by Pittsburgh Action News 4
PITTSBURGH —
They’re calling it “Avenues of Hope.” The City of Pittsburgh is launching the new effort with the goal to bring new life and investment to neighborhood business districts in Pittsburgh’s historically Black and diverse communities.
“Now is the time to invest where the investment is needed,” said Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto in a news conference in Larimer on Wednesday to formally announce the initiative by the city and its Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA).
Funding will come from a combination of grants, donations, and tax money.
“The Avenues of Hope is one of the most important strategic investments plans in Pittsburgh’s Black communities in the last 50 years,” said Pittsburgh City Council Member Rev. Ricky Burgess.
“For our city to thrive, for our city to grow, for our city to sustain itself, we must also have thriving Black community,” said Pittsburgh City Council Member Daniel Lavelle.
The city says “Avenues of Hope” will focus on seven major neighborhood business corridors. They include Larimer Avenue, Homewood Avenue, Centre Avenue, Perrysville Avenue, Chartiers Avenue, Warrington Avenue, and Irvine Street in Hazelwood.
Peduto said the initiative is intended to “create equity – -and equity meaning both equal(ity) and value — back into these neighborhoods.”
The city says its intention is to boost neighborhoods and help support middle class jobs, families, and entrepreneurship and invest in existing small businesses.
“By working together, we can make Pittsburgh a city for all by making Pittsburgh a city where Black Pittsburgh Matters,” Burgess said.
The URA’s affordable housing trust fund will also work with the Avenues of Hope program and the URA will also focus on facade renovations and other help for neighborhood businesses.
Watch the report on the Pittsburgh Action News 4, click here.