MT. WASHINGTON NEIGHBORHOO HOUSING PLAN
Pittsburgh, PA
The ten-year neighborhood housing strategy was commissioned by the Mount Washington Community Development Corporation (MWCDC) to provide a comprehensive, data-driven housing program for the Mount Washington and Duquesne Heights (MW/DH) neighborhoods to guide and prioritize the future
expenditure of human and financial resources. Urban Partners was part of a consulting team with Studio for Spatial Practice (SfSP) that was tasked with developing the strategy that recognizes and capitalizes on the neighborhoods’ unique natural and historic assets, builds upon positive local development trends, and identifies ways to stabilize and
turn around stagnant or declining real estate conditions.
Urban Partners worked with SfSP to conduct a careful study of existing demographic and market conditions of MW/DH to develop a baseline understanding of the study area. This analysis revealed very diverse housing conditions and market dynamics across the neighborhood, impacted by topography, views, housing stock, parking, and traffic volume. This variety led to the identification of 12 micro-neighborhoods that each received its own analysis and set of strategies.
The strategies proposed in the Plan were intended for MWCDC to undertake over the next ten years. Four general categories of initiatives were developed to help guide neighborhood housing development and revitalization: housing stock quality, options and affordability, marketing and identity, and amenities and quality of life. A series of recommended initiatives were developed within each category tailored for each micro-neighborhood throughout MW/DH. An implementation matrix was also provided that prioritized the specific initiatives and included a suggested list of potential funding sources for advancing each of the strategies.
