Governor Shapiro and Lieutenant Governor Davis Mark Major Progress in Historic Plan to Revitalize Downtown Pittsburgh with Targeted Investments to Make the City Cleaner and Safer

One year ago, Governor Shapiro united Pittsburgh's private sector, corporate leaders, local nonprofits, and county and city government behind a concrete 10-year plan to build more housing, revitalize public spaces, and improve cleanliness, safety, and affordability to Downtown Pittsburgh.

As a result of targeted investments, homelessness encampments are down 93 percent, over 3 million square feet of sidewalks have been cleaned, and major residential conversion and public space projects are underway.

Pittsburgh, PA - One year after launching an historic plan to revitalize Downtown Pittsburgh, Governor Josh Shapiro and Lieutenant Governor Austin Davis joined Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato, Mayor Ed Gainey, Pittsburgh Steelers and Pirates leadership, law enforcement, and community leaders on the North Shore outside of Acrisure Stadium to announce significant progress in making the Golden Triangle a cleaner, safer, and more vibrant neighborhood for all.

Over the past year, partners from across Western Pennsylvania in public and private sector have produced measurable results:

• Reducing homelessness encampments by 93 percent - All major encampments have been closed, creating safer public spaces and new housing opportunities with supportive services for unhoused residents.
• Cleaning streets - The Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership power-washed more than 3 million square feet of sidewalks and alleyways, while also providing rent abatements and pop-up storefronts to support small businesses and reduce vacancies.
• Improving public safety - With Commonwealth support, the City of Pittsburgh has hired more than 50 new police officers and expanded its public safety presence Downtown. The Steelers and Pirates each contributed $1 million to strengthen co-responder mental health teams, expand youth outreach at the Jordan Miles Youth Center, add patrol officers, and support homelessness outreach.
• Reducing crime - To date this year, reported homicides have fallen down 30 percent compared to last year, and are down 55 percent over the same time period in 2022, creating a safer environment for residents and visitors.
• Moving forward with residential projects - Seven mixed-use developments are moving forward, creating or preserving nearly 1,000 residential units - almost a third of them affordable for residents with low-to-moderate incomes. Six of these projects are converting unused office space into housing, bringing new vitality to the Golden Triangle.

Last October, Governor Shapiro launched a 10-year strategy that united Pittsburgh's private sector, local government, corporate leaders, and nonprofits behind a plan to build more housing, revitalize public spaces, and improve safety, cleanliness, and affordability Downtown. Since then, the effort has attracted nearly $600 million in public and private investment, including $62.6 million from the Commonwealth, $27.1 million from local government, and $376.9 million in private capital - with additional support from federal funding, foundations, and corporate donors. These investments are expected to generate more than 3,500 construction jobs over the next four years.

"Pittsburgh's success shows what happens when we bring everyone to the table - state, city, county, businesses, nonprofits, and community leaders - and focus on delivering real results," said Governor Shapiro. "Because we came together, Pittsburgh is already cleaner and safer, with more opportunity for all. We're turning old office buildings into new housing, investing in parks and public spaces, and creating opportunities for families and businesses alike. This is only the beginning - these projects will strengthen Downtown for decades to come - and I'm proud to report that Pittsburgh is on the rise."

"One year ago, Governor Shapiro and I stood here and promised to step up for the city of Pittsburgh and the people of southwestern Pennsylvania," said Lt. Governor Davis. "We brought everyone to the table, worked together on a plan, and today we're making real progress - delivering results you can see, like cleaner streets and new housing, and results you can't always see, like investments in youth programs and community safety. We know there's more work to do, but our comprehensive approach is making communities safer, stronger, and more vibrant."

The Commonwealth's $62.6 million investment include:

• $22 million for five mixed-use projects that will result in 800 total new residential units, including 135 new affordable units; in addition to two mixed-use projects that were funded as part of the overall initiative through the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency. When combined with private capital, this plan will create 1,000 new residential units, one-third of which will be affordable.
• $25 million for improvements to Point State Park that include infrastructure upgrades and new recreational amenities for the park's cityside lawn. Currently, a separate $3.4 million project is underway to improve Point State Park in advance of next year and is on schedule to be finished by Spring 2026.
• $15 million from the state and over $35 million from local corporations, regional philanthropies, and the Allegheny Regional Asset District to reimagine Market Square and transform underutilized open space in the city's Cultural District into the 8th Street Block. These projects are on schedule and are expected to be completed by the NFL Draft in Pittsburgh on April 2026.
• $400,000 from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts to bring together the different arts and cultural organizations and structure new programming to support the city's creative entrepreneurs through an artist-in-residence program

"The foundation of revitalizing downtown Pittsburgh is creating a safe and welcoming environment where everyone feels comfortable whether they're here to live, work, or play," said County Executive Innamorato. "Getting the human services and public safety pieces of the plan right are key to creating a thriving neighborhood with vibrant public spaces. I'm thrilled that today we're celebrating the impressive achievements we've made together, including reducing homeless encampments downtown and on our nearby trails by 93 percent since last summer."

"First, I want to thank everyone involved for embracing, adopting, and funding this plan, which has helped us make a better Downtown and North Shore," said Mayor Ed Gainey. "This city is showing it can be both safe and compassionate when government, business, and nonprofit leaders come together. We're moving people off the streets into housing, strengthening public safety, and ensuring critical resources-like the new public safety center downtown-are in place. This is what happens when the private sector, public sector, and community organizations work together: we build a city for all."

"We are encouraged that our investment in additional police patrols and support for the homeless is already making a difference," said David Morehouse, Steelers Executive Vice President for Strategy. "The Steelers remain committed to working alongside Governor Shapiro and his broad coalition of public and private partners to ensure that our Downtown and North Shore neighborhoods are vibrant, healthy, and safe for residents and visitors alike."

"The Pirates are honored to represent the city that has, and continues to, give us so much," said Travis Williams, President of the Pittsburgh Pirates. "We recognize that we have an obligation to reciprocate beyond the ballpark, requiring us to be good neighbors, active partners, and mindful stewards of the places we call home. Today, we rejoin Governor Shapiro, Executive Innamorato, Mayor Gainey, and all of you to honor what we've done, and to recommit ourselves - not just to the particulars of a project - but to being the neighbor this great city, this great community, deserves."

"When I started downtown two years ago as a commander, our public safety center had just nine officers," said Commander Timothy Novosel, Pittsburgh Police. "Today, we have 22 officers and two detectives, and we're already seeing progress-violent crime in the Golden Triangle has declined. That said, there's still work to do. Investing in our police and providing the resources to keep everyone safe is critical. With the holidays approaching and the 2026 NFL Draft bringing an unprecedented number of visitors downtown, we're working closely with federal, state, and county partners to ensure the highest level of public safety. Support from the Commonwealth and the Steelers and Pirates gives us the tools we need to serve the community effectively, and for that, I am grateful to everyone helping make downtown safer and stronger."

"Coming out of the pandemic, we faced two big challenges that seemed overwhelming to solve: too many people were living on the street and along our river trails, and too many people were living in shelter, unable to move on," said Erin Dalton, Director of Allegheny County Department of Human Services. "Today, our public spaces are dramatically transformed. We accomplished that not through intimidation or threats, but by offering people shelter and housing, made possible by the 500 in 500 initiative."

"I am delighted to join Governor Shapiro as we celebrate the progress we've made in making Downtown welcoming, safe, and clean for our residents and our visitors," said Senator Jay Costa. "This coordinated effort by outreach workers and local law enforcement demonstrates just how much is possible when we work together collaboratively. I look forward to the doing my part in delivering the continued success of this programming as Pittsburgh prepares to welcome tourists from far and wide in the coming months."

"The opportunity for a new Pittsburgh Renaissance is knocking at our door, building off the commitment that Governor Shapiro spearheaded here in Pittsburgh," said Senator Wayne Fontana. "Governor, I want to thank you for your leadership in getting stuff done and making Pittsburgh's future a priority."

"Downtown Pittsburgh is an economic and cultural hub for our entire region and state," said Representative Aerion Abney. "These investments are down payments that will help ensure a bright future for our downtown, and I'm grateful to Gov. Shapiro for his vision and leadership on Pittsburgh's future."

Building a Stronger Economy and Safer Communities Across Pennsylvania

Governor Shapiro emphasized that Pittsburgh's progress is part of his broader vision for growing Pennsylvania's economy and keeping communities safe. Since taking office:

• The Governor has secured more than $25.6 billion in private sector investments and created over 12,400 new jobs statewide.
• His Administration released the first statewide economic development strategy in nearly two decades, focused on five key industries: agriculture, energy, life sciences, manufacturing, and robotics/technology.
• In the 2024-25 bipartisan budget, the Governor secured $500 million for site development programs, including $400 million for the PA SITES program to prepare shovel-ready business locations - making Pennsylvania the top-ranked state in the Northeast for Regional Economic Competitiveness by Site Selection Magazine.
• In 2024, Governor Shapiro successfully advocated for the NFL Draft to come to Pittsburgh in 2026 - projected to bring up to 700,000 visitors and as much as $213 million in economic impact.
• Since 2022, violent crime statewide is down 11.6 percent, gun violence has decreased 42 percent, and gun deaths have declined 38 percent across Pennsylvania. In Pittsburgh, homicides fell by more than half compared to 2022.
• The Shapiro Administration has delivered over $600 million in funding for more than 3,500 community safety grants through the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, with increased investments in violence prevention and youth programs.
• To strengthen law enforcement recruitment, the Shapiro Administration has funded eight cadet classes to train over 800 new Pennsylvania State Troopers and secured funding to help departments recruit and retain nearly 700 municipal police officers across the Commonwealth. To date, more than 500 cadets have graduated and joined the ranks of PSP under Governor Shapiro's leadership.

For a full list of projects included in Pittsburgh's 10-year revitalization plan and a breakdown of Commonwealth investments is available online.

This progress in Pittsburgh reflects Governor Shapiro's broader commitment to growing Pennsylvania's economy and strengthening communities across the Commonwealth.

For more information about the Department of Community and Economic Development, visit the DCED website, and be sure to stay up-to-date with all of our agency news on Facebook, X, and LinkedIn.

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