Update

Public discussion and next steps for short-term rental regulations will be held for 7 weeks so that Council can solicit feedback and create a more comprehensive plan for addressing the issue.

This Week’s Top Agenda Items

State grants $6M to launch Urban Search and Rescue Task Force
City and Pittsburgh Public Schools partner to create after-school programs in underserved neighborhoods

The City received a $6 million grant from the State to create and oversee an Urban Search and Rescue Task Force sponsored by the Department of Public Safety.
According to Assistant Fire Chief Kokkila, the need for such a team came out of the 2022 Fern Hollow Bridge collapse. Resources, such as “live find” canines, had to be brought in from the eastern side of the state.
The team will specialize in natural or man-made disasters such as structural collapses, floods and hurricanes.
- It will include firefighters, engineers, medical professionals, canine handlers and emergency managers.
- Assistant Chief Kokkila said the first two canines have been purchased using seed funding. They are puppies currently being trained in tasks such as navigating collapsed buildings. They will be the only live find canines west of Harrisburg.
The Task Force will not be limited to the City in terms of service area or who can be part of the Task Force. The primary focus will be Western Pennsylvania, but the team can go anywhere they are needed in the state.
- They will also be able to eventually participate in state-to-state aid during emergencies, according to Assistant Chief Kokkila.
The initial funding will be spent over two years. Additional funding to sustain the Task Force will come from the State as well.

The bill would allow for the City and Pittsburgh Public Schools (PPS) to form a partnership for out-of-school-time (OST) programming in select schools.
City staff will use Pittsburgh Public Schools facilities to offer programming in economically disadvantaged neighborhoods that do not have access to a City-owned Recreation Center or have a robust nonprofit partnership providing similar services.
- The City already provides OST programming at its 11 Recreation Centers.
The partnership program will be piloted at Mifflin PreK-8 (Lincoln Place), Langley K-8 (Sheraden) and Carmalt K-8 (Brookline).
Programming will be inclusive of kids K-5th grade.
- Councilmember Gross and Parks Director Vargas both noted the need for future middle school programming across the city
The City and PPS are still working toward the details of what the partnership agreement will look like. There will be no cost to the City.
The pilot is slated to launch in October and continue for the remainder of the 2025-2026 school year.