City Council
New zoning code’s affordable housing bonus program would get regular progress reports.
Council may track how developers use the affordable housing bonus available in the new zoning code. Proposed legislation would require the Department of City Planning to send a semiannual report to council. The department will also issue any recommendations for changes to the program in two years.
Written by Amy Whipple
With new zoning changes in place, council may call for reports on how it’s being used.
The changes, which eliminated parking requirements, and allowed accessory dwelling units, were approved by council on Oct. 27 and included a bonus program for developers who set aside affordable units within market rate projects.
New legislation, submitted by Council Member Bob Charland of the South Side, would require the Department of City Planning to provide council a semiannual report on developers participating in the program. In two years, the department would also need to submit a report to council on the program’s initial phase. It would include recommendations for improvements if needed.
“I think it’s really important that when we do legislation like this that’s this impactful that we actually study it and determine does it do what we want it to do,” said Charland during the Nov. 2 committee meeting.
The reports would be in addition to legislation passed earlier this year that requires the Department of Innovation and Performance to maintain a public dashboard that tracks residential construction, new occupancy and housing stock. The department expects to launch the dashboard by the end of this year and will update it monthly.
Council agreed to move forward with the report requirements for the affordable housing bonus program.
Connections to this story
- Elected officials:
- Robert Charland III
- Local issues:
- Tracking Pittsburgh's housing stockPaying for affordable housingPittsburgh's zoning rewrite
- Governments:
- City Council
- Public meetings:
- Standing Committees · November 2, 2026
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