PITTSBURGH, PA (June 9, 2020) The City of Pittsburgh Planning Commission last week unanimously adopted the Homewood Comprehensive Community Plan.
The development of the Homewood Comprehensive Community Plan was a collaborative effort of the Homewood Community Development Collaborative and the Department of City Planning, along with residents and stakeholders. The plan outlines ways to achieve the following vision:
Homewood will be an African-American cultural destination where people choose to live, work, worship, and visit. It will be safe, green, healthy, and innovative. It will have quality schools. It will be a place that protects long-term and low-income residents and equips them to be engaged and informed.
Community leaders and members of Action Teams worked together to develop recommendations in response to the priorities that were defined by public meetings. Those recommendations were consolidated and prioritized to develop goals and paths to achieve those. The Plan is available for viewing at https://pittsburghpa.gov/dcp/homewood-plan.
“The Homewood Comprehensive Community Plan is a people-based plan that identifies the community needs that will promote a healthy, safe, green and innovative community,” said Christopher Corbett, project manager. “The implementation of this plan will be a collaborative effort of Homewood residents, organizations, and the City to make equitable and sustainable improvements throughout the community.”
Reverend Samuel Ware, co-chair of the Homewood Community Development Collaborative, said the plan is the result of participation from community residents and nonprofits, and with the support of the Department of City Planning.
“The COVID-19 pandemic and the protests of the homicide of George Floyd have shown light on the systemic disparities that negatively impact people of color across the globe,” Ware said. “I believe that the Homewood Comprehensive Community Plan if implemented will address those disparities. This puts Homewood ahead of other neighborhoods, cities, and nations who want to address the existing disparities. We are proud of the work we have done that places us in a position to immediately address and eliminate inequities that impact Homewood. Our work is not done but we thank all who have worked hard to bring us to this point. We are excited for what the future holds.”
“I am proud that the community has been able to choose a destiny that they have authored,” said Councilman Revered Ricky Burgess. “This document will guide the revitalization of Homewood. I am excited for Homewood’s future and committed to its success.”
Read the Press Release here.