Council approves additional land‑bank staffing funds amid debate over blight, demolition and revenue

Pittsburgh City Council’s standing committees advanced a budget adjustment on March 25 to continue previously approved project funding and add resources to support Pittsburgh Land Bank staffing and operations (Bill 254). URA and Land Bank officials told council members the additional funding would cover roughly 37–50% of staffing costs for the office and help sustain a small but expanding pipeline of property sales and stabilization work.

Katherine Murray, director of government affairs at the Urban Redevelopment Authority, and Sally Stableman, director of the Pittsburgh Land Bank, explained the request is drawn from previously allocated ARPA funds and will be used to cover staffing already budgeted in the Land Bank work plan. Murray said the allocation will cover about “a position and a half” of staffing capacity and that the Land Bank has been using ARPA funds to support roles through 2026.

Stableman said the Land Bank generated about $680,000 in sales revenue in 2025 and projected roughly $816,000 in property sales revenue for the current year based on inventory ready for sale. She described a sales process that lists properties on MLS, requires buyers to present a work plan and proof of funding, and prioritizes high‑quality applicants rather than simply the highest bid.

Council debate focused on the broader strategy: members pressed officials for the number of condemned versus city‑owned properties and for clarity about demolition versus stabilization decisions. Land Bank staff said there are about 1,980 condemned properties on the city’s list and that roughly 250 condemned structures are currently in the three taxing bodies’ inventory; the broader pool of tax‑delinquent structures eligible for foreclosure is larger and was previously estimated in Land Bank presentations at several thousand.

Officials argued that stabilizing and returning structures to the tax rolls can be less costly in the long run than demolition, which can cost tens of thousands of dollars per property and often results in a permanent loss of taxable value for the parcel. Council members urged continued coordination with PLI’s demolition program and stressed the need for predictable, scalable pipelines for acquiring privately owned vacant properties through sheriff sale or foreclosure when appropriate.

Committee members approved the measure with an affirmative recommendation.

What’s next: The amended budget language and staff funding will proceed through the council’s budget process; Land Bank staff will continue to provide updates on sales, tax recovery and acquisition pipelines.