Pittsburgh Has 20K Vacant Homes…and a Housing Shortage
Pittsburgh's lost more than half its population since our peak in 1950, and our city has more than 20,000 vacant homes. How do we also have a housing crisis? Public Source's Charlie Wolfson joins host Megan Harris to explain why so many houses are sitting empty, what (if anything) the city can do about it, and why our neighbors in Cleveland are doing a much better job turning abandoned houses into affordable homes.
Notes and references from today’s show:
- How does Pittsburgh have 20,000 vacant homes — and a housing shortage? (Public Source)
- Where does Cleveland clobber Pittsburgh? Its land bank. (Public Source)
- 'A really steep lift': Pittsburghers in their 20s and 30s find home ownership less and less attainable (Public Source)
Learn more about the sponsors of this January 26th episode:
The Ascent by Christopher Walker
Planned Parenthood of Western Pennsylvania
Become a member of City Cast Pittsburgh at membership.citycast.fm.
Want more Pittsburgh news?
- Sign up for our daily morning newsletter.
- We’re on Instagram @CityCastPgh.
- Text or leave us a voicemail at 412-212-8893.
Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info here.
Subscribe To Our Newsletter
Stay connected to City Cast Pittsburgh and get ready to join the local conversation.
Latest Episodes
Is AI Pittsburgh's Next Labor Fight?
Ever wonder how exactly our city employees are using AI…and whether there are safeguards in place to make sure these tools are being used...
Can Pittsburgh Hold Onto Tech Startups? Plus, Household Robots and Data Centers
Pittsburgh is getting ready to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary, and we’re partnering with Public Source and Technical.ly to explore...
'Your City Could Be Better': How Denver Is Fixing Its Sidewalks — Presented By City Cast Pittsburgh
Just how good are the sidewalks in Pittsburgh? The state of a city’s sidewalks can be a good indicator of how healthy that city is — and...
Pgh's Next Epidemic? Plus, Trash Talk & Playoff 'Passion'
Pennsylvania's state Supreme Court ruled that skill games — like those poker machines you see at gas stations — are effectively the same...
Pittsburgh's Fireworks Boom
Pittsburgh's going all out for America250! We've got a Ferris Wheel on the North Side, a free Nelly and Third Eye Blind concert, and of c...
Bike Pittsburgh's Best Kept Secrets
Tired of sitting in traffic? Try biking instead! But if you need a pep talk to get on the road with all those cars, we're here to help. W...
ICE Drops PA Warehouse Plans. Plus, Sliding Bridge & Century III's Future
Earlier this year,ICE bought two warehouses in Pennsylvania with plans to convert them into immigrant detention centers. Now they're loo...
A Pittsburgher's Guide to Erie
If you're looking for a summer beach vacation but don't want to travel too far or spend a small fortune, consider a two-hour drive up nor...
The Best Local Potato Chips
It's backyard barbecue season, and no cookout feels complete without a big bag of chips. And if you like your summer snacks to be locally...
Debunking Pittsburgh Myths
As Pittsburghers, we have so much pride in our city. After all, we're the City of Champions and the City of the Bridges! But can we reall...