Housing and Development in Pittsburgh: Lessons from Minneapolis' Corridor Housing Initiative

Minneapolis' Corridor Housing Initiative (CHI) has been able to address housing problems similar to those in Pittsburgh by orchestrating a collaborative effort among community members, designers, technical teams and financial experts. The participants work together to design mixed-use buildings that will provide housing for individuals and families with a range of incomes, in locations close to retail and office space for businesses, all centered on public transit options. Pittsburgh should look to the CHI program for guidance, especially as the city makes plans to redevelop parts of the downtown area. With the help of community members invested in Pittsburgh's future, a program modeled after CHI will help adjust Pittsburgh's "economic trajectory" by designing afforddable housing units, engaging in transit oriented development, and emphasizing the importance of green design in new buildings. Compared to other redevelopment planning methods currently employed in Pittsburgh, a program similar to CHI will be more effective in achieving a consensus amount stakeholders, using resources efficiently, and making progress happen faster.