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Pittsburgh Land Bank approves three conveyances, accepts financial reports; staff report inventory growth
Summary
The Pittsburgh Land Bank approved three property conveyances including sales to an affiliated entity of La Teresa Blackwell and to Teresa Ford, accepted year-end and monthly financial reports (including staffing invoices totaling $173,477.72), and reported new hires and a rising inventory of properties available for disposition.
At its April 11, 2025 meeting, the Pittsburgh Land Bank approved three resolutions authorizing the acquisition or conveyance of city and URA-owned parcels and adopted year-end and monthly financial reports. Staff also updated the board on a new hire, a residential-rehab pilot listing, and recent inventory changes.
The board approved resolution 21 authorizing the land bank to acquire Block 46B Lot 76 (0 Perrysville Avenue) from the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh using ARPA funds and to convey the property to Heavenly Kids Academy LLC, an affiliated entity of La Teresa Blackwell. La Teresa Blackwell spoke during public comment and said she hoped to "bring economic stability back into our underserved and underprivileged communities" by redeveloping the parcel into a day care center. Rhonda Strozier, executive director of Pine View and Perry Hilltop Citizens Council, spoke in support and said the project has been in development for years and would address environmental issues at a former gas station site.
Resolution 22 authorized the acquisition and sale of Block 10K Lot 345 (0 McLaren Street) from the URA using ARPA funds and its conveyance to Teresa Ford for $2,400. Staff described the transaction as a side-yard sale vetted by the URA and aimed at a longtime owner-occupant on McLaren Street.
Resolution 23 amended a prior board authorization to correct the block-and-lot identifiers and to convey parcels to Cliffside Overlook LLC, an affiliated entity of Half the Battle LLC (an entity associated with the project developer). Staff said the amendment reflected the property owner’s new LLC and was an administrative correction to complete a planned affordable-housing closing; staff also noted the project had been awarded Federal Home Loan Bank funds.
On finances, Director Wanda Wilson reported that the 2024 year-end financials are complete and the audit is nearly finished. The board approved acceptance of the December 2024 financial report with an addendum to include URA and PLB staffing invoices totaling $173,477.72, and approved the monthly expenses. The board later approved the February 2025 and March 2025 financial reports and monthly expenses.
Staff updates included the board’s introduction to Joshua Rolon, the land bank’s new real estate transactions coordinator. Rolon said he brings more than 10 years of community development and municipal grant experience and will support real-estate transactions. Acting Director Sally Stadelman reported the land bank completed five sales last month, removed Soil Sisters from inventory, and has roughly 25 properties in the closing pipeline with an expected 32 properties once the last deeds are recorded. She also said the land bank advertised a pilot residential-rehab property at 1221 High Street and that applications have come mostly from professional rehabbers; the program requires owner-occupant buyers to provide proof of financing, a rehab plan and to occupy the property for five years.
The board approved minutes from the March 2025 meeting and adjourned. Votes in the meeting were recorded as voice votes in the transcript; the record shows motions passed by voice without detailed roll-call tallies.
Actions taken and the staff updates are procedural steps to advance already-approved projects and to support disposition of vacant properties in targeted neighborhoods.
