development conditions and create “tipping-points” for redevelopment Policy & Project Short & Medium Urban Design and Development Development Manage vacant properties comprehensively Strategy 10.3 Where appropriate, transfer vacant lots to adjacent property owners through a mow-to-own or sidelot program Program Short, Urban Medium, & Design and Long Development Development Encourage community led and driven development Strategy 11.1 The URA should work with the Collaborative to determine a pipeline of future development sites and Request for Proposals (RFPs) Program Short, Urban Medium, & Design and Long Development Development Encourage community led and driven development Strategy 11.3 Encourage neighborhood initiated development of land through tools such as Pittsburgh Property Reserve and the Land Bank Short, Program & Medium, & N/A Project Long Development Manage vacant properties comprehensively Strategy 10.4 Adopt a standard ranking system to prioritize properties for demolition and ensure community involvement and notice Policy Short, Urban Medium, & Design and Long Development Mobility Create a consistent, ADA compliant network of sidewalks that facilitates economic development and serves the needs of community members Strategy 17.6 Identify, advocate for and aggressively pursue federal, state, and regional funding sources to improve access to transit and parks. Policy & Project Short, Medium, & Mobility Long Development Manage vacant properties comprehensively Strategy 10.2 Apply for grant funding to secure implementation and maintenance materials. Begin with Sprout Fund and Love Your Block Grants Program Short & Long Public Health and Public Safety Development Manage vacant properties comprehensively Strategy 10.5 Initiate 311 Blitz to report the buildings as vacant and attempt to contact owners Program Short & Long Public Health and Public Safety Mobility Ensure Homewood residents have access to high quality transit that increases economic opportunity and supports everyday needs Strategy 18.3 Calm traffic on major streets and stripe crossings at intersections with bus shelters Project Short & Long Mobility Community Improve Fresh and Healthy Food Access Strategy 1.2 Promote an increase in farmers markets and farm stands in Homewood Program Medium Sustainability Community Improve Fresh and Healthy Food Access Strategy 1.3 Collaborate with Food Bank to increase frequency and accessibility of Green Cart Program to residents of Homewood Program Medium N/A Community Improve education quality for all Homewood students Strategy 2.5 Advocate for smaller class sizes by petitioning the superintendent, the school board, and speaking out at school board meetings Program Medium N/A Community Improve education quality for all Homewood students Strategy 2.6 Promote higher standards of academic achievement by creating college prep classes for high school students Program Medium Education HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN February 5, 2019 IMPLEMENTATION 180 THEME 181 182 GOAL STRATEGY NUMBER STRATEGY TEXT TYPE TIMELINE ACTION TEAM Program Medium Housing Development Renovate existing vacant housing to provide Homewood residents with pathways to homeownership Strategy 12.3 Get banks’ buy-in to provide closing cost/down payment assistance and appropriate loan products, and coordinate with programs that provide additional assistance with bank fees and down payments Development Use innovative and targeted housing development to meet the needs of specific household demographics in Homewood Strategy 13.3 Support single-parent headed households through developments that include supportive services and communal resources for single-parent families Program & Medium Project Housing Development Implement green building and energy efficiency programs and standards to reduce cost burdens for existing and future residents Strategy 14.2 Help existing homeowners and landlords make their units energy- and water-efficient to reduce cost burdens on existing Homewood residents Program & Medium Project Housing Mobility Create Safe Routes to School Strategy 19.2 Create signage along school routes with empowering messages and improve lighting along route Program & Medium Project Mobility Infrastructure Improve local air quality Strategy 21.1 Plant 5 trees for every child born in Homewood Program & Medium Project Sustainability Infrastructure Improve local air quality Strategy 21.2 Streamline and target specific areas for ongoing air quality Program & Medium monitoring Project Sustainability Community Promote and preserve Homewood’s African-American heritage and culture Strategy 6.6 Repair and reopen the National Negro Opera Company Building Project Medium Culture and Recreation Development Focus on neighborhood level small business technical assistance Strategy 8.4 Create incubator that offers below-market rents for resident-owned businesses, minority-owned businesses, and cultural spaces Project Medium Business and Innovation Development Bring Homewood’s regulatory framework into alignment with previous planning and shape Homewood’s future growth Strategy 9.3 Assess feasibility of a neighborhood market or small scale grocery store Project Medium Business and Innovation Development Manage vacant properties comprehensively Strategy 10.1 Review Push-to-Green parcels with community in order to establish long-term greening uses where appropriate Project Medium Urban Design and Development Mobility Create a consistent, ADA compliant network of sidewalks that facilitates economic development and serves the needs of community members Strategy 17.2 Implement improvements to high traffic areas, transit locations, schools, and other community assets. Project Medium Mobility Mobility Create a consistent, ADA compliant network of sidewalks that facilitates economic development and serves the needs of community members Strategy 17.5 Implement a neighborhood wayfinding system in coordination with community branding Project Medium Mobility Infrastructure Improve access to and quality of open spaces Strategy 20.1 Redevelop Homewood Field to improve the football field and swimming pool, to incorporate a new gathering space, Project and improve the connecting Westinghouse Park Medium Culture and Recreation Community Increase career readiness and placement Strategy 5.3 Do an inventory of existing internship programs and create partnerships so that individuals can access internships in their field of interest Program Long Workforce Development Community Organize community support teams that focus on public health and safety Strategy 4.4 Bridge connection with jail, probation, and community so that returning citizens can be connected to existing program and jobs prior to their return and immediately afterward Policy & Program Long Workforce Development Development Bring Homewood’s regulatory framework into alignment with previous planning and shape Homewood’s future growth Strategy 9.1 Develop a neighborhood build-out strategy that includes long-term targets and initial focus areas, with substantial population growth goal by 2040 Policy Long Urban Design and Development HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN February 5, 2019 IMPLEMENTATION THEME 183 Community Development Promote and preserve Homewood’s African-American heritage and culture Use innovative and targeted housing development to meet the needs of specific household demographics in Homewood STRATEGY NUMBER STRATEGY TEXT TYPE TIMELINE ACTION TEAM Strategy 6.5 Develop a destination museum of African-American History and Culture that tells the story of Homewood and the broader history of African American Pittsburgh Project Long Culture and Recreation Strategy 13.1 Maintain and develop quality senior housing that is affordable and that includes rental and ownership options. Ensure that seniors who can no longer maintain a large single-family home do not have a high-rise development as their only other option – look at smaller and better-designed options for communal living and service provision Project Long Housing Long Housing Development Use innovative and targeted housing development to meet the needs of specific household demographics in Homewood Strategy 13.2 Provide a broader diversity of housing types, including more high-quality market-rate and affordable rental housing units, and options for smaller households. Target Project a final neighborhood composition of one-third affordable housing (<60% AMI), one-third workforce housing (60-80% AMI), and 1/3 market-rate housing (over 80% AMI) Infrastructure Improve access to and quality of open spaces Strategy 20.2 Create a new, centrally located park north of Frankstown Ave Project Long Culture and Recreation Strategy 22.1 Align planning and redevelopment efforts toward establishing a network of green stormwater infrastructure practices that safely allow runoff to convey toward a restored Silver Lake Project Long Sustainability Infrastructure 184 GOAL Encourage the expansion of Stormwater Management HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN February 5, 2019 IMPLEMENTATION THEME 185 APPENDIX APPENDIX ACTION TEAM PARTICIPANTS BUSINESS INNOVATION Last Name First Name Blackwell Nisha Clay EDUCATION Last Name First Name Akers Camille Brittee Bigelow Rick Demarchi Gabrielle Covington Martell Hall Lacey Fletcher Katherine Henderson Shad Hill Virginia Horn-Pyatt Henry Jordan Frances Jethroe Harriet Lewis Stephanie Perkins Ron Lewis Walter Sandidge Eleanor Lowery Bagumba Snyder Jason McIntosh Monique Sparrow Satara Moore Christian Wakefield Teona Noble Kim Patterson Russell Queen Lisa Robinson Monte Smith Cheryl Smith-Russell Denise Washington Thomas Zahorchak Ashley Chair CULTURE AND RECREATION 186 HOMEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLAN Last Name First Name Berry Gail Clemm Tayler Covington Martell Graham Denise Green Elwin Luckett Kilolo McMillan Gina Smith Camille Chair Chair Chair February 5, 2019 187 Last Name First Name Bey Robert Blackwell Free Clemm Tayler Coco Noah Coles Floyd Demarchi Gabrielle Dickerman Dan Frye Milford Gray Gabriel Hall Dorthea Harrell Lance Jackson Jerome Jellison Natalie Jethroe Harriet Oxley Grace Sparrow Satara Spurling Maryanne Tinker LeTaj Ware Sam Washington Doreen Williams Doug Young Nina Last Name First Name Coles Floyd Dean Alvin Horsley Cathy McClendon Christian Smith Cheri Townsend Tyra Washington Natisha SUSTAINABILITY Chair Chair MOBILITY Last Name First Name Last Name First Name Allen Shernise Broadus Nathaniel Bey Robert Coles Floyd Buice Markisha Covington Martell Demarchi Gabrielle Davis Amargie Durham Charles Dickerman Dan Gray Donna Durham Renee Gray Gabriel Ellerbee Daren Harrell Lance Froelich Paul Hughes Christian Garcia Vanessa Lipksy Ian Guth Claire Ohmori Cindy Hall Dorthea Scott Zinna Harmicar Keri Stephen John Hughon Danele Tinker Letaj Jackson Jerome Tracy Cheryl Jackson Robin Wang Angela James Cynthia Williams Karen Jellison Natalie Chair First Name Bey Raqueeb Blackwell Free Blackwell Nisha Clemm Tayler Crawford Jeff Danko Day Shelly Jones John Delorenze Lauren Lando Jason Dickerman Dan Long Markese Ford Ariam Mrotek Tiffany Frye Milford Shields Cynthia Fuller Cherylie Washington Natisha Giles Aftyn Williams Julie Harris Yates Dana Jellison Natalie First Name Lipksy Ian Bricker Scott Meadows Larry Caroll Michael Mehalik Matt Coles Floyd Ross Gail Elcock Andrea Savage Mary Jackson Jerome Scott Zinna Moore Christian Speaks Carol Sandvig Chris Stephen John Smith Cheri Thorson Russ Washington Natisha Washington Natisha Wiens Laura Young Nina Chair WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT Last Name Last Name 188 URBAN DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT Chair Chair APPENDIX PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY HOUSING Chair February 5, 2019 189 APPENDIX HISTORY 2015 2010 2000 The timeline below offers some insight into the events that have shaped what we see in Homewood today. But, these events are only part of the history important to this plan. So often, community elders talk about wanting Homewood to be “the way it used to be” - referring to their upbringing in the neighborhood in the 1950s and 60s. These stories of pride in this neighborhood are just as vital to understanding the future possibilities in the neighborhood as this timeline. Those stories are one of the many things that gives the community strength. 2005 PLANNING HISTORY Affordable Housing Findings & Recommendations (COP, 2016) African American Neighborhoods of Choice (U of OGH, 2016) Homewood Housing Development Strategy (Jaxon Development Company, 2002) Homewood Urban Agenda Strategy,CEA, 2014) HBCCO Strategic Plan (H-B CC, 2001) Additionally, reviews of over 20 previous planning initiatives that directly or indirectly impact Homewood were conducted. These plans were analyzed to capture the most up-to-date data about the history and existing conditions of Homewood to ensure this planning process builds on previous planning efforts and fully understands the neighborhood context of Homewood. A summary matrix of these plans is provided on the next page. PreservePGH (Dept. of City Planning, 2012) Public Art Plan (Dept. of City Planning, 2016) Welcoming Pittsburgh (COP, 2014) Homewood: A Community Profile (Allegheny County, 2009) PGH Bike Plan (Dept. of City Planning, ongoing) Complete Streets Policy (COP, 2015) Bridging the Busway (URA, 2012) Homewood TOD (URA, 2015) Equitable Development (Policy Link, 2016) 2017 2000 1980 1960 1940 1920 1900 1800 PGH Roadmap for Inclusive Innovation (COP, 2014) Open Space PGH (Dept. of City Planning, 2013) ONE PGH: Resilient Pittsburgh (100 Resilient Cities, 2017) Climate Action Plan (PGH Climate Initiative 2012) Homewood Founded (1832) Westinghouse High School built (1918) Market Value Analysis Reinvestment Fund, 2016) MLK assassination uprising (1968) Homewood Cluster Planning (OBB, 2015) Afro-American Music Institute founded (1982) Homewood annexed by the City of Pittsburgh (1868) Homewood connected to City by street car (1890’s) Homewood-Brushton Revitalization Corp. founded (1982) 1st church in Homewood established (African Methodist Episcopal Zion, 1871) P4 Performance Measure (COP, 2016) Homewood campus of CCAC established (1981) Homewood branch of the Carnegie Library opened (1910) PGH Principles for Design & Planning (Dept. of City Planning, ongoing) Faison School opened (2004) Lower Hill District destroyed (late 1950’s- early 1960’s) COMMUNITY HISTORY Housing Public Health and Safety Culture and Recreation Education Workforce Development Mobility Business and Innovation Sustainability Land Use & Urban Design Image Source: Pittsburgh Beautiful, Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission 190 City-wide Projects Homewood Projects Image Source: Pittsburgh Beautiful, Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission February 5, 2019 191 Title Summary PreservePGH: Preserving the character of Pittsburgh and its neighborhoods The plan identifies Pittsburgh’s cultural historic assets, determines how they benefit the City, and presents a plan for future preservation. Throughout Homewood the historic schools, civic buildings and churches are acknowledged as assets however the recommendations for the region are located outside of Homewood. Author: Pittsburgh City Planning Date: July 24, 2012 Public Art Plan Author: Department of City Planning Date: February 2016 Welcoming Pittsburgh: A Roadmap for Change Author: City of Pittsburgh Date: N/A Homewood: A Community Profile Author: Allegheny County Department of Human Services Date: October 2009 Anatomy of a Neighborhood: Homewood in the 21st Century Author: University of Pittsburgh, University Center for Social and Urban Research: Urban and Regional Analysis The Public Art Plan provides a vision of how public art will be created, maintained, and displayed in Pittsburgh for the next 25 years. The plan is a policy-driven document that creates mechanisms within the government to protect and care for artworks and monuments and includes how artists can be involved in the design of the City and other publiclysponsored developments. APPENDIX PREVIOUS PLANNING Goals, Objectives, and Implementation Public art will strengthen Pittsburgh’s position as a regional hub and enhance its global significance by creating a legacy of artists’ contributions to infrastructure, buildings, and open space. A plan to further integrate immigrants into the Pittsburgh Community. The plan includes a broad set of recommendations that are prioritized through short term (6 months to 1 year), mid term (1 to 2 years), long term (3 to 5 years), and ongoing interventions. The recommendations fall under ways to welcome neighbors, bridge the city and prosper together. A History and current snapshot of the neighborhood. Including: Income and Poverty, Education and Employment, Health Indicators, Housing and Home Ownership, Child and Community Safety This report summarizes collaboration between UCSUR and the Homewood Children’s Village in 2010. Information from this study will also be part of the Homewood Children’s Village State of the Village (2011). Date: March 2011 Open Space PGH: Optimizing Pittsburgh’s open space, parks, and recreation system Author: Pittsburgh City Planning Date: July 2013 ONEPGH: Resilient Pittsburgh Author: 100 Resilient Cities Date: 2017 192 OpenSpacePGH is our city’s first comprehensive guide to the optimal use of its vacant, green, and recreation spaces. As one of twelve components of PlanPGH, this plan provides clear instructions and guidelines for land use and infrastructure decisions related to the ownership, management, maintenance, connectivity, and programming of Pittsburgh’s open space system. • Strengthening Pittsburgh’s position as a regional hub and enhance its global significance. • Providing equal access and opportunities for all to live, work, play, learn, and thrive. • Growing and diversifying Pittsburgh’s economy and its tax base. • Fostering a sense of community city-wide while strengthening neighborhood identities. • Capitalizing on Pittsburgh’s diverse natural and cultural resources. • Respecting and enhancing the relationship between nature and the built environment. This document describes Pittsburgh’s resilience strategy. The strategy is intended to acknowledge and address the city’s recent challenges and trends proactively, applying lessons from the past and from other partnering cities to forge a stronger future for the city and region. The resilience framework then builds upon P4 to create a holistic, community-centered approach and to describe the specific ways in which different sectors will work collectively to make Pittsburgh a resilient city in terms of its People, Place, Planet, and Performance. The immediate next steps for strategy implementation in year one include: 1) Convene action leadership groups 2) Establish a governance and institutionalization framework 3) Establish a measurement framework 4) Integrate resilience-building into civic engagement and public events. February 5, 2019 193 Summary Goals, Objectives, and Implementation Pittsburgh Climate Action Plan version 2.0 Pittsburgh Climate Action Plan, Version 1.0, which outlined specific strategies for achieving greenhouse gas emissions reductions. While many of these strategies were being implemented, it became clear that an updated plan would be necessary to continue the progress of reducing local carbon and air emissions. Thus, this Pittsburgh Climate Action Plan, Version 2.0 builds on the first Plan by tracking the progress of the initial recommendations, and proposing new measures to continue to help mitigate the local effects of global climate change. Installation of geothermal heating and cooling systems at three HACP family properties: Homewood North (134 units). City and County residents can contribute waste cooking oil to local biodiesel production through ReFuel PGH (www.refuelpgh.com). As of December 2011, collection sites are located in front of the Whole Foods Market in East Liberty and Construction Junction in Homewood. The report covers affordable housing policy, with background information on Pittsburgh and provides immediate, short-term, and mid-term recommendations on how to improve housing for all residents. Recommendations: Preservation of existing deed-restricted affordable housing. Lasting affordability requirements on public funding. Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing (NOAH) - In the community forums, a majority of participants expressed the need to support existing homeowners, improve existing rental housing, and provide resources for the rehabilitation of Pittsburgh’s existing housing stock – all items which fall under the umbrella of ‘naturally occurring affordable housing. 1. Gives voice to a silent but essential segment within Pittsburgh’s African American population. 2. Initiates policies, programs and projects that address the desires of this group. 3. Can be used as a guide for other underrepresented groups in an effort to continue to increase the ethnic and racial diversity throughout the Pittsburgh region. The goal of this study, funded by the Heinz Endowments, is to examine the perceptions of Pittsburgh residents of their neighborhoods, what they like and don’t like, and to investigate the factors that are important in their residential location choice, focusing particularly on young African American professionals and where they choose to live. The plan examined the perceptions of Pittsburgh residents and how they feel about their neighborhoods, what they like and don’t like, and to investigate the factors that are important in their residential location choice, focusing particularly on young African American professionals and where they choose to live. Economic diversification of the neighborhood housing market. The plan identifies areas of improvement for social groups, companies, and people in Pittsburgh in hopes of developing a path forward to strengthen Pittsburgh’s economy. The plan is broken down into the following Focus Areas: address the digital divide, empower city-to-citizen engagement, provide open data to Pittsburgh, improve internal operations & capacity of the City, advance the Clean Tech sector, and promote the local business environment. The Roadmap for Inclusive Innovation lays out a number of initiatives the City of Pittsburgh should undertake in the coming months and years to remain a hub of innovation for social groups, companies and people. The objective of the City of Pittsburgh Roadmap for Inclusive Innovation is to provide a vision for Pittsburgh’s future. By working together, the City and its residents can improve the quality of life for all the people of Pittsburgh. Equitable Development: The Path to an All- The plan aims to create equitable development through a In Pittsburgh five-point agenda: raise the bar for new development, make all neighborhoods healthy communities of opportunity, Author: Policy Link expand employment and ownership opportunities, embed Date: 2016 racial equity throughout Pittsburgh’s institution and businesses, and build community power, voice and capacity. Raise the bar for new development. Make all neighborhoods healthy communities of opportunity. Expand employment and ownership opportunities. Embed racial equity throughout Pittsburgh’s institutions and businesses. Build community power, voice, and capacity. Author: Pittsburgh Climate Initiative Date: February 2012 Affordable Housing Task Force Findings & Recommendations to Mayor William Peduto and the Pittsburgh City Council Author: City of Pittsburgh Date: May 2016 African American Neighborhoods of Choice Report Author: University Center for Social and Urban Research, University of Pittsburgh Date: 2016 Housing Development Strategy: The Community of Homewood Author: Jaxon Development Company, Perkins Eastman Architects PC Date: April 2002 Pittsburgh Roadmap for Inclusive Innovation Author: City of Pittsburgh’s Department of Innovation and Performance, and Urban Redevelopment Authority Date: 2014 Market Value Analysis: Pittsburgh, PA Author: Reinvestment Fund Date: November 2016 194 The introduction of strategic physical changes through real estate development that positively influences market dynamics and competitively repositions the neighborhood in the city’s housing market. The Market Value Analysis (MVA) is a tool designed to assist the private market and government officials to identify and comprehend the various elements of local real estate markets. It is based fundamentally on local administrative data sources. Homewood is characterized as a weak market here. February 5, 2019 195 APPENDIX Title Summary Goals, Objectives, and Implementation Homewood Cluster Planning: Final Consensus Vision Plans A detailed land use vision for Homewood’s future based on the needs and desires of existing, present-day community stakeholders. Support the formation of Cluster Associations to own and evolve the Cluster Plan Vision over time, helping to guide development as it evolves in each cluster. The P4 Performance Measures Project provides a quantitative method to measure impact of development. According to Mayor Peduto “The Measures will help us reach higher to achieve maximum returns from every public dollar invested in development so we can build a city that works for all of our residents; because if it’s not for all, it’s not for us.” The Measures were created for use by multiple parties engaged in real estate development in the city of Pittsburgh. Each Measure contains quantifiable metric or alternative methods for evaluating the degree of project benefit and impact. While the primary purpose of the Measures is to provide an evaluation tool for public investment, they may also be utilized in a variety of manners, depending on the user and their needs, as summarized below. »Practitioners. Project teams, investors, and other stakeholders may use the Measures to expand their understanding of the critical issues facing Pittsburgh, and voluntarily include new or enhanced approaches in their practice and projects. Author: Operation Better Block, Studio for Spatial Practice Date: November 2015 P4 Performance Measures Author: Pittsburgh p4 Initiative Date: October 2016 Pittsburgh Principles for Design & Planning The Design Plan acknowledges projects initiated by a broad spectrum of Pittsburgh leaders, from community Author: Pittsburgh City Planning organizations, to artists, to civic and academic institutions, Date: August 2016 to the private sector. The Plan focuses on equity, sustainability, innovation, performance and design excellence. Pittsburgh Bike Plan Author: Pittsburgh City Planning Date: ongoing Complete Streets Policy Author: City of Pittsburgh Date: 2015 Bridging the Busway: A Transit-Based Community Plan for Homewood & Point Breeze North Author: Studio for Spatial Practice Date: April 2012 Homewood Station Transit Oriented Development Study Author: Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh City Planning Date: June 2015 196 The plan proposes a comprehensive set of bike infrastructure improvement projects that will enhance the quality and connectivity of our bicycling network and making bicycling accessible to more users. The bike projects will increase the city’s total bike infrastructure mileage. The plan described the need for improved “Complete Streets” in Pittsburgh. Complete Streets is described by Smart Growth America as a road network designed for everyone including pedestrians, people with disabilities, bicyclists, transit riders, motorists and freight carriers. A Complete Streets network is needed in Pittsburgh to further the City’s land use, transportation, livability, economic, sustainability, equity and innovation goals. The Department of City Planning shall work together with many other agencies. An advisory group shall be created from a broad range of transportation and public realm related stakeholders in the city. DPW shall lead development of comprehensive design standards. The City shall incorporate green infrastructure into Complete Streets projects when possible. The City shall research ways to improve other City processes and project delivery to better align with the goals of the Complete Streets policy and changing trends in the industry. The City shall partner with other agencies and stakeholders to create educational programming. The City shall produce a report every two years measuring the progress made. Bridging the Busway, a community-driven planning vision for Pittsburgh’s Homewood and Point Breeze North neighborhoods, explores how to build market strength through transit oriented development around the MLK Jr. East Busway’s Homewood Station, Homewood’s existing institutional core and to strength the Point Breese North housing market 1) Equitable Development, 2) Stabilize and Diversify Housing, 3) Expand Create a Neighborhood Planning Forum, Plan for future of vacant properties, Business, Arts and Culture, 4) Green the Neighborhood, 5) Build a Sustainable Community (Energy, Water, Nutrients). The study examines development potential at Homewood Station and the feasibility of using Transit Revitalization Investment District (TRID), to initiate Transit Oriented Development (TOD) around the station. In previous planning studies conducted in Homewood and Point Breeze North, the public identified addressing poor conditions around Homewood Station, relative to safety, access and connections to the surrounding neighborhood. The projects consist of infrastructure improvements to help attract private development interest and investment. Eight general recommendations were prioritized as follows: 1. Improve Homewood Busway and its surroundings 2. Help bring new businesses to Homewood 3. Add better lighting, trees and furniture to streets 4. Improve pedestrian routes to nearby schools 5. Help build new housing 6. Improve, expand and maintain nearby parks 7. Help address flooding issues 8. Improve bicycle routes and parking in the neighborhood February 5, 2019 197 APPENDIX Title Summary Goals, Objectives, and Implementation My Brother’s Keeper: Allegheny County and City of Pittsburgh’s plan for addressing opportunity gaps for boys and young men of color. “MBK Playbook” outlines effective strategies to support the success of young men of color and effective and efficient means to implement the strategies. The playbook embraces the 6 core goals and focuses on the “livability index” that states data must be coupled with experiences that reflect what our young men of color see, hear and feel within their respective neighborhoods and communities. 1) Support healthy initiatives by expanding healthy meals to children involved in after school programs. 2) Highlight the importance of literacy by increasing distribution of age- (and culturally-) appropriate books to children at summer food site locations. 3) Expanding youth input and empowering youth voice by forming teams and training youth to lead initiatives such as Students in Action Teams, Black Student Unions, and other student-driven efforts. 4) Increasing the number of youth that feel “cared for” by recruiting more mentors of color for our young [people] of color. 5) Expand internet access by developing spatial analysis and mapping of free wifi hotspots, and increase public locations. 6) Encourage private and non-prof investment in workforce development by expanding number of youth served by the Learn and Earn Summer Youth Employment Program especially in jobs related to STEM. 7) Increase financial status and standard of living by expanding opportunities to be financially literate involving understanding of the banking and mortgage systems. Report identifies areas to achieve enrichment. Each section give description and context of area and a proposed solution. Areas include: Community and Economic Development, Education, Public Safety, Public Health, Political Empowerment. Coalition and base-building serve as the key tools to initiate grassroots development of communities. While it is important to establish substantive policy along the way, it is essential to further the development of community structure as well. This includes: the development of the skills and abilities of citizens and citizen groups; making social planning more accessible and inclusive; connecting social and economic investment to grassroots community groups; advocating broad coalitions and infusing social planning with a concern for social justice. CEA recommends the following 12 functions as the citywide initiative to address root causes of violence for reduction, including; (1) create the Peace Alliance Network; (2) develop a Commission; and various responsibilities and roles for (3) government (Mayor, County· Executive, Governor, and Public Officials); ( 4) faith based organizations; (5) community based organizations; (6) communities at large; (7) universities; (8) local businesses; (9) schools; (10) health institutions; (11) parents; and (12) youth. “One viable solution is to collaboratively address violence, based on a public health paradigm using an intervention system focused on prevention, rehabilitation, and development. This strategy can engage community residents in positive ways, and empower them to take ownership and sustain much needed resident commitment for long-term public safety. Unfortunately, overreliance on law enforcement in controlling violence, invites further affliction on our youth and adults in The Greater Pittsburgh region. This suppressive intervention alone is doom to a failure and will lead to endless homicides of our brothers and sisters.” A detailed land use vision for Homewood’s future based on the needs and desires of existing, present-day community stakeholders. Plan breaks up Pittsburgh into 9 clusters and a business and industrial core. OBB conducted field surveys to collect personal testimonies from residents and parcelspecific data for the target areas that informed the plan. Report identifies target areas of community concern: Housing, Commercial Development, Workforce Development, Youth, Education, Environment, Arts & Culture, Social Services, Public Safety, Faith-Based. Assets and Challenges: Potential Gateway. Has a concentration of City owned vacant land that could provide opportunities for developing new community-supported uses. Large number of vacant properties and delinquent landlords. Railway infrastructure poses unique challenge, physically separating portions of the neighborhood and creating a green expanse along Homewood’s border with Point Breeze North. Long Term: Large-scale Neighborhood-serving Retail, Multi-Use Trail, Ecological Open Space, Stormwater Management, Enhance Gateways/Streetscapes. Assets and Challenges: Proximity to Westinghouse High School, a strong asset with rich neighborhood history. High rates of home ownership in NE section. Large number of City owned vacant properties (buildings and land) around WHS. Vacant and dilapidated homes are continually being demolished. Long Term: Identify Infill Housing Sites, Ecological Open Space, Large Neighborhood Park, Network of Small Parks/Gardens, Zoning Recommendations, Renovate School. Author: MBK Allegheny County Date: June 2015 Homewood Urban Agenda Strategy: An Inner-City Model for Urban Revitalization Author: Community Empowerment Association Date: 2014 A Public Health Approach To Violence: CEA Strategy For The City Of Pittsburgh And Allegheny County Author: Community Empowerment Association Date: July 2011 Homewood-Brushton Community Coalition Organization Strategic Plan: Charting a New Future for HomewoodBrushton Author: Homewood-Brushton Community Coalition Organization Date: 2010 Initiatives: Cluster 1 Author: Operation Better Block, Studio for Spatial Practice Date: November 2015 Initiatives: Cluster 2 Author: Operation Better Block, Studio for Spatial Practice Date: November 2015 198 Zoning: Existing - mix of multi-family res, single-family low density, LNC, and urban industrial. Zoning: Existing - mix of multi-family residential, single-family low density, LNC, and urban industrial February 5, 2019 199 APPENDIX Title Summary Goals, Objectives, and Implementation Initiatives: Cluster 3 Assets and Challenges: Pedestrian Access to Westinghouse Park. Homewood Busway Station is important asset and provides express bus service to East Liberty, downtown Pittsburgh, etc. One block from Homewood Ave business district. Adjacent to Carnegie Library. Challenges include large number of vacant properties, delinquent landlords. Many vacant, dilapidated homes have been demolished in recent years, a practice that continues into the present day. City and Housing Authority owned vacant properties. Long Term: Small-scale Neighborhood-serving retail. Assets and Challenges: Homewood Busway Station is important asset, providing express bus service to East Liberty, downtown Pittsburgh, etc. Faison Elementary School and the Alma Illery Medical Center are important neighborhood assets. Proximity to Library, YMCA, CCAC. New single-family housing. Challenges include large number of vacant properties, high crime rates, several deteriorating buildings. The partially-vacant set of row houses lining Hamilton Ave, called Sterret-Collier by residents, are a unique challenge due to their high-visibility, ownership complications, and the small footprint of the existing housing units. Long Term: Live-Make Uses, Stormwater Management, Enhance Gateways/ Streetscape, Decommission Streets. Assets and Challenges: High concentration of City properties, mainly vacant land, could provide opportunities for developing new community-supported uses. Adjacent to Business and Institutional Core, which could help strengthen the cluster. Contain important commuter routes. Challenges include a large number of vacant properties, delinquent landlords, deteriorating properties. Many vacant, dilapidated homes have been demolished in recent years, a practice that continues into the present day. Long Term: Identify Infill Housing Sites, Small-scale Neighborhood serving Retail, Live-Make Uses, Ecological Open Space, Enhance Gateways/ Streetscape, Network of Small Parks/ Gardens. Assets and Challenges: Strong Homeownership. Home to Baxter and North Homewood Parklets. Home to concentration of URA owned vacant land that could provide opportunities for developing new community-supported uses. Challenges include large number of vacant properties - particularly in the northern area on steeply sloped lots, delinquent landlords, and deteriorating properties. Many vacant, dilapidated homes have been demolished in recent years, a practice that continues into present day. Long Term: Identify Infill Housing Sites, Ecological Open Space, Enhance Gateways/ Streetscapes, Network of Small Parks/Gardens, Update Baxter Park. Assets and Challenges: High Vacancy, Challenging Terrain, Dramatic Views/Overlooks. Three separate water utilities operate in the area, creating some confusion for property owners. Street infrastructure is also poorly maintained. Long Term: Identify Infill Housing Sites, Small-scale Neighborhood serving Retail, Wind Turbine Field, Ecological Open Space, Stormwater Management, Enhance Gateways/ Streetscape, Network of Small Parks/ Gardens, Decommission . Assets and Challenges: Urban Industrial Area; Proximity to Busway Long Term: Live-Make Uses, Large Neighborhood Park, Zoning Recommendations. Author: Operation Better Block, Studio for Spatial Practice Date: November 2015 Initiatives: Cluster 4 Author: Operation Better Block, Studio for Spatial Practice Date: November 2015 Initiatives: Cluster 5 Author: Operation Better Block, Studio for Spatial Practice Date: November 2015 Initiatives: Cluster 6 Author: Operation Better Block, Studio for Spatial Practice Date: November 2015 Initiatives: Cluster 7 Author: Operation Better Block, Studio for Spatial Practice Date: November 2015 Initiatives: Cluster 8 Author: Operation Better Block, Studio for Spatial Practice Date: November 2015 200 Zoning: Existing - mainly Multi-family residential, with small pocket of Single-family very high density, and Urban industrial. Upcoming - R1A-VH to UI (to accommodate the Animal Rescue League expansion. Zoning: Existing - a mix of multi-family and medium-density single-unit residential, LNC, and UI Zoning: Existing - a mix of multi-family residential and LNC Zoning: Existing - a mix of multi-family residential, two-unit residential low density, and LNC Zoning: Existing - a mix of two-unit res low dens, multi-family residential, PUD, LNC, and park land. Zoning: Existing - an uncommon mix of residential, commercial and industrially zoned land. Historically, this has led to some conflicts between uses. Additionally, a large number of non-conforming buildings and uses do not match the current Zoning designation of the land upon which they sit. February 5, 2019 201 APPENDIX Title Summary Goals, Objectives, and Implementation Initiatives: Cluster 9 Rosedale Block Cluster has a strong presence, with a playground and community garden facing Rosedale Street. Parts of area have strong homeownership, with 19 homeowners taking advantage of Pittsburgh's Sideyard Sale program. Challenges include working with a large number of vacant properties, delinquent landlords, crime and several deteriorating properties. Many vacant, dilapidated homes have been demolished during recent years, a practice that continues into the present day. Long Term: Small-scale Neighborhood serving retail, Decommission Streets. Proximity to Wilkinsburg Busway Station. Homewood Station is an important asset for the Business and Institutional Core, providing express bus service to East Liberty, Oakland, downtown Pittsburgh and beyond. The Business and Institutional Core includes a large number of long-standing cultural and educational Institutions including the Carnegie Library, the Community College of Allegheny County, and the Afro-American Music Institute, among others. Challenges for the Core district include working with a large number of vacant properties, delinquent landlords and deteriorating properties, sustaining and supporting existing businesses, and attracting new commercial uses. Long Term: Large-scale Neighborhood-serving Retail, Enhance Gateways/ Streetscape. An ongoing and systematic African American community engagement process and a resident-informed Peace and Justice Policy Agenda included: a. An overview of the current state of Black Pittsburgh, b. An overview of the initial community engagement process and findings, and c. Specific policy recommendations. The implementation of the Peace and Justice Policy Agenda utilized all interested stakeholders and available resources; and a stronger partnership between City, County and State Governments and Pittsburgh’s African-American communities to improve public safety and overall quality of life in those communities. Improve community/police communication and engagement. Residents were asked, in a community meeting, “In the year 2020, what does Race Street look like?” URA took those responses and created this document to reflect residents’ visions. Common Themes: Infrastructure improvement, Plan for vacant & Abandoned Property, Housing Rehabilitation, Social Street, Safe Streets/Secure Neighborhood, Employment + Business Opportunities, Schools and School System Improvements, Connection to Main Street, Improve Regional Perception Author: Operation Better Block, Studio for Spatial Practice Date: November 2015 Initiatives: Business & Industrial Core Author: Operation Better Block, Studio for Spatial Practice Date: November 2015 Peace & Justice Initiative Author: Pittsburgh Black Elected Officials Coalition Date: 2017 Race Street 2020 Author: Urban Redevelopment Authority Date: 2012 202 APPENDIX Title Zoning: Existing - a mix of multi-family and medium-density single-unit residential, LNC, and UI Zoning: The Core area is comprised of a mix of multi-family and single family very-high residential, Local Neighborhood Commercial, and Urban Neighborhood Commercial on Homewood Avenue. Improve accountability & transparency for all involved in public safety, not just citizens. Increase diversity of police force to be representative of the community it serves. Improve police training. Police can increase good will by monitoring public events and keeping them safe. Increase accessibility to affordable housing. Make homeownership more affordable. Provide more accountability for stakeholders at each level of the homeownership process. Create land use plans that promote accessibility, homeownership, and accountability. Each Theme identifies organizations or entities to lead strategy implementation. February 5, 2019 203 90900 plittsburgh ura City HONIEWOOD 3?$??$3rgh