Mark Rauterkus & Running Mates ponder current events: Fwd: 🎉Hill District Secures Critical $50 Million CHOICE Grant!

Saturday, July 22, 2023

Fwd: 🎉Hill District Secures Critical $50 Million CHOICE Grant!

This is very near to where we play water polo at Ammon Rec Center.

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Hill CDC <info@hilldistrict.org>
Date: Fri, Jul 21, 2023 at 5:06 PM
Subject: 🎉Hill District Secures Critical $50 Million CHOICE Grant!
To: <mark@rauterkus.com>

Hill District Secures Pivotal $50 Million CHOICE Neighborhoods Grant Award

The Hill Community Development Corporation (Hill CDC) is elated about a significant achievement for the City of Pittsburgh and the Hill District community! We are thrilled to share that Pittsburgh has been awarded the competitive CHOICE Neighborhoods Implementation Grant from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The award is in the amount of $50 Million.

This substantial funding to be received by the City of Pittsburgh and the City of Pittsburgh Housing Authority will be dedicated to the revitalization of one of the country's oldest public housing communities, Bedford Dwellings. Bedford Dwellings is located on Bedford Avenue in the Historic Hill District, and its redevelopment is one of the City's neediest areas with regard to housing and economic investment. Bedford Avenue is a critical artery connecting Downtown to eastern abutting neighborhoods and is a densely populated part of the Hill District neighborhood with a higher-than-average number of seniors, children, and low-income households. We are thrilled that Bedford Dwellings will receive this significant investment and that additional mixed-income units and an assortment of amenities and investments will be included in this development.

The Hill CDC, as Housing and Neighborhood Community Partner, has worked with other community partners, residents, the City of Pittsburgh, the Housing Authority, and Trek Development for over five years on a consistent basis to advocate for a model of redevelopment that serves Bedford Dwellings residents and the entire Hill District. The Hill CDC is committed to continuing equity-based advocacy, participation, and communication with the broader neighborhood as the implementation period begins. Here's to the future of the #HillDistrict!

You can read the entire press release below. More will be featured in the Hill District Weekend Round Up!

For Immediate Release
July 21, 2023

Casey, Fetterman Announce $50 Million to Revitalize Bedford Dwellings and Hill District Neighborhood

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA) announced $50,000,000 for a neighborhood revitalization grant for the Bedford Dwellings Housing Complex and surrounding Hill District neighborhood. The grant will be used to rehabilitate affordable housing at Bedford Dwellings, as well as make investments to create a neighborhood that is vibrant, well-connected to services and public transportation, and is safe and welcoming for Pittsburgh residents. The revitalization plan is the culmination of years of intensive engagement and collaborative work between the City of Pittsburgh, neighborhood residents, local organizations, development partners, and other community stakeholders. The funding comes from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) Choice Neighborhood Implementation Grant Program and will be awarded through the Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh. In December 2022, the Pittsburgh City Council approved an additional $31 million investment if the Housing Authority won this grant.

"Housing is more than just a roof over your head; it's the place where safety, well-being, and community start. As the foundation of a neighborhood, housing determines whether businesses can thrive, the potential of future economic development, and the sense of community residents that feel," said Senator Casey. "Community leaders in the Hill District have been working tirelessly for years to reimagine Bedford Dwellings into a neighborhood anchor where residents can live, work, and play in a vibrant and safe environment and with this funding, they can make that vision a reality."

"Housing is a human right, and this massive investment will help create more affordable housing in Pittsburgh and improve the conditions of this complex and neighborhood," Senator Fetterman said. "As a member of the Senate Committee on Banking, which covers housing issues, I'll always fight to make sure every Pennsylvanian has access to safe and affordable housing."