Jamil Bey: A Pittsburgh where everyone belongs — if we choose it

As Pittsburgh plans for 2050, our goal in the comprehensive planning process is clear: build a city where everyone belongs. That means welcoming new neighbors while ensuring the people who have built our communities can afford to stay, grow and thrive. The housing policy debate now before City Council isn’t a distraction from that mission — it’s the test of it.

On Sept. 10, council will hold a public hearing on a legislative package that could define our housing market for decades. This isn’t a quick fix or a political talking point. It’s the product of years of work by housing advocates, community organizations and our City Planning staff, shaped by the data and recommendations in the city’s Housing Needs Assessment. This work has included meeting with developers to understand their needs and determine what would work.

The debate is fierce because it reflects two fundamentally different approaches. One, already rejected, would have relied entirely on taxpayers to subsidize private development — an open-ended public bill. The approach now on the table shares responsibility. It requires new development to help pay for affordable housing while offering real incentives — like zoning flexibility and reduced parking mandates — to keep projects feasible. This is about building a lasting partnership for growth, not writing a permanent subsidy check.

Critics have sparred over a pilot inclusionary zoning program in Lawrenceville. Some say it slowed development; others argue it spurred it. The city controller’s review found the data inconclusive. When local numbers don’t give us a clear answer, good governance demands we look to the broader evidence.

Across the country, the lesson is consistent: inclusionary zoning works best when it’s mandatory, citywide and paired with pro-supply reforms. Minneapolis offers one example — affordable units in high-opportunity areas without stopping overall housing production. Research also shows these policies produce meaningful, deed- restricted units but can’t solve the affordability crisis alone. They are a necessary piece of a larger puzzle.

That’s why the legislation before council makes sense. It follows best practices, is designed to keep housing production moving and includes protections for longtime homeowners and residents so they can stay in their communities. This legislation is balanced, evidence-informed and built to work in Pittsburgh’s market conditions.

We should be honest about the legislation’s limits and risks. It won’t solve the entire affordability crisis or fully stop displacement. Its success depends on whether the incentives truly offset costs for developers and whether it can stand up to legal challenges. But this is a strong, well-designed step forward — and waiting for a perfect solution will only make the problem harder to fix.

This is a critical moment, and we want to assure the public that the Department of City Planning, the administration and our housing advocates continue to work closely with City Council. We are refining strategies and details to address concerns raised by developers and those worried that inclusionary zoning will suppress future growth. We are committed to transparency and to making this policy as effective as possible.

If we adopt inclusionary zoning and the supporting suite of policies, we must also commit to three things. First, invest in transparent, real-time housing data so decisions are driven by evidence, not guesswork. Second, review and adjust the policy as we learn what works. Inclusionary zoning should be dynamic, not static. Third, keep building a comprehensive housing strategy. For residents earning less than 30% of the Area Median Income, inclusionary zoning won’t be enough. We’ll need to expand the Housing Opportunity Fund, strengthen the Pittsburgh Land Bank and find new tools to meet the deepest needs.

No single policy will transform our housing market overnight. But this one can move us meaningfully in the right direction — creating affordable units in the neighborhoods where they’re needed most, while still allowing the city to grow. That is progress worth fighting for.

This isn’t just about zoning or subsidies. It’s about the Pittsburgh we want to be in 2050. Do we want a city where teachers, nurses, service workers, and artists can live near where they work? Where children can grow up in stable, diverse neighborhoods? Where new investment strengthens communities by allowing long-term residents and others to stay in their social networks instead of pushing people out?

The choice before us is clear. We can adopt a proven, balanced approach that shares responsibility between the public and private sectors, or we can fall back on policies that place the full burden on taxpayers and produce fewer affordable homes.

This package is the result of collaboration, data and the belief that Pittsburgh can grow without leaving people behind. It won’t fix everything — but it will help, and it will show that we’re serious about making housing affordability part of our city’s future, not just a talking point in its past.

We can wait, and watch the problem deepen, or we can act — now — while we still have the chance to shape the Pittsburgh we want for the next generation.

Jamil Bey is director of City Planning for the City of Pittsburgh, where he leads efforts to integrate equity, innovation and sustainability into the city’s long-term planning framework.