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City Council
Today, the city can sign some big contracts without a council vote. That's how a $6.5 million deal with ShotSpotter went through last year. On Oct. 21, a bill requiring council approval for such multi-year contracts over $30,000 failed. It advanced, however, after the limit was raised to $1 million.
City Council
New developments in Pittsburgh still have to meet parking requirements. On Oct. 21, council agreed to move forward with a zoning package that would drop them. It would also ease building backyard houses and basement or attic suites, and let developers build higher with affordable units. Council is expected to cast its final vote next week.
City Council
Young college graduates leave Pittsburgh for more diverse cities, a council member said. In a 5-4 vote on Oct. 21, council reversed course and advanced renewing the city's $50,000 yearly Vibrant Pgh membership. Last month, the committee had recommended against it. The council president said a diverse workforce is vital to the city's success.
City Council
City code requires council to hold a public hearing on replacing a missing Market Square marker about workplace accidents. On Oct. 13, council received a petition from 26 residents asking for that hearing. According to the marker's text, the research it honored led to workers' compensation laws. The hearing isn't scheduled yet, and it doesn't guarantee the marker will be replaced.
City Council
Last November, council learned of $13 million in unaccounted-for city water bills. In April, it heard the city had pulled $10 million from two trust funds for general expenses. On Oct. 13, two council members introduced five finance reform bills to end such surprises. One would train members to read a budget, and another would put quarterly finance meetings into law.
City Council
Early this year, the mayor ordered a review of the city's permitting process to make it more predictable and efficient. On Oct. 14, council held the first step at the administration's request. That bill fixes typos, simplifies height rules, and removes outdated sections of the zoning code. The council member who relayed the request didn't say why the administration wanted the hold.
City Council
Right now, the city has no uniform way to weigh poor vendor work before renewing a contract. For example, a council member said one contractor installed the wrong door at the Oliver Bath House. Council advanced a no-cost agreement with a nonprofit to help build a review system for city vendors. A budget official said clear performance criteria would tell vendors what's expected.
City Council
The city wants 96 vendors on call through $340 million in service contracts. On Oct. 7, council advanced them, though they don't say which departments will use them or why. A budget staffer said she could provide those details, and a final vote is set for Oct. 13. However, extra details sent to council typically don't make the public record.
City Council
About a half mile of trees along the Ohio Riverfront Trail were cut down without permission. A city arborist said a neighboring property owner did it and dumped much of the wood into the river. On Oct. 7, council advanced paying for an independent tree count there. The city forester said that's needed to seek restitution.
County Council
Allegheny County's employee pension fund is nearly $1.5 billion short. A Sept. 3 court opinion said the governor and state lawmakers will likely need to give the county more funding tools. Then on Sept. 22, county council voted to ask the court to let its lawyer join the case as a neutral party. Next, the court will hold a hearing on that request.
County Council
Opioid settlement money set aside for emergency medical services providers has sat unspent since last December. On Sept. 22, county council approved changes that widen how the $1 million can be used and simplify applications. Payments can begin as soon as the county executive signs the legislation. So far, the county has spent almost half of its overall opioid settlement funds.
County Council
Allegheny County hasn't reassessed property values since 2012. In August, a judge ordered the county to start reassessing by July 2027 and finish by 2032. On Sept. 14, a council committee heard the door-to-door work could cost $50 million and bring a wave of appeals. For now, it's holding a bill for regular reassessments until other lawsuits end.
City Council
A county proposal would make businesses with 15 or more eligible employees give new parents at least 12 weeks of paid leave. Now that the Board of Health has unanimously recommended it, county council will decide. On Sept. 29, a city council member introduced a measure urging county council and the state to act. County council next meets Oct. 6.
City Council
North Side unhoused residents have lost a drop-in spot that helped with housing and paperwork. The ROOTS drop-in location closed for good on Oct. 2 after the city didn't renew its lease. The mayor's proposed 2027 budget adds money for ROOTS staff but none for rent. For now, council can approve a new lease only if the administration presents one.
City Council
Banksville's Marian Manor, a care facility for almost 70 years, closed in 2024 after continual financial losses. Now, council is set to rezone the 26-acre site for a housing community for people 55 and older. The plan includes 124 townhomes, a community center, pickleball courts, and a pool. Last month, the Planning Commission recommended the rezoning after two hearings.
City Council
Council is studying how governments use surveillance tools, including the city's license plate readers and police cameras. On Sept. 21, speakers warned that surveillance technology can threaten civil rights. An Austin council member said his city struggled to regulate it and canceled its license plate reader contracts. A Carnegie Mellon expert said the city's report felt incomplete because it skips independent agencies like the schools.
City Council
More of Pittsburgh's leftover pandemic aid is headed to street paving. On Sept. 23, council advanced moving $346,683 from streetlight and mobile toilet projects to paving. If it isn't spent by the end of 2026, a budget official said, it'll likely go back to the federal government. She said shifting unspent money to paving is the only quick way to get it out the door.
City Council
Since 2023, the city has paid $50,000 a year for a Vibrant Pittsburgh membership. On Sept. 16, three council members questioned the cost and asked how well it works. A city finance official said she didn't have that information, and council held the renewal for one week. One member suggested the administration list all city memberships and training services.
City Council
The city isn't subject to fines for code violations on property it owns. On Sept. 15, council took up a controller's audit that found 4,330 code investigations of city-owned properties from 2021 through 2023. An audit official said there's no cohesive process for dealing with them. He said that sends taxpayer money toward notices that just end up in a bin.
County Council
Medical emergencies at the Allegheny County Jail are climbing, and the jail is short on staff. On Sept. 8, three county council members proposed letting sheriff's deputies use leg shackles during medical transport and care. That would soften a 2021 ban on shackling people held at the jail. For now, the proposal sits with council's public safety committee.