Tax Base Expansion Ordinance
The Borough has been working with the Wilkinsburg School District and Allegheny County through a joint tax committee to create a series of programs to address the shrinking tax base. The ordinance contains a willing seller program to make it easier to acquire tax-delinquent and abandonded buildings for rennovation, without having to pay more than their current value in delinquent taxes. It also contains a 10-year graduated tax abatement on commercial properties, and a residential tax abatement on new construction and rehabs. Other title clearing methods and efforts to gain efficiencies through cooperation of the taxing bodies will be explored. The aim of these efforts is to reduce barriers to private investment in the Borough and to enhance existing and upcoming economic development projects.
Please download and review the Tax Exemption Application and the Tax Compromise Application for more information. Completed applications should be submitted to the Borough Manager's office.
Peebles Square
The Peebles Square Development on Peebles Avenue, Trenton Avenue and South Avenue is currently under construction. The developer is ACTION Housing. The project will consist of at least 12 new homes, and the renovation of 6 row houses and 1 single-family house. Work on the row houses and the single-family home is complete as of June 2008, and four of the townhouses have been sold. The demolition of dilapidated homes in the project area is also complete. The first phase of new home construction is planned for Spring/Summer of 2009. All of the properties will be sold to qualified buyers.
Hamnett Place Neighborhood
In a growing partnership between the Borough and County, Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation is renovating four historic houses in this central part of the Borough, and is looking to do work on more properties in the area. One home on Holland Avenue was completed and sold and three on Jeanette Street were completed and sold as of September of 2008. PHLF is looking at several other prominent properties in Wilkinsburg for renovation, including the Crescent Building on Jeanette Street and a Phaase II of the housing project.
McNary Boulevard
Working with Allegheny County, Forest Development Corporation built three new homes on McNary near Paden Street. The houses were completed in 2006 and were all sold quickly.
Allegheny County Vacant Property Recovery Program
This program is run through the Allegheny County Economic Development Department, and is intended mainly for the acquisition of tax delinquent sidelots by adjacent owners. It also allows for the purchase of certain tax delinquent structures by qualified buyers. Please download and review the application for more information. Completed applications should be submitted to the Borough Manager's office.