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Affordable Housing Dynamics in Pittsburgh's Central Business District: A Three-Decade Perspective
CATEGORY
Affordable Housing
DATA
LIHTC Projects
Median Income
Racial Distributions
Population
The Central Business District of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, contains 130 units in Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) funded projects, with 125 designated as low-income units. Based on the 2022 population of 5,099 and the national average household size, the neighborhood is estimated to have approximately 1,954 housing units. LIHTC-funded affordable housing comprises about 6.7% of the estimated housing inventory in the Central Business District.
LIHTC projects in this neighborhood have received $908,877 in tax credits, averaging approximately $6,991 per unit. Affordable housing development in this area spans over three decades, with the earliest projects completed in 1987 and the most recent in 1993. The 1980s were the most active period for affordable housing development, with four projects completed during this decade.
The LIHTC-funded housing in the Central Business District offers a variety of unit types, focusing on smaller households. The inventory includes 60 one-bedroom units, 46 two-bedroom units, 2 three-bedroom units, and 1 four-bedroom unit. This distribution indicates a concentration on accommodating individuals, couples, and small families.
Over the past decade, the Central Business District has experienced population fluctuations, with a general upward trend from 4,023 residents in 2015 to 5,099 in 2022. Median income has shown volatility, peaking at $123,885 in 2015 and settling at $93,221 in 2022. The racial composition has remained relatively stable, with a slight decrease in the white population from 76% in 2015 to 66% in 2022, and small increases in Asian and Black populations.
No new LIHTC projects have been completed in the neighborhood since 1993. This could be attributed to various factors, including land availability, changes in housing policy, or shifts in development priorities.
The Central Business District of Pittsburgh has an established foundation of LIHTC-funded affordable housing, primarily developed in the late 1980s and early 1990s. These projects provide important affordable options but represent a relatively small portion of the neighborhood's estimated housing inventory. The area has experienced demographic shifts in recent years, including population growth and changes in racial composition, which may influence future affordable housing needs and development strategies.
