To create the 1999 and 2010 East Liberty Community Plans, we held countless community meetings with long-time East Liberty residents. We listened to their struggles, their ideas—and ultimately—their visions for the neighborhood’s future. What we heard time and time again was the desire to live in a mixed-income neighborhood. Community members recognized that a diverse mix of residents from a range of socio-economic backgrounds would help stabilize the neighborhood and break up the concentrations of poverty that had formed.
Studies show that mixed-income neighborhoods bring social and health benefits to residents, enhancing the lives of people on both ends of the spectrum.
Ever since the community articulated its vision, we have worked hard at ELDI to create a mix of income levels in the neighborhood. We have protected 32% of rental housing as permanently affordable while reducing crime and attracting higher-income home buyers that have increased equity for the neigbhorhood’s low-income homeowners. National chains like Target and business centers like Bakery Square have helped make East Liberty a vibrant destination of commerce and leisure.
As we move forward, we are working to maintain this healthy blend and ensure that those who were around for the hard times are able to reap the benefits of the good times. This includes our collaboration with ELDI spin-off Catapult Greater Pittsburgh and others to increase minority homeownership and entrepreneurship opportunities in the neighborhood.
