Pittsburgh hearing outlines proposed North Side tax-exemption program to spur redevelopment

Morgan Martin, legislative aide to Councilman Wilson, presented Bill 2026-0426 at a Pittsburgh City Council public hearing on June 22, 2026, saying it would create a North Side–specific Local Economic Revitalization Tax Assistance (LERTA) program to encourage redevelopment and adaptive reuse in a designated area.

The proposal, Morgan Martin said, would add Chapter 269 to the Pittsburgh City Code to establish a targeted tax-exemption program for multi-story buildings in the designated North Side area. "We are here today to speak about bill 2026-0426, which establishes a new local economic revitalization tax assistant program for a designated area on the Northside," Morgan Martin said.

Under the eligibility rules explained at the hearing, properties would generally need to be inside the designated program area, be multi‑story buildings constructed before Jan. 1, 2026, contain at least 5,000 square feet, have more than 50% office use either currently or historically, and have retail uses comprising less than 25% of the building's total square footage. Martin described two exemption tiers: a standard exemption of up to 50% of the increase in assessed value from improvements for a period of six years, and an enhanced exemption for projects that provide additional public benefits. "Depending on the level of public benefit provided, eligible projects may receive up to 100% exemption on the value of the improvements for as long as 20 years," Martin said.

Martin said the enhanced tier is intended for projects that incorporate affordable housing units or create significant numbers of new jobs. She also referenced Exhibit A in the bill, a map showing the program area bounded by black lines and located within Allegheny Commons Park.

No members of the public registered to speak, and no members of the audience volunteered public comment. During the member-comment portion of the hearing, a committee member argued the incentive mirrors downtown tax abatements and said similar measures could help preserve historic North Side structures and make office‑to‑residential conversions financially viable. The member cited the program's affordability tiers and said projects that meet the cited AMI thresholds could unlock substantial tax relief: "if the project did take advantage of anywhere between 60 to 80% of the AMI requirement, they would get 60 to 80% of the taxes, um, off per year," the committee member said. The member also pointed to nearby institutions such as Allegheny General Hospital as beneficiaries of increased local housing supply.

The hearing concluded with no registered public comments and no vote; the presiding officer adjourned the meeting after concluding the business of the public hearing. The bill presentation and discussion were limited to the scope described at the hearing: eligibility criteria, standard and enhanced exemption structures, the mapped program boundary, and the program's intended public benefits.