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Pittsburgh Land Bank approves 2026 budget, authorizes banking and bookkeeping changes and greenlights multiple property transfers
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Summary
At its Dec. 12 meeting the Pittsburgh Land Bank approved a balanced 2026 operating budget tied to a final ARPA draw and PAYGo staffing funds, authorized a bank change and bookkeeping vendor migration, and approved several property transfers in Garfield and a 22-property Hilltop package linked to an LSA grant application.
The Pittsburgh Land Bank on Dec. 12 approved its 2026 operating budget, authorized the chair and treasurer to select a new financial institution as the organization moves to a new bookkeeping platform, and approved multiple property transfers intended to support affordable housing and neighborhood stabilization.
The board voted to adopt a balanced 2026 budget built around confirmed revenue sources, including the final scheduled ARPA draw for the land bank and City of Pittsburgh PAYGo staffing funds. Treasurer Wanda Wilson said the financial statements showed "a solid, solid balance sheet with, positive equity, of 455,000," and noted $7,259.11 in conference-related credit card charges. The budget reflects property-sales revenue modeled on 71 sales in 2026 and includes staffing for four positions, acquisition plans (46 properties from city inventory and 22 via share-of-sale), holding costs for roughly 76 properties and stabilization for 37.
Board members approved a walk-on authorization allowing the chair and treasurer to select a new bank and enter necessary agreements to migrate accounts as the land bank moves financial management to a new vendor; staff and the acting executive director were confirmed as participants in the selection process. The board also approved a contract for bookkeeping services identified in the record as BookBinders (the meeting referenced a migration to BookMinder's as part of financial-platform changes).
On property actions, the board approved several resolutions: a package of seven parcels in Garfield was cleared for acquisition and sale to support a private, affordable for-sale pilot; an amended side-yard sale to the MOCA Art Gallery was approved as a corrected resolution; and a 22-structure batch in the Hilltop neighborhood was authorized to move into the sheriff's-sale process contingent on grant-funded stabilization and rehab. Staff said the Hilltop package was submitted as part of a statewide LSA application that, if successful, would provide close to $1,000,000 to invest in the structures to halt deterioration and support eventual sale to buyers at 80% or below area median income. Councilman Lavelle abstained from the Hilltop vote, stating, "I will abstain because I do sit on Hilltop Alliance's board." The motion passed with that single abstention.
Public commenters included Anne Chen of Token Communities, who thanked the board for considering a proposal to acquire Garfield properties to deliver privately financed Energy Star affordable for-sale homes without subsidy, and Mohak Johanna of the Hilltop Alliance, who praised the land bank partnership model and said it shortens acquisition timelines and reduces development costs by stabilizing properties before rehab.
Votes at a glance - Resolution 104 (bookkeeping contract): Approved (motion moved and seconded). - Resolution 105 (acquisition/sale — seven parcels in Garfield): Approved. - Resolution 107 (amendment/correction to prior resolution, MOCA side-yard sale): Approved. - Resolution 108 (acquisition/sale — 22 Hilltop structures tied to LSA application): Approved, 1 abstention (Councilman Lavelle).
The board also accepted the November financial reports and monthly expenditures and approved the November meeting minutes. Staff reported a record year in 2025 with 88 sales (12 structures and 76 lots) and a total of 108 land-bank sales to date, with 43 pending transfers from the city and 181 transfers approved since the tri-party cooperation agreement was authorized. The board announced the January 9 meeting was canceled and said the next meeting will be in February 2026.
Board actions were procedural and involved multiple votes; the most significant programmatic developments were the Hilltop LSA submission and continued rollout of pilot residential rehab and donation programs intended to speed stabilization and return property to productive reuse.
