Why a Land Bank in Wilkinsburg?
Wilkinsburg is a thriving community
Benefits of a Land Bank in Wilkinsburg
Wilkinsburg is a very desirable place to live for its residents because of its location, access to public transit, status as a walking community, and the charm of its historic housing stock.
Let’s create an avenue that welcomes restoration and rehabilitation while also supporting our current residents.
Community
Wilkinsburg is the largest African-American majority municipality in Allegheny County, and the sixth largest in the state of Pennsylvania. Wilkinsburg’s elected leadership and borough management reflects that diversity: as seen with our Mayor, Borough Council Members, Chief of Police, our Assistant Borough Manager, and our Director and Assistant Director of Public Works, who are all strong and inspiring African-American leaders.
Our Public Works Department and crew are fellow residents that take their responsibilities to Wilkinsburgers seriously: our snow removal and de-icing give us some of the safest winter streets in the region.
We have nine public parks and playgrounds to serve our residents.
Our Thursday Farmers Markets give residents access to freshly grown food and goods from local farms and shops. And speaking of shops, Wilkinsburg has seen a surge of up and coming entrepreneurial spaces of mom and pop shops and other aspiring entrepreneurs ranging from soul food restaurants, flower shops, thrift stores, to bakeries and more!
Wilkinsburg is a very unique community with the heart and drive of the historical Pittsburgh innovation in its veins! With a little elbow grease, we can make our community thrive and shine once more!
Benefits of a Land Bank in Wilkinsburg
When larger developers transform communities, affordable housing is sometimes “set aside” -- but when these big redevelopment companies say “affordable housing” they do not mean home ownership, they mean subsidized rent. The profits still stay with the landlord.
We mean something quite different. Wilkinsburg is a community of mostly single family homes and maintaining that small town community feel is the overwhelming sentiment from Wilkinsburgers. What’s more, the central insight that inspired us to create the WLB still holds true: our empty houses can become a boon for affordable home ownership.
We have a strategy and a drive to redevelop a better way—to empower our current residents by helping folks become homeowners, and by keeping all of the profits that come from that redevelopment activity as close to the folks who live here as possible. There is a way to preserve our historic housing stock and not bulldoze it for new construction that may or may not stand the test of time as our historical homes have done. There is a way to invest in Wilkinsburg and to help empower residents to take the reins of redevelopment - it starts with hope, perseverance, and the desire to bring our community back to life, one home at a time.
Equity
Owning a home can be a powerful financial tool for families. They serve as protection from ever increasing price inflations renters may experience, and can also serve as a financial asset for generations. We have seen the rise and fall of a generation of homeowners, and would like to create avenues for minorities, underserved communities, and families looking for their first home, to access beautiful, affordable housing in a community that boasts so much color, art, and opportunity.
