Coming soon – cash assistance for first-time homebuyers!

OPDC is thrilled to announce a unique opportunity for would-be Oakland homeowners. With support from the Pennsylvania Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation Enhancement Fund (PHARE), we have developed a unique program to support low/moderate-income Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) families to become Oakland Community Land Trust homeowners. Our explicit aim with this program is to address racial disparities in access to homeownership and assist Black families to build generational wealth.  

We will enroll seven participants. Depending on income, participants who are eligible under the program requirements will receive $21,000 - $31,000 in cash assistance they can use towards the purchase of a CLT home, to repair credit or pay down debt, or to build savings. Eligible families are those with annual income between $34,000 and $67,500 for a family of four (or between $23,750 and $47,500 for a single individual). 

Oakland’s rental market has eroded homeownership here – and especially Black homeownership – for decades. OPDC designed the CLT to secure homes for permanent affordability and owner-occupancy, to stabilize neighborhoods and provide opportunities for wealth building through homeownership, especially for BIPOC communities.  

We have often heard from would-be homebuyers that the prices for affordable- houses, while below market, are still too high. OPDC has experience working with public and private financing programs to help close that gap and put homeownership within reach.  This is a special opportunity that enables us -to go further -- and put money directly into the hands of new homeowners, increasing their financial security.

Applications open for the program on Wednesday, October 6 at 12:00 p.m. If you or someone you know might be eligible for this program and have been dreaming of homeownership in Oakland, please contact us at questions@opdc.org to learn more about this opportunity.

Please visit www.opdc.org/oakland-homeownership for full details and the link to apply on October 6.

Adopt-a-Block's impact on Oakland litter

By: Emelia Sargent, B.S. Environmental Science, University of Pittsburgh 2023 

A weekend morning on the streets of Oakland can look like the aftermath of a parade. From empty pizza boxes and assorted cans to the occasional disheveled college student and confetti, anything you can imagine can be found on the streets of Oakland. Parades have designated cleanup crews – but here we rely on volunteers. 

There are no easy answers to the litter problem, but OPDC’s Adopt-a-Block program offers one set of community-oriented and sustainable solutions. This past year, OPDC recruited teams of Pitt students to adopt routes in each Oakland neighborhood. Teams organized clean-up events with the goal of maintaining a clean, safe, and welcoming neighborhood for all residents and visitors. Working consistently throughout the year, team members developed familiarity with and a sense of ownership over their routes, and a stronger connection to the neighborhood. With any luck, this familiarity will extend to an intrinsic dedication to the Oakland community.  

One of this past year’s route team captains, Kate Blanock, described the sense of ownership she formed for her route: “I love my route. Sometimes I even will just go on walks around Oakland, and I’ll check out how it’s looking. It’s especially nice knowing that I’m cleaning up streets that some of my friends live on or streets with businesses we support (we clean the streets with Mad Mex and Frenchi’s Deli!).” Volunteers like Kate are the backbone of the Adopt-a-Block program.

Adopt-a-Block hosts two types of litter collection events. The first are mini cleanup events held by individual teams for the routes they have adopted. The second are monthly Oakland-wide cleanup events, in which volunteers are assigned to clean up areas in Oakland that have not been adopted or need extra attention. The clean-up events are social and fun – and ironically thrived under COVID restrictions. Last year’s socially distanced, masked collection events were an excuse to gather and chat, work collaboratively, and often included snacks. According to Kate, “Our team would occasionally have donuts or other treats before our pick-up events! This is definitely one of my favorite parts because I haven't been able to see a lot of our team members over the last year - it has been really nice to get to hang out with our friends in a safe manner and also get to help out our community. We also play music as we walk around and pick up garbage, so it's always fun to get to make a task that most people would think is gross enjoyable!”

Kate’s route was one of 13 that were adopted throughout all of Oakland’s neighborhoods, cared for by teams ranging from five to 32 members. In all, 155 unique volunteers participated in socially distanced clean up events for their route team last year. This year, with more of Pitt’s students attending classes in person, we are hoping to do even better! Anyone who lives in the Oakland community or simply wants an opportunity to collect litter can participate in Adopt-a-Block clean up events or form a team.

The Adopt-a-Block program is all about community service and engagement, which is why I was drawn to coordinating it. As a student at the University of Pittsburgh I have found that it’s very easy to get wrapped up in the daily activity of student life and forget that you are part of a greater community. From classes, clubs, work, and extracurricular activities that only bring students to Oakland for the night life, I know I am not alone. I was drawn to the Adopt-a-Block program because it was an invitation to become actively engaged in the Oakland community. It has been spectacular to see and be a part of the impact Adopt-a-Block made last year. Thanks to these wonderful volunteers, over 200 bags of litter were collected. The success of this program is truly a result of the enthusiasm and dedication of the Adopt-a-Block teams.

If you are interested in joining the Adopt-a-Block program, the invitation to become part of the community is always open! You can contact us at www.opdc.org/volunteer.

Emelia Sargent worked with us through the Community Assistance Internship program at the University of Pittsburgh this past year, coordinating the Adopt-a-Block program and helping to keep track of neighborhood quality data. Read about her experience working with our amazing volunteers.

OPDC Announces Sale of Atwood Street Property to the University of Pittsburgh

Sale proceeds establish an endowed fund for programming that supports resident needs and community development priorities. 

Today, Oakland Planning and Development Corporation (OPDC) announced signing a sales agreement with the University of Pittsburgh for its property at 233-237 Atwood Street. The nonprofit also stated that it plans to consolidate all programming at 294 Semple Street. “We are thrilled to be following through on our long-term plan to bring all of OPDC’s operations under one roof,” said Wanda Wilson, the organization’s executive director. “Even more exciting, this milestone involves an extensive package of neighborhood enhancements that we have negotiated with Pitt.” 

As part of the sale negotiations, the University has committed to:

• Promoting homeownership and creating opportunities for staff and faculty to live in Oakland neighborhoods.

• Transferring a university-owned house to OPDC for inclusion in the Oakland Community Land Trust, which guarantees the property will remain owner-occupied in perpetuity.
  Dedicating a meeting space within a Pitt-property in central Oakland that community groups can use, free of charge.   

• Providing retail space in Sennott Square—slated for use by a local entrepreneur—to OPDC rent-free for 10 years.  

The sales agreement also memorializes Pitt’s intention to develop a grocery store and non-student, owner-occupied housing at the University-owned site at 3401 Boulevard of the Allies. 

“Oakland residents have been advocating for many years for a community-serving grocery store,” said OPDC Board President Jake Oresick. “Pitt’s commitment to building the grocery store and supporting homeownership will help to stabilize the neighborhood, and the new endowment ensures OPDC will serve the neighborhood for decades to come.”

With the proceeds of the sale, OPDC will establish an endowed fund to support resident needs and community development priorities as identified by the OPDC Board of Directors. These priorities include providing affordable, equitable, inclusive homeownership opportunities and strengthening local community organizing capacity.

New grant funding for Oakland Community Land Trust

OPDC is happy to announce the receipt of two state grants totaling $225,000 to support homeownership for BIPOC communities and address blight in the Oakland community. The first, in the amount of $200,000, is from the Pennsylvania Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation Enhancement (PHARE) fund at Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency. This funding will allow OPDC to deploy a unique and creative approach to address historic racial disparities in homeownership rates by supporting Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) households to purchase homes through the Oakland Community Land Trust (CLT). BIPOC residents will receive funding and financial counseling. 

The second, in the amount of $25,000 from the Commonwealth Financing Agency, through Department of Community and Economic Development blight remediation funds, will support predevelopment planning for OPDC to build new Oakland Community Land Trust homes on vacant properties we’ve assembled in the Oakcliffe neighborhood.   

“We want to thank our elected officials, especially Senators Costa and Fontana, for their support in obtaining these grants for the Oakland community,” said Wanda Wilson, Executive Director of OPDC.  “These grants will help us to achieve our vision of a vibrant Oakland where all of our neighbors thrive.” 

“Home ownership is at the heart of the American dream, but that dream has been deferred for too many people through the last recession and then the pandemic,” Senator Wayne Fontana said in announcing the PHARE grants. “For many it’s simply the difficulty of navigating the complications of banking and real estate.” The PHARE grant will allow OPDC to build on its successful financial coaching and case management program to help BIPOC families achieve their dreams of owning a home. 

Clutter for a Cause returns on June 28

By: Maura McCampbell, Marketing & Community Programs Coordinator 

There are some certainties in life. Loyal Pirates fans know that they can enjoy the annual October re-broadcast of the 1960 World Series Game 7 at the former Forbes Field. You'll always find an M&M at the bottom of a Dave and Andy's waffle cone. And without fail, every summer, students move out of their apartments and leave piles of stuff on Oakland’s sidewalks and streets.

OPDC and Pitt have teamed up to address that annual phenomenon with a program called Clutter for a Cause. The program began as a sustainability initiative on Pitt’s campus, encouraging students in the dorms to donate their unwanted accessories, clothing, décor, etc., rather than just pitching it as they moved out in April.

OPDC joined forces with Pitt in 2018 to extend that program off-campus. In doing so, we reduce the stress of move-out on Oakland’s neighborhoods, Pittsburgh’s landfills, and our global resource cycle.

Now Clutter for a Cause donation events are during peak lease turnover times throughout the summer. There are in-person drop-off locations and a curbside pickup service that make it easy for students and neighbors to donate unwanted but usable items. Students can buy these items for low prices at the August Thriftsburgh sale. Any leftover items go to donation centers throughout the Pittsburgh region. 

This year’s Clutter events kicked off in late April with a weeklong on-campus donation drive and an off-campus collection at the Sennott Street lot. Students were able to participate safely in accordance with COVID-19 move-out precautions. “I am encouraged by the turnout at the first two Clutter events this spring,” said Erika Ninos, Sustainability Coordinator for the Division of Students Affairs (Office of PittServes). “We have diverted over 8,000 pounds of textile waste from landfills, collected over 1,400 pounds of food for local food pantries, and filled half of a 48-foot trailer with household items that will find a new home with Pitt students or community members for this coming year.” 

This program would not be possible without the dedicated work of Pitt’s Student Office of Sustainability, the Office of Community and Governmental Relations, and OPDC. Staff and students are busy behind the scenes advertising, collecting donations, inventorying, and re-homing items. OPDC spreads the word to Oakland residents and landlords, organizes the curbside pickup service, and coordinates redistributing our donations to community partners.

“For years, both as an Oakland resident and as someone who truly believes in reducing waste, it would break my heart to see perfectly usable furniture, food, and housewares get dumped in the trash during student move out season,” said Liz Gray, OPDC’s Neighborhood Quality Consultant. “Not now. The Clutter team rescues furniture and more from the landfill, and that puts a smile on my face.” 

There are three more opportunities to donate to Clutter for a Cause this summer, and donations from non-students are welcome. We will have a donations station in the Quality Inn parking lot (3401 Boulevard of the Allies, behind Panera Bread) from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on June 28, July 26, and August 9. 

“The curbside pickup service was quick, easy, and cordial,” said Amera Khalil, a south Oakland resident who donated to the June 1 Clutter collection. “I was glad to donate to a meaningful cause that connects people with needed resources.” 

To sign up for our contactless, curbside pickup service, please complete this google form before each collection date. We do not accept upholstered furniture, mattresses or mattress toppers, or carpets. You can find a complete list of accepted items and event updates here.

For questions, contact OPDC’s Maura McCampbell at mmccampbell@opdc.org or 412-621-7863 ext. 111.