CIMS | City Information Management System

In this month's issue:

District 7 Home Improvement Workshop
Property tax update
District 7 Annual Report
Patrick continues to fight for public assets
Lawrenceville Residential Permit Parking Expansion

Council to Go at the Union Project
Community Events

News and Updates

District 7 to host Home Improvement Workshop

Do you want to add value to your home or storefront, but don’t know where to start? The District 7 office will be hosting its second Home Improvement Workshop, where residents can learn about property design, property renovation, City of Pittsburgh services, local neighborhood groups, and other resources for making lasting improvements to their home or storefront.

The workshop, which will be held on Saturday, February 23^rd from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. in the West Penn Hospital Winter Garden room, will feature presentations and information tables on a wide range of topics. Volunteer architects, landscape architects, and interior design consultants will be available for brief one-on-one renovation consultations facilitated through the Design Center. To register for a one-on-one consultation, please RSVP with the District 7 office by February 19^th by calling 412-255-2140 or by emailing district7@pittsburghpa.gov.

Property tax update

Do you have questions about your property taxes? Take a look at the City’s property tax calculator, where you can input your property’s assessed value to determine your City, school district, and Allegheny County property tax amounts. You can also find information about applying for Homestead and Senior Citizen tax relief options.

For more questions about your property taxes, remember that you can always contact the District 7 office. We are always ready and willing to help!

District 7 Annual Report out now

Take a look at what Patrick and the office team have been up to over the past year by reading the 2012 District 7 Annual Report. The report, which will be mailed to all residences throughout District 7, will be hitting mailboxes in early February. An electronic version of the report can be found on the District 7 website’s publications section. Topics covered include riverfront development in the Strip District, PWSA updates, neighborhood and community news, and updates on Patrick’s recent legislation.

Councilman Patrick Dowd continues to fight to keep public assets public

On Wednesday, January 30, 2013, Patrick hosted a post agenda to discuss the possible sale of the John P. Robin Civic Building at 200 Ross Street. The building houses a number of important customer service functions related to the Urban Redevelopment Authority, City Planning Department and Zoning Counter, and the Bureau of Building Inspection. The building is slated to be sold to a private Philadelphia developer with plans to convert the 106 year old building into 100 apartments.

The Urban Redevelopment Authority is currently in talks with a number of landlords, including the Buncher Company, to make arrangements for the future location of URA offices.

Councilman Dowd insists that customer service improvements through building convenience should be the driving force behind these discussions. For more information, take a look at this story from the Pittsburgh Post Gazette.

Residential Permit Parking in Lawrenceville has been expanded

The Residential Permit Parking Area A expansion legislation will be up for final Council approval on Tuesday, February 5^th. The following streets are to be included in the expansion:

* 42nd Street from Butler Street to Penn Avenue

* 43rd from Butler to Davison

* 45th Street from Butler to Cessna Way

* 46th Street from Lawrence Street to Bancroft Street

* Arsenal Place from Fisk Street to its terminus

* Carlton Street from 46th Street to its terminus

Once the legislation is signed, the Parking Authority will send letters to residentsinforming them that they will now be able to purchase Area A passes. The Department of Public Works is in the process of submitting a work order to have signs put up. Feel free to contact the District 7 office with any questions about permit parking.

Upcoming Events and Meetings

Council to Go

Join Patrick and his staff for Council to Go, Councilman Dowd’s mobile district office, where residents are encouraged to voice their concerns, ideas, and questions related to City government and services.

Union Project – Thursday, February 7^th, 7-8pm – Union Project, 801 N. Negley Avenue

Community Events

Would you like to learn about the process of becoming a homeowner? Consider attending Huntington Bank’s no cost Homebuyers’ Workshop on February 9, 2013 at NeighborWorks HomeOwnership Center located at 710 Fifth Avenue, Suite 100 Pittsburgh, PA 15219. For more information or to RSVP, contact Jonathan Weaver by phone at 412-323-0274 or by emailing jonathan.weaver@huntington.com.

We all know that February brings cold and snow, but the start of February also means the beginning of fish fry season! Join the residents of Stanton Heights for their First Annual Fish Fry on February 13^th from 11 a.m. until 7 p .m. at the Stanton Heights Methodist Church located at 4721 Stanton Avenue. See this flyer for more details!

Did you know?

Do you know someone struggling to heat their home during the cold winter months? The Allegheny County Department of Human Services (ACDHS) has a number of resources for elderly and low income households struggling to balance household finances, utility costs, and dropping temperatures. Visit the ACDHS utility assistance resources page for a complete list of public and private options to help keep warm through the winter.