In a move to secure the financial future of the Pittsburgh Land Bank, Councilman Bobby Wilson of District 1 has introduced a resolution to establish a task force aimed at ensuring the organization's long-term financial health. The measure, which was presented with the backing of Council President Daniel Lavelle, Finance and Law Committee Chair Councilperson Erika Strassburger, and Councilman Khari Mosley, is slated for discussion in the City Council's Standing Committee Meeting. According to a press release from Wilson's office, the councilman allocated funding in the 2025 Capital Budget for two additional staff members at the Land Bank. He stressed the importance of planning for post-COVID-19 relief funding, which is anticipated to run out by the end of 2026.
Comprising nine members, the task force is set to include representatives from the Land Bank, City Council, the Mayor's Office, Department of City Planning, and the Urban Redevelopment Authority. Its mission will be to evaluate the current and future financial position of the Pittsburgh Land Bank. As noted by Council President Lavelle, sustainable funding is critical for the Land Bank to address blight and revitalize neighborhoods, especially in areas that have historically faced underinvestment. "I co-sponsored this legislation because sustainable funding is essential to ensuring the Land Bank can fulfill its mission and help return properties to productive, community-serving use—particularly in historically disinvested areas," Lavelle said, as relayed by the City of Pittsburgh's official press release.
The task force will also examine how other land banks across the country are funded, identifying potential avenues for securing public, private, or hybrid funding models. The aim is to develop functional strategies that incorporate legislative or budgetary solutions for ongoing financial support. A detailed report is expected to be delivered to the City Council and the Land Bank Board within 90 days of the task force's inaugural meeting to lay the groundwork for inclusion in the 2026 Capital Budget.
