Major investments in transit infrastructure can lead to inequitable development patterns by contributing to rising housing costs.

Good public transit is seen as a major "perk" that people want to live next to, which leads to demand for housing near transit rising and housing getting more expensive. This can lead to people who have lived in neighborhoods for decades to suddenly get "priced out" of their neighborhoods.

However, when paired with with thoughtful, community-driven planning, major investments in public transportation infrastructure can enhance the quality of life for everyone in the community.

City Planning staff will create a development vision and implementation manuals for three specific sets of publicly owned vacant properties in the area within a 10-minute walk of the Brushton Station site.

After assessing the City's land holdings in the Brushton Station area, these three sites will be chosen through a data-driven, community-informed process. Visualizations for development on these sites will be created for these sites through a community-centered, collaborative design process. The study will also establish preliminary recommendations for the areas not selected for further study.

In addition to redeveloping sites, DCP will work closely with partner agencies to establish policy and program recommendations that will align with and enhance the development potential of the area, ensuring that new development leads to equitable outcomes.

This study will be guided by the community priorities established in previous planning efforts such as the adopted Homewood Comprehensive Community Plan and the Homewood Cluster Plans.

This study is jointly funded by the Department of City Planning and Pittsburgh Regional Transit. PRT will be the City's primary partner agency in executing the study and implementing the recommendations that come out of it.

DCP staff will be working closely with the Homewood Community Development Collaborative and its member organizations to carry out a comprehensive and inclusive community engagement strategy. City Planning staff will work with Homewood residents throughout the course of the study to ensure that development in the station area reflects the community's vision, needs, and values.

At the conclusion of the study, City Planning will work closely with the Department of Mobility and Infrastructure (DOMI), the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), the Department of Permits, Licensing, and Inspections (PLI), and the Pittsburgh Land Bank to prepare City-owned properties for community-driven development. DCP will also coordinate with the office of City Council District 9 for implementation.

The main goal of this planning study is to ensure that diverse community input is integrated into development in the area surrounding the proposed Brushton Station. Because of this, City Planning staff will ensure that community engagement is as accessible and easy-to-navigate as possible.

With the assistance of the Homewood Community Development Collaborative, DCP will plan a series of design workshops throughout the first half of 2026. These workshops will allow participants to envision development concepts and shape final development proposals. This webpage will be updated with details on these events as the study moves forward.

Recognizing that people have jobs and other commitments that may limit their ability to participate, each round of engagement will be paired with other outreach methods to ensure that everyone who would like to participate has the opportunity to do so. These engagement activities will include (but are not limited to):

• Publishing online surveys for participants to fill out and send in on their own time.
• Printing copies of surveys and giving them to local businesses and community spaces to ensure people without access to the Internet can still share their thoughts.
• Sharing the materials used for each interactive workshop on EngagePGH and pairing them with online workshop activities that participants can complete on their own time.
• Attending regularly-scheduled community meetings outside of the design workshops to share project updates and get feedback.
• Holding regular and recurring "office hours" for the project where people can stop in, learn more about the project, and get updates.

City Planning staff will ensure that mobility needs are taken into account for people who plan to attend design workshops in person. In advance of each workshop, staff will also try to understand if there are any language translation or ASL interpretation needs.

If you have questions related to engagement or accessibility, please fill out the form titled "Additional Feedback" at the bottom of this page. You can also email Shubh Thakkar (shubh.thakkar@pittsburghpa.gov) or Adriana Bowman (adriana.bowman@pittsburghpa.gov).