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Residents seek Land Bank help with condemned, vacant properties and church parcel
Summary
Three public commenters described property problems — a condemned home with tax liens offered as a donation, a long-abandoned house in limbo, and a lot adjacent to a church the congregation seeks to acquire — asking the Pittsburgh Land Bank to assist.
Several neighborhood residents used the Land Bank public-comment periods on Feb. 14 to request assistance with individual parcels and to describe safety and maintenance concerns.
Sheila Pamplin told the board she owns 520 Cedarhurst Street, Pittsburgh (ZIP 15210), which she said has been condemned and has back taxes; she said she is willing to donate the parcel to the Land Bank after several attempted buyers and organizations backed out. “I have tried so many different organizations and different buyers. However, everyone has backed out, and it seems like you guys may be my last resort,” Pamplin said. She later added that the building is “tilting, leaning a little bit” and said she fears it could collapse and injure people or damage nearby properties.
Carl Greedley said his house at 3 Moore Avenue, ZIP 15210, has been in limbo after a sale failed to record a deed; he said he previously had someone working to rehabilitate the house who has since died and that the property has been stripped in places. He described ongoing tax and upkeep challenges and asked the Land Bank to consider options to return the property to productive use.
Reverend John Welch of Sixth Mount Zion Baptist Church described the board-listed parcel adjacent to the church on Lincoln Avenue. He said the church has maintained the lot for about 15 years, already owns adjacent parcels and seeks the contiguous parcel so the congregation can plan development, community gardening and events. The board later placed that parcel on the agenda as Resolution 7 for acquisition and conveyance to the church.
The board and staff did not take an immediate formal action on the individual donation offers during public comment but staff members (Sally Stadelman) confirmed they would follow up with commentors outside the meeting.
Ending: Commenters were told staff will follow up; the board moved on to its scheduled agenda votes.
