By Lexi Belculfine / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Pittsburgh's mayor, housing authority and Councilman R. Daniel Lavelle want to bring a $2 million federal grant to Bedford Dwellings and the Middle Hill District for business and community development, as well as up to 1,200 new housing units, two-thirds of which would be affordable, the city said today.
With council's approval of the the resolution Mr. Lavelle introduced today, the city could serve as a co-applicant with the city's housing authority for a Choice Neighborhoods Planning and Action Grant -- worth as much as $2 million --from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Choice Neighborhoods kicked in $30 million in 2014 for a plan to replace 155 units of deteriorated federally subsidized housing over seven years with the construction of 334 units of mixed-income rental units scattered throughout Larimer and East Liberty. Of 43 applicants that year, Pittsburgh was one of four to receive a grant.
Mr. Lavelle's resolution also seeks a $10,000 commitment from the city to develop a "Transformation Plan" for the neighborhood.
The city and housing authority said in a press release that they also support one-for-one replacement of Bedford Dwelling's 411 public housing units.
The application is due by Feb. 9 and grants will be announced this summer, according to the city.
Lexi Belculfine: lbelculfine [at] post-gazette.com or 412-263-1878. Twitter: @LexiBelc.