At a Glance

From the EJGP Project Team Desk

• Meet our new Communications Coordinator, Faith Williams!

• Shape a Healthier Future: Sign our Letter to the Board of Health Regarding the Search for the County’s Next Director.

• Our Next EJGP Full Network Meeting

• Regional Advocacy and Organizer Training Research Study: Recruiting is Live

• Equity Researchers Working Group

Campaign Updates

• Make your Voice Heard on Proposed Article VI Revisions.

Network and Community Updates

• How do you think Housing Opportunity Fund money should be spent?

• 2023 Neighborhood Economic Development Grants are Open!

Shape a Healthier Future: Sign our Letter to the Board of Health Regarding the Search for the County’s Next Director

The Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) plays a vital role in ensuring the health and well-being of our community.

 We believe the next ACHD Director should possess key qualifications and prioritize:

• Proven expertise in public health and addressing health disparities urgently.

• Implementing policies to combat climate change's impact on public health.

• Strong focus on transparency, accountability, and community decision-making.

• Building transformative relationships with communities.

• Collaboration with government departments for equitable health outcomes.

• Prioritizing health, security, safety, and well-being over profit.

 EJGP Full Network Meeting

Thank you to everyone who joined us last month for our June Full Network meeting on food justice, workforce development, and growing communities! We had about sixty attendees tune in to hear from our amazing panelists Lisa Freeman (Freeman Family Farm & Greenhouse), Jo Deming (Pittsburgh Food Policy Council), and Jennifer Flanagan (Community Kitchen Pittsburgh). If you were not able to make it to the meeting, have no fear! You can watch the recording of the meeting here and view the meeting notes here.

Our next Full Network meeting will be Wednesday, August 6th, from 9-10:30 a.m. on Zoom! The theme of this meeting will be on supporting and uplifting our LGBTQIA+ community. Speakers for this meeting will be announced soon!

Regional Advocacy and Organizer Training Research Study: Recruiting is Live!

Looking to become a change-maker in your community?

In partnership with The University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work, Equitable and Just Greater Pittsburgh is hosting a community training and research study!

Join us for an exclusive opportunity to enhance your advocacy skills and connect with like-minded advocates during a seven-week training program. Starting in August and running through September, this immersive experience is designed for up to 15 passionate residents from Allegheny County who are eager to make a difference.

Deadline to apply: July 18th

Equity Researchers Working Group 

Thank you to those who joined us last month for our Equity Researchers Working Group (ERWG) meeting! We discussed the various ways that universities can and should more directly support the needs of communities through more transformative research and better procurement and contracting practices.

 Join us for our next ERWG meeting on Wednesday, July 26th, from 4 to 6 PM at Trace Brewing (4312 Main St, Pittsburgh, PA, 15224). us!

If you are interested in joining but not currently on our ERWG mailing list, please reach out to Eric at eric@urbankind.org

Campain Updates

Make your Voice Heard on Proposed Article VI Revisions

As you may know, the Allegheny County Board of Health is currently considering revisions to our County Housing Code (Article VI of the Health Department’s regulations).  Our County Housing Code has not been updated in more than 25 years (since 1997), and it has not kept pace with best practices.  

The Board of Health will hold a public hearing on July 6 at 5 PM to accept public comments about needed improvements to Article VI.  They will accept written comments through July 10.  

 Many community groups are urging the Board to establish a Housing Advisory Committee, similar to the Food Safety and Air Quality Advisory Committees, to provide for ongoing community engagement with the Board and the Department to help improve and modernize the Department’s approach to safe and healthy housing in our communities.  See the sign-on letter here, and please sign on if you haven’t already!
 

In addition, we urge you to make your voice heard in this important matter by submitting your own public comment to the Board of Health, on behalf of yourself or your organization.   

You can use this written comment template to submit your own comment to the Board of Health.  The letter contains a list of recommendations for improving our County Health Code, incorporating best practices.  Please feel free to incorporate all these recommendations in your comment, or to pick and choose from them, and to add other recommendations. 

Just remember: All public comments must be submitted to the Board of Health on or before Monday, July 10, 2023, at 11:59 p.m.  Comments may be submitted by email to PublicHealthComment@AlleghenyCounty.us or by mail to: 

Attn: Article VI Comments (Houses and Community Environment) 

Allegheny County Health Department 

542 Fourth Ave. 

Pittsburgh, PA 15219 
 

Also, please consider signing up (24-hours in advance) and providing testimony (limited to three minutes) at the July 6 public hearing.  Hearing details and sign-up instructions are here. You can use the following template for public testimony.

Network and Community Updates

How do you think Housing Opportunity Fund money should be spent?

The City of Pittsburgh provides $10 million every year for the Housing Opportunity Fund 

(HOF) to address and support affordable housing needs of Pittsburgh residents. Each year, 

the URA shares a public survey so you can tell them your needs and have a say in how HOF money is used in the upcoming year. The HOF team will ensure that affordable housing programs are designed to meet needs expressed in the survey results and to best fit the needs of our diverse communities. 

Your survey responses will be kept anonymous and combined with others to create 

the final survey results. Results will be shared with the HOF Advisory Board, Urban 

Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh Board, and City Council to determine an approved 

spending plan for 2024.

Take the survey (English): https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/7258387/ea8401bf3714

Take the survey (Spanish): https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/7324440/9a69ce641ab4

You can also call 412-420-6379 or email HOF@ura.org to be mailed a paper copy

2023 Neighborhood Economic Development Grants are Open!

Neighborhood Economic Development (NED) Grants are federally-funded grants made to local organizations serving Pittsburgh residents with low and moderate incomes. Only Registered Community Organizations (RCOs) and Community Development Organizations (CDCs) are eligible to apply for these funds, which will be used to benefit eligible census tracts around the City.

NED grants are funded with Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) money, awarded to the City of Pittsburgh from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. RCOs and CDCs are invited to apply, and applications are reviewed and recommended for funding by the NED Advisory Committee. This Committee is made up of representatives from City Planning, the Mayor's Office, the Urban Redevelopment Authority, and local development experts.

The Community Development team will hold two virtual Q&A sessions about the application process on Wednesday, July 12 from 5:00 - 6:00 PM and Monday, July 17 from 12:00 - 1:00 PM.