New CLT homes on Frazier Street!

Three of the four new CLT homes on Frazier Street; Lanita Lee, new homeowner on Frazier Street, with her husband

OPDC’s mission is to build a better Oakland and help neighbors thrive. In the case of the four new Oakland Community Land Trust (CLT) houses we built on Frazier Street, that mission is literal.

“We’re thrilled to be building new homes and introducing new neighbors to South Oakland,” says Andrea Boykowycz, OPDC Interim Director. “The CLT will ensure these houses remain affordable and owner-occupied in perpetuity.”

OPDC began the Oakland CLT in 2018 with just two houses. Now we have almost 20. With each new house, the CLT offers a chance for homeowners to build equity, while preserving opportunities for future homebuyers through community control of the land.

Lanita Lee had been renting in the Hill District while working in Oakland at Magee Women’s Hospital for the past eight years. This April, she and her family joined the South Oakland community as first-time homeowners of one of the new-construction houses.

Check out our video tour!

“It feels great. It’s a beautiful home,” says Lee, whose purchase was made possible by a Pennsylvania Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation Enhancement (PHARE) grant, through a program developed by OPDC.

Camille Dixon, OPDC’s community services director, worked closely with Lee to mend credit, reduce debt, and secure the support she needed. “We help applicants understand the funding and qualifications for affordable homes and the best options we have for them,” says Dixon.

Special thanks to the Oakland Development Fund, URA, WesBanco, PHARE, FHLB, Shape Development, and Pfaffmann and Associates for making this project possible.

CLT Homes for Sale

Meet OPDC’s new board leadership

From top left, clockwise: Eric Macadangdang, Teireik Williams, Tara Sherry-Torres, Dawn Seckler

OPDC is delighted to introduce our new board members and officers (new members noted with an asterisk [*]):

• President—Eric Macadangdang

• Vice President—Teireik Williams

• Treasurer—Dawn Seckler

• Secretary—Tara Sherry-Torres*

• Jeremy Carter*

• Beatrice Charles

• Lezetta Cox*

• Jonathan Kline*

• Jodi Lincoln*

• Janice Markowitz

• Randy Sargent

• Kathryn Wakefield*

We’re thrilled to be working with this special group of experienced leaders to build a better Oakland and help neighbors thrive. Welcome aboard!

Check out these new street trees!

When the community comes together for a common purpose, it’s a beautiful thing.

On Saturday, April 15, Oakland residents and Pitt students and staff joined a tree planting organized by OPDC, the University of Pittsburgh, and Western Pennsylvania Conservancy.

38 volunteers got to learn about native trees and get their hands dirty, planting 15 trees during the Saturday event. Seven trees were planted the day prior by WPC for a total of 22 new Oakland trees.

Oakland is sorely lacking in tree canopy and is considered a tree canopy hotspot among Pittsburgh neighborhoods. Through events like this, we’re doing our part to deliver on the goals of the Oakland Plan, which defines trees as vital infrastructure.

Want to see the smiles a tree can bring? Check out our video from the day.

A fire destroyed an OPDC home

We have some sad news, Oakland.

On Tuesday night last week, there was a fire at an Oakcliffe home that severely damaged both of its 2-bedroom rental units. The structure is still standing, but the interior is a charred mess.

The tenants of both units are safe, and we luckily have temporary housing to offer them.

If you’d like to help, you can donate to ODPC via our website. At the least, we hope this can be a PSA to all Oakland renters to carry renters’ insurance.

Thank you and stay safe, Oakland!

This Adopt-a-Block Team is Next Level

Semira McFarlane (far left) with her Adopt-a-Block team

Every year, OPDC recruits, coordinates, and supports teams of student volunteers for clean-up events all over Oakland. Our Adopt-a-Block student groups have fun, make friends, pick up litter—and help build Oakland connections.

Members of Circle K, an international service organization at Pitt, are always looking for opportunities to volunteer. Semira McFarlane, Vice President of Service for Pitt’s chapter, says she likes Adopt-a-Block “because you can socialize while getting work done.”

McFarlane’s job with Circle K is to choose service projects for members to get involved in. “I really care about the work itself,” said McFarlane. “And I’ve gotten pretty good at it!”

Since McFarlane became team captain last fall semester, Circle K has organized 3 successful clean-up events along Semple Street, with more planned before the semester is done.

“It’s rewarding to see all the bags of trash piled up after we’re done as evidence of our accomplishment,” said McFarlane. Her team averages 4-7 bags of trash, which are collected by the Department of Public Works (DPW).

McFarlane laughed when asked what strange or unusual bits of trash her team has found along their route, which stretches from Atwood to Meyran.

“I’ve learned in general that people are gross and they spread their grossness outside their walls too often,” she said. “There’s always a lot of alcohol containers—I once suggested we play a game to see how many brands we could find.”

For McFarlane and her team members, Adopt-a-Block is not only a great way to volunteer, but a meaningful way to take care of the community that they live in. The students in Circle K live throughout Oakland, from South to North, and they take pride in helping to care for their neighborhood.

“I love living here,” said McFarlane, “I love how close I am to everything, how Oakland is busy but not too busy. It’s a great place to live as a college student.”

McFarlane says that she sees Circle K continuing their partnership with OPDC in the future. “I hope to have another 2 years in my position with Circle K and to continue doing this work with Adopt-a-Block for those two years!”

This year, OPDC worked with 299 volunteers who put in 385 hours collecting 126 bags of trash from the streets.

Thanks to all our amazing volunteers!