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Pittsburgh council urges $92.5 million state investment in community violence intervention programs
Summary
The council unanimously approved a will of council asking the Pennsylvania General Assembly to provide at least $80 million for VIP community violence intervention programs and an additional $12.5 million for the BOOST after‑school program, citing local reductions in shootings and calls to sustain funding.
Pittsburgh City Council on March 17 approved a will of council urging the Pennsylvania General Assembly to include no less than $80,000,000 for the Violence Intervention and Prevention (VIP) program and to separately fund $12,500,000 for the Building Opportunities through Out‑of‑School Time (BOOST) program, a combined request of $92,500,000 to expand community violence intervention (CVI) resources statewide.
The resolution, read into the record by a council presenter and adopted without recorded opposition, frames CVI as a data‑driven, community‑led approach to preventing shootings and firearm homicides. The document cites a 46.5% reduction in shootings and firearm homicides across Pennsylvania over the past three years as evidence of CVI’s effectiveness and notes research the resolution says shows “every dollar invested in community violence intervention returns at least $5 in value to the Commonwealth.”
Speakers at the dais and community advocates described CVI work as a prevention model that connects people to services and reduces harm. “Fewer police, yet the violence is going down,” one council supporter said during remarks, urging continued investment in outreach and trauma‑informed strategies. Jesse Albright, who identified himself as a representative of the WiDS Pittsburgh panel during proclamations earlier in the meeting, also joined advocates at the podium to thank the council for recognizing community work.
Council members flagged the will of council as part of an advocacy push in Harrisburg scheduled for March 24; the presenter said the resolution will be used to support lobbying efforts to secure state budget funding. The resolution text also expresses explicit support for Governor Shapiro’s BOOST funding request and calls on continued, sustained state investment to avoid reversals in recent public‑safety gains.
The will of council is advisory — it signals the city’s position to the state legislature but does not itself appropriate funds. The council did not attach a city budget allocation to the resolution during the meeting; instead members described it as a statement of support intended to accompany advocacy and testimony before the General Assembly.
