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Affordable Housing in East Liberty: A Demographic and Inventory Analysis
CATEGORY
Affordable Housing
DATA
LIHTC Projects
Median Income
Racial Distributions
Population
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Affordable Housing
LIHTC Projects
Median Income
Racial Distributions
Population
East Liberty, a neighborhood in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has a significant Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) funded affordable housing inventory. The area contains 513 total units in LIHTC-funded projects, with 336 of these designated as low-income units. Based on the 2022 population of 5,995 and an estimated 2,297 housing units, the LIHTC-funded affordable housing covers approximately 22.3% of the neighborhood's estimated housing inventory. This percentage indicates a substantial presence of affordable housing in East Liberty.
The LIHTC program has invested significantly in East Liberty, with project tax credits totaling $6,300,375. This translates to an average federal funding of about $12,281 per unit in LIHTC-funded projects. The neighborhood has seen consistent development of affordable housing over time, with the earliest recorded projects, Pennley Park Apartments and Constantin Building, completed in 1999. The most recent project with available data, Larimer East Liberty Ph 1, was completed in 2016, indicating at least 17 years of affordable housing development in the area.
The 2000s saw the most affordable housing activity, with projects like New Pennley Place Phase II (2001), Emory Senior Housing (2002), Penn Manor (2006), and Liberty Park Phase I (2007) being completed. The distribution of units in LIHTC-funded projects includes 7 efficiencies, 156 one-bedroom, 211 two-bedroom, 40 three-bedroom, and 72 four-bedroom units, showing a diverse range of housing options for various household sizes.
Over the past decade, East Liberty has experienced notable demographic shifts. The population has remained relatively stable, fluctuating between 5,500 and 6,000 residents. However, the median income has seen a significant increase, rising from $25,062 in 2013 to $40,783 in 2022. This upward trend in income might indicate changing economic conditions in the neighborhood.
Racial demographics have also shifted considerably. The Black population has decreased from 67% in 2013 to 37% in 2022, while the White population has increased from 24% to 47% over the same period. The Asian population has grown slightly from 5% to 9%. These changes suggest a demographic transition in the neighborhood, which could impact the need for and distribution of affordable housing.
East Liberty's LIHTC-funded affordable housing inventory represents a significant portion of its estimated housing stock. The neighborhood has seen consistent development of affordable housing projects over nearly two decades, with a diverse range of unit types to accommodate different household sizes. The substantial federal investment through tax credits underscores the importance of affordable housing in this area. Meanwhile, the neighborhood has experienced notable demographic changes, including rising median incomes and shifting racial composition. These trends, coupled with the existing affordable housing inventory, paint a complex picture of East Liberty's housing landscape and may inform future housing policy decisions in the neighborhood.
