Affordable housing expert hired as Pittsburgh's economic development chief

Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto on Wednesday announced the hiring of an affordable housing expert as the city’s new economic development chief.

Marty LaMar most recently worked as a regional vice president for the property management company McCormack Baron Management and previously served as president and CEO of the Lucas Metropolitan Housing Authority in Toledo, Ohio.

He also worked as director of resident development for the Philadelphia Housing Authority and director for strategic policy, real estate development and regulatory affairs for the Atlanta Housing Authority.

LaMar, who starts with Pittsburgh on Jan. 6, will coordinate efforts by the departments of City Planning and Permits, Licenses and Inspections, the Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh, the Pittsburgh Land Bank and the new leadership team at the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh to rebuild city neighborhoods, according to the Mayor’s Office.

“Marty is just the right person to help us refocus our development efforts on affordable housing, main street streetface improvements and neighborhood revitalization citywide,” Peduto said in a statement. “He will bring years of experience, a national perspective and best practices to this critical work in Pittsburgh.”

LaMar, 46, who just moved to Hazelwood, has master’s degrees in public administration and social work from the University of Washington-Seattle, a master’s in business administration from Brenau University in Gainesville, Ga., and a bachelor’s in finance from Alabama A&M University.

His salary is $112,084, according to the city budget.

“I am very proud and honored to serve Pittsburgh, a city I love and now call home,” LaMar said.