The City’s current property sales program is long and complicated, discouraging many potential buyers with low to moderate incomes. The legal and legislative process necessary to sell City properties is too slow and risky for most buyers other than those with significant experience and resources.

The purpose of this pilot program is to simplify the process for buyers with low to moderate incomes by taking care of the legal and legislative aspect of the process before the properties are put up for sale.

Participation in the program will be limited to Pittsburgh residents who make less than 120% of the area median income and who have committed to live in the house for at least five years.

The proposed program regulations can be downloaded here.

For the project pilot, the City has selected a handful of properties in and around the West End. Throughout 2025, the City will complete the necessary legal and legislative steps to get the properties ready for sale.

Once complete, the City will market the properties for a period of 60 days, at the end of which the highest qualified bidder will be given the opportunity to purchase the house in question. Bidders will be given the opportunity to visit the properties during the marketing period in order to assess the condition of the houses.

Qualified bidders must fulfill the following requirement:

• They are existing residents in the City of Pittsburgh.
• They make less than 120% of the Pittsburgh Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area Median Income.
• They can demonstrate adequate financing, in the form of liquid assets or mortgage prequalification.

A list of lenders specializing in purchase-rehab and low-barrier mortgages will be provided at the start of the marketing period.

At closing, title will be transferred to the winning bidders. The deed will include restrictions requiring the owners to live on the property for a period of not less than five years. Limited exceptions to this requirement will be granted for houses that are unlivable during portions of the renovation.

Mortgage lenders interested in participating in this program should email the program and their contact information to homepilot@pittsburghpa.gov.

The City will maintain a list of interested lenders for applicants at the start of the program.