The state of Pennsylvania has released Pittsburgh from the terms of Act 47, signaling a new era of fiscal security for the city, and a sign of home for the "Rust Belt."
"Fourteen years after entering a state program to restore its finances, the City of Pittsburgh has emerged from distressed status," reports Adam Smeltz.
State and local leaders gathered on Monday to formalize the city’s exit from Act 47, "which guided Pittsburgh back from the brink of bankruptcy." In effect, Act 47 "limited the city hall’s direct control over its budgets, establishing a recovery plan that cut costs, reduced the municipal workforce and managed long-term obligations such as debt and pension expenses. City finances have since swung from projected deficits to steady surpluses."
After demonstrating a stable fiscal situation over several years, the city has also put into place financial best practices to ensure fiscal health in the future.
This fiscal success if set against the ongoing redevelopment and revitalization of the city's urban core. Pittsburgh is frequently cited as an example of successful revitalization in Rust Belt cities, and Pittsburgh provides the Planetizen news feed a steady source of stories about large development investments:
- Almost a Billion Dollars of Redevelopment Investment Headed to Pittsburgh's South Shore (January 2018)
- Ferris Wheel Proposed With Big Mixed-Use Plans Near Downtown Pittsburgh (December 2017)
- Cap Park Plans Take Shape in Downtown Pittsburgh (December 2017)
- The Young History of Open Data Leadership in Pittsburgh (November 2017)
-
Three New Hospitals Slated for Pittsburgh (November 2017)
FULL STORY: 'Pittsburgh is back': City officially drops its financially distressed status
Oregon Passes Exemption to Urban Growth Boundary
Cities have a one-time chance to acquire new land for development in a bid to increase housing supply and affordability.
Where Urban Design Is Headed in 2024
A forecast of likely trends in urban design and architecture.
Savannah: A City of Planning Contrasts
From a human-scales, plaza-anchored grid to suburban sprawl, the oldest planned city in the United States has seen wildly different development patterns.
Washington Tribes Receive Resilience Funding
The 28 grants support projects including relocation efforts as coastal communities face the growing impacts of climate change.
Adaptive Reuse Bills Introduced in California Assembly
The legislation would expand eligibility for economic incentives and let cities loosen regulations to allow for more building conversions.
LA's Top Parks, Ranked
TimeOut just released its list of the top 26 parks in the L.A. area, which is home to some of the best green spaces around.
City of Rochester
Boston Harbor Now
City of Bellevue
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Birmingham, Alabama
City of Laramie, Wyoming
Colorado Department of Local Affairs
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.