As low-income tax credits expire, there’s no guarantee certain units will stay affordable
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Across Allegheny County, there are more than 100 properties that receive Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC). But these designations expire after 15 to 30 years, and when they do, what happens to these affordability requirements?
This year, two local apartment complexes’ tax credits are expiring. When one such apartment, Melvin Court in Penn Hills, went up for sale, the non-profit ACTION-Housing tried to buy it to preserve these affordable units, but CityLife, a private property management company, outbid the nonprofit.
“CityLife, when they spoke to me, they said that they aren't planning on mass evicting anybody or kicking people out and raising the rent or anything like that,” says Eric Jankiewicz, a reporter at PublicSource covering housing and economic development. “They said that they plan to run the building similar to how it's been run for the last 20 years… But there's no legal binding for them to keep it that way.”
The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) and city of Pittsburgh are working together to raise money that could be used to purchase other developments where the LIHTC has expired, but Jankiewicz says nonprofits are concerned they can’t be as “nimble or responsive” as private entities.
Penguins’ home opener is Thursday, with the team lineup looking very similar to last year
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Five months after the Penguins were eliminated by the New York Rangers from the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Pens open a new season at home tomorrow evening against Arizona with many familiar faces returning in the lineup.
Rob Rossi, senior writer for The Athletic, says he’s expecting “greatness” from the team this year.
“I think it's fair to expect Sidney Crosby to be in the 90-point range by the end of the year,” Rossi says. “I think it's fair to expect Evgeni Malkin to be an 80-point player and probably a powerplay force, [with] as many as 20 to 25 powerplay goals. I think for Kris Letang, you know, I've argued for years he should be a Norris Trophy finalist. I think he'll have a Norris Trophy-caliber season as one of the best defenseman in the NHL.”
Rossi predicts the team will make the playoffs this year and finish second in their division.
Pittsburgh-based education Kathleen George’s new book is inspired by her late husband
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The new novel by Pittsburgh based author and educator Kathleen George is titled "Mirth." It follows a man through his life and centers on his relationships with his three wives. The novel was inspired by the life of her late husband, Hilary Masters, himself an acclaimed novelist known for his memoir, "Notes from Memory." Masters, who also taught at Carnegie Mellon University, died in 2015.
George discussed her book with 90.5 WESA's Bill O'Driscoll.
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