A member of the city’s Housing Opportunity Fund advisory board has sued Pittsburgh’s Urban Redevelopment Authority.
At issue is the role of the 17-member HOF advisory board in overseeing Pittsburgh’s Housing Opportunity Fund, a $10 million annual fund controlled by the URA.
The fund covers a number of affordable housing-related programs in the city, such as legal assistance to renters and homeowners; down payment and closing cost assistance to first-time homebuyers; and the rental gap program, which gives loans to nonprofit developers who are building affordable housing.
Robert Helwig, a member of the advisory board who was appointed last year, filed the suit. Board members are appointed by the Mayor and approved by City Council.
The case alleges the five-member URA board cannot approve funding for any project that has not been first discussed and reviewed by the HOF advisory board. However, at the HOF advisory board’s most recent meeting, members were asked to vote on approving a major change to a $225,000 loan to a developer — a change that had already been approved a month prior by the full URA board.
The change allowed the developer of four affordable homes in the Hill District to change a mandated affordability period from 40 years to 20 years. HOF board members ultimately voted to approve the change, following a robust discussion.
The suit names URA board members Yarone Zober, Sam Williamson, City Council members Daniel Lavelle and Bob Charland, and State Rep. Lindsay Powell in their official capacities, and the URA itself.
The URA said it does not comment on pending litigation.