Community Benefits Agreement Ordinance for Pittsburgh, PA

PETITION REQUESTING PUBLIC HEARING THE PEOPLE’S PETITION FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A CITY OF PITTSBURGH COMMUNITY BENEFIT AGREEMENT (CBA) ORDINANCE We, the qualified electors who reside in the City of Pittsburgh request City Council to conduct a public hearing and post agenda to ensure that impacted neighborhoods and communities, residents, and business are beneficiaries and not victims of economic development projects that use public resources including grants, tax abatements, and other public subsidies provided from and through the City of Pittsburgh, State of Pennsylvania, and the federal government. Community Benefit Agreements (CBAs) establish a contractual relationship between directly impacted communities/neighborhoods and the developer of economic development projects that receive public grants, subsidies, and various tax supports as well. We, the undersigned citizens and registered voters in the city of Pittsburgh call upon Pittsburgh City Council to support the proposed Community Benefit Agreement (CBA) ordinance that will establish provisions for developers to ensure that Pittsburghers have access to jobs and employment opportunities, environmental mitigation, housing assistance, public safety enhancements and other measures As the City of Pittsburgh concentrates in urban revitalization; with all of the development taking place throughout the City, it is noted that there is no protection of residents rights within the strategies of re-development. There is no clear plan of economic revitalization for the residents of the most vulnerable populations that reside in the most livable city in the United States, the City of Pittsburgh. With multi millions of dollars planned for development it is Vital that disparity rates be addressed. One critical way to address it is by the creation of a Community benefits Ordinance for the City of Pittsburgh. This Ordinance or Law will reinforce and set in place contractual binding agreements that requires community participation at all tables when it comes to development dollars, financial packages and tax incentives/abatements created for revitalization of the Urban Communities, and that our participation is required at all levels and planning stages. In addition, the Ordinance must state that when any requests are made to City of Pittsburgh’s department of City Planning, Urban Redevelopment Authority, or even the Mayor’s Office regarding any development in the black and distressed communities, that discussions be held with the government representative, developers and the Executive Team of The Commission. The goal of the discussion will be the establishments of community benefits that must include: 1. Low Income Housing 2. Workforce Development and Training 3. Incubating of Small Businesses 4. First Source hiring 5. MDWBE Professional Contracts and monitoring to achieve the 12% participation goal and the circumstances when the goal is not met. 6. Participation in A Growth Fund To be directed towards future Youth and Economic Initiatives within that area of the Development. Also, Guidelines must state that no one individual, community organization or CDC can make the decision for the broader community residents. We, the undersigned intend to attend the public hearing.

Name                            Address                                         Phone

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

CONTACT PERSON T. Rashad Byrdsong 412-371-3689 ext. 17