State of the Land Report: October2022 Posted on November 3, 2022 by Rebecca Simon Share this post Welcome to the State of the Land Report! October 2022 A Year in Review: This marks 1 year of State of the Land Reports and 1 year of our network being better informed! For the full review of reports go here to look back. We also want to give special recognition to our amazing team of Interns and Fellows who have played an integral role in keeping the State of Land Report running smoothly: Thank you Isaac Williams, Gracie Brickner, Matt Nealon, and Maya McCray! State of the Land Updates October 2021 Reporting on the November 2021 Primary Elections and Debate Takeaways IPCC Climate Report Breakdown 311 Vacant Land Call Monitoring November 2021 Election Results Breakdown Pittsburgh Lead Safety Law Introduction December 2021 Land Bank Year in Review Vacant Land Ownership Pathways 2020 Census Data Breakdown Janurary 2022 Stewardship First Campaign Site Audit Report Upcoming Pittsburgh Land Bank Changes Senate Bill 811 and House Bill 610 Feburary 2022 Property Tax Disparities “Blight” Report in Wilkinsburg March 2022 Review of Mayor Gainey’s Transition Team Listening Sessions and Idea Wall Storyboard April 2022 101 Guide for Getting Involved in City of Pittsburgh and Agency Meetings URA Changes in Leadership Data Governance Recognition for City of Pittsburgh May 2022 Review of Pittsburgh Land Bank Events since 2014 Breakdown of Mayor Gainey’s Transition Report June 2022 Pittsburgh Black Homeownership Report Findings Review of Tri-Party Cooperation Agreement and Missing Piece for Land Bank July 2022 Pittsburgh vs. Philadelphia: A Comparative of Vacant Land in Pennsylvania’s Largest Cities August 2022 Pennsylvania Vacant Land Policy in the Context of National Trends September 2022 Ground Truthing and Reclaiming Vacant Properties Conference Recap Call To Action Become a resident data collector and help us reimagine vacant land in the City of Pittsburgh! Contact Becca by Wednesday, Nov. 2nd. Grounded Strategies is looking for residents who are interested in data collection, meeting with community members, and documenting land histories! We are seeking 8-10 community members for our Ground Truthing vacant land history project. Residents will conduct 1:1 interviews, collect oral histories, run focus groups, and collect surveys with residents about vacant land in their neighborhood. Data Collectors will be paid $15/hour for 10 hours per month from November 2022 to February 2023. November will consist of a paid onboarding and training period. Then from November to February, residents will be conducting data collection for 45-50 assigned vacant lots. Grounded is looking for residents who: Are from Homewood and the Hill District Are excited to learn more about Vacant Land Issues Enjoy working with others Feel comfortable utilizing technology Email becca@groundedpgh.org if you are interested in joining. Policy Updates Urban Redevelopment Authority and Pittsburgh Land Bank Updates URA sells off land for affordable housing, approves first-time homebuyer plan Editorial: Raze blighted Land Bank and build anew, on a firmer foundation City Council Meeting Highlights Pittsburgh City Council considers ticketing people for trash, high weeds Pittsburgh City Council hits pause on major Oakland zoning changes Broader Pittsburgh Land Updates Pittsburgh’s neighborhoods pay the price for abandoned and decrepit homes Updated: Developer skeptical of Hill surcharge proposal as key church calls for affordable housing City looks to ‘in-law suites’ to shrink affordable housing deficit Habitat for Humanity breaks ground on Larimer townhomes It’s Not Just the View: How Greenspaces Can Make Our Lives Better The road to reclaiming the National Negro Opera Company house Additional Resources Celebrating 15 Years of GroundedThe 15 Years of Grounded campaign celebrates our organization’s founding by highlighting 15 projects that have helped communities and residents find new ways to get outside, relieve stress, and beautify their neighborhoods. Come back daily to see which projects we highlight as we look back at the past 15 years. Help keep us Grounded and donate here.