General

12/18 2014

OPDC December E-Newsletter

?Topics include:
  • American Eagle Outfitters supports OPDC’s School 2 Career program through education tax credit
  • Joncaire Street to benefit from federal grant, community beautification project
  • Mellinger Beer Distributor joins Oakland “Good Neighbor” effort
  • Oakland landlords organize
  • Development updates: Skyvue Apartments, Schenley High School redevelopment, UPMC’s master plan, and former Oakland School
  • New stop signs enhance safety in Central Oakland
  • Oakland Green Team updates: A new orchard, hundreds of daffodils, and a rain garden
  • Oakland property? s?potlight: 241 Meyran Avenue
  • Oakland façade grant recipients complete home restoration projects
  • West Oakland’s The Corner looks to renovate cafe and performance space through crowdfunding
  • Board spotlight: Meet Abass Kamara
  • Eye on elected officials: An update from Pennsylvania District 19
  • We’re hiring a Financial Coach?
12/18 2014

County, City, Pitt & CMU Receive Award To Build Technology Infrastructure

Allegheny County and the City of Pittsburgh — working in conjunction with the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University — will build joint technology infrastructure that will provide leaders and citizens with data-driven tools to improve the effectiveness of local government.
The Richard King Mellon Foundation has awarded $1.8 million to fund the first 18 months of the effort, supporting three major initiatives.
The city and county will create a Government Solutions Engineering team of data experts to seek ways to spur local government modernization and supply data-driven management tools to government leaders. The team will work on ways to make government more efficient and customer-friendly for residents; standardize data formats; better track public spending via performance-based budgeting; and synthesize data on tax delinquency and code enforcement to better track problem property owners.
Read the full press release:
http://pittsburghpa.gov/mayor/release?id=3876

12/15 2014

City Council Introduces Dynamic Pricing For Parking

Pittsburgh City Council introduced dynamic pricing for parking meters in the City to start next year.  This measure will set rates according to the economics of supply and demand for areas that have high rates of traffic.  Please note that these rates are adjustable and can fluctuate. 

In order to address concerns about the negative impact on Downtown businesses, Councilman Lavelle has provided amendments to help alleviate this change.  The original version of the ordinance saw nighttime enforcement of parking meters in Downtown extend to 10 pm; however, the District 6 Councilman Dan Lavelle raised questions to eliminate this change and keep enforcement until 6 pm . This measure succeeded in passing, subsequently keeping enforcement until 6 pm.  To see a copy of the final language for the ordinance, please click here. 

12/12 2014

Pgh And 10 Other Cities Join Citizenship Initiative

On Monday Pittsburgh and 10 other cities will formally join Cities for Citizenship, an initiative launched by Los Angeles, New York City and Chicago in partnership with Citi, the founding corporate partner, which aims to increase citizenship among eligible U.S. permanent residents to forge more inclusive and economically robust cities.

Leading officials from Pittsburgh, Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Chattanooga, Denver, Milwaukee, Nashville, Philadelphia, Seattle, and Washington, D.C. will announce their active participation in this growing initiative at a special event during the National Immigrant Integration Conference (NIIC 2014).

Read entire article:

http://pittsburghpa.gov/mayor/release?id=3848

12/09 2014

New City Dept Approved To Oversee Bldg Inspections And Permitting

Mayor William Peduto’s plan to overhaul the Bureau of Building Inspection and make it more efficient for neighborhoods, businesses and city residents was finally approved today by Pittsburgh City Council.
The new Department of Permits, Licenses & Inspections — to be overseen by current BBI Chief Maura Kennedy — will keep working closely with Public Safety bureaus while also upgrading technology and establishing a modern permitting department better suited to a growing city.
Read more about it:
http://pittsburghpa.gov/mayor/release?id=3835
12/05 2014

"Home Lost" Sew-in for quilts Fri, 12/5 – 1pm to 7pm – United Way 1250 Penn Ave

Help provide quilts for people in a housing crisis this winter Join CHS, the United Way of Allegheny County, Annie and Griffin of the Home Lost Project this December 5th for the 2nd annual Home Lost Sew-in.  They're looking to recruit 150 volunteers to gather t-shirts, cut them into squares, and sew them together into quilts that they can share with people CHS serves through our housing programs and street outreach. The Sew-in will be held at the United Way's offices at 1250 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15222. Adults, teens and children 8 and older are welcome to help. Sewing or quilting skills not required!

See more at:
http://www.chscorp.org/SewIn2014

12/04 2014

West Oakland Light Up Night – THIS Fri 12/5 6:30-8:30pm 202 Robinson St

West Oakland Light Up Night!
Friday, Dec 5th
 
6:30-8:30 @ The Corner, 202 Robinson Street
Christmas carols, LIVE music performance by Anqwenique Wingfield, crafts and Santa's Workshop for kids to buy gifts for family, the 2nd Annual Ugly Christmas Sweater Contest, hot chocolate and cookies!!! You can experience all of this at West Oakland’s Light Up Night, Friday, Dec. 5th at 6:30 at The Corner, 200 Robinson Street. This event is FREE and open to all.