Single-family houses that have sat abandoned across Pittsburgh for decades will get a chance at a second life under a new homebuying program city officials launched this week.
Pittsburgh launched its Pilot Home Buying Program on Friday, and city officials said the measure aims to increase homeownership in the Steel City and bring vacant properties back onto the tax rolls. City officials have spent months clearing the title to five properties that will be the first batch of homes open for residents to bid on, said Krysia Kubiak, the city's solicitor.
All told, Pittsburgh has about 400 homes slated to enter the homebuying program, but city officials need a little more time to finish clearing the titles on those, Kubiak said.
"The problem we have is, with some of the homes, it's very difficult to clear them," Kubiak said during a press conference Friday. "There's probably 300 we can clear title on quickly, though."
How the program works
To acquire one of the hundreds of properties, a homebuyer must first meet eligibility requirements.
Only Pittsburgh residents are eligible to participate, and they must agree to be the home's owner-occupier for a minimum of five years. An applicant cannot earn more than 120% of the city's area median income — which amounts to a maximum of $100,000 for a two-person household, said Jen Gula, the city's finance department director.
Residents must complete an online application that proves city residency and income status that is then submitted to the city's finance department. If approved, the applicant becomes a certified bidder, eligible to bid on upcoming properties.
Certified bidders will receive notification from the city once a property's title has been cleared. The bidder then sends over the amount they are willing to pay for that property. The winner of the bid will have the property's deed transferred into their name.
Kubiak said the city will select the person who offers the highest bid, adding that homes will be sold as-is.
One fix for Pittsburgh's severe housing shortage
City officials view the new program as one of several ways Pittsburgh can address its housing shortage.
The population of Pennsylvania's second-largest city is on a slight uptick, and according to a 2022 city housing assessment, Pittsburgh will need an additional 3,100 single-family homes to meet demand by 2032 and 8,400 by 2042. The population was estimated at 307,668 last year, a 1.6% percent increase, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Gula and Kubiak said the first home up for bid will be 2923 Merwyn Ave. — a two-story residence built in 1904 featuring three bedrooms and 1.5 bathrooms. The property's 2025 assessed value is $31,900, but under the program, the city is opening the bid at $9,000. The city will host an open house at the property Oct. 18, then accept bids and pick a winner by mid-November, Kubiak said.
Several homes coming up for bid are in Pittsburgh's West End neighborhood. The city took ownership of these homes back in the 1980s, after their owners walked away from the property because they lost their jobs in local steel mills, Kubiak said. The other four homes up for sale, including their open bids, are:
- 3408 Clearfield St. — $9,000
- 454 Norton St. — $7,500
- 1310 Pritchard St. — $7,500
- 195 Steuben St. — $5,000
Kubiak said the opening bids for each property reflect the cost it took — in work-hours — for the city to clear the title, along with the cost the city paid to have the home cleaned out.