Community Project Funding FY2024

Congresswoman Summer Lee’s FY 2024 Community Projects

For FY 2024, Congresswoman Lee successfully secured 15 funding requests for community projects in PA-12, totaling more than $12 million. In compliance with House rules and Appropriations Committee requirements, Congresswoman Lee has certified that neither she nor her immediate family has any financial interest in any of the projects she has requested.

Project Sponsor: City of Pittsburgh – Homewood Fields and Community Complex

Recipient Address: 414 Grant Street, Pittsburgh, PA, 15219

Project Address: 504 N Lang Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15221

Requested amount: $2,000,000

Disclosure letter: HERE

Project description:The City of Pittsburgh plans to construct a state-of-the-art sports and community performance space, which will include a field house, amphitheater, and community gathering space. This project will function as a key anti-violence strategy in Homewood, a neighborhood which consistently experiences high levels of youth violence. This project consists of three linked facilities which together introduce greenery, safety features such as enhanced lighting, and other needed improvements to the built environment. More importantly, the new park will provide the foundation for intensive collaboration between the city’s anti-violence initiatives and key Homewood community institutions committed to helping young people invest in their own lives and value the lives of others, through violence interruption, job training, coaching, and interventions with spectators and parents.

 

Project Sponsor: Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank Trucks

Recipient Address: 1 N Linden St, Duquesne PA 15110

Project Address: 1 N Linden St, Duquesne PA 15110

Requested amount: $1,000,000.

Disclosure Letter: HERE

Project Description: Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank: wishes to purchase and build eight mobile food banks. These food banks will regularly recover fresh food from regional Pennsylvania farms and retailers and deliver it to a network of over 1,000 community partners. The project will distribute more than 33 million pounds of food annually to 400,000 individuals including low- to moderate-income individuals and others in need of food assistance living in areas of high need in Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Cambria, Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Lawrence, Somerset and Washington counties in Pennsylvania.

 

Project Sponsor: Tree of Life, Inc. – Educational Space Rebuild

Recipient Address: 5898 Wilkins Ave, Pittsburgh PA 15217

Project Address: 5898 Wilkins Ave, Pittsburgh PA 15217

Requested Amount: $3,451,258.

Disclosure Letter: HERE

Project Description: Tree of Life Congregation wishes to create a community gathering and education space to teach about antisemitism and identity-based hate in the new Tree of Life building. This project will be a critical space to educate on antisemitism, revitalize a community hub that has sat empty for 5 years since the antisemitic attack, and will create a positive economic impact in the community by attracting visitors, students, and educators from around the world.

 

Project Sponsor: YMCA of Greater Pittsburgh – Allegheny YMCA Renovation

Recipient Address: Foster Plaza 10, 680 Andersen Drive, Suite 400, Pittsburgh, PA 15220

Project Address: 600 W. North Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15212

Requested Amount: $2,000,000.00

Disclosure letter: HERE

Project Description: The YMCA of Greater Pittsburgh is committed to the Allegheny YMCA continuing to be a resource in the Northside community to provide health benefits including reduced chronic disease, increased independence and life expectancy, lower medical bills, and improved mental health, are available to all. With increased accessibility, the facility will serve as the center for health, wellness, family services, senior activities, teen outreach, and childcare for residents of the Northside and surrounding communities. Additionally, to ensure the Allegheny YMCA is truly available to all, it will continue to provide, membership and program subsidies to low-income Northside residents. I am requesting funding for YMCA of Greater Pittsburgh, Allegheny YMCA Renovation in fiscal year 2024. The entity to receive funding for this project is YMCA of Greater Pittsburgh, located at Foster Plaza 10, 680 Andersen Drive, Suite 400, Pittsburgh, PA 15220. The funding would be used to rehabilitate the Allegheny YMCA building to make it ADA accessible and address unworkable infrastructure. The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because it will allow the facility to directly address the needs of the surrounding community such as childcare, before/after school enrichment, senior supports, and community health and wellness in a low-income community. The project has a Federal nexus because the funding provided is for purposes authorized by 42 U.S.C. 5305(a)(4) and 5305(a)(5).

 

Project Sponsor: Trade Institute of Pittsburgh – Social Enterprise

Recipient Address: 7800 Susquehanna Street Pittsburgh, PA 15208

Project Address: 7800 Susquehanna Street Pittsburgh, PA 15208

Requested amount: $450,000

Disclosure letter: HERE

Project description: This project will provide individuals facing barriers to employment with temporary paid work experience and additional support if they are not yet ready to enter the workforce at the end of the Trade Institute’s 11-week masonry program. I am requesting funding for Trade Institute of Pittsburgh Social Enterprise in fiscal year 2024. The entity to receive funding for this project is Trade Institute of Pittsburgh, located at 7800 Susquehanna Street Pittsburgh, PA 15208. The funding would be used for providing graduates of the Trade Institute of Pittsburgh’s 11-week masonry program for individuals facing barriers to employment with time-limited, paid work experience if they are not yet ready to enter the workforce at the end of the program, allowing them to continue improving their skills to obtain gainful employment. The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because it will help individuals otherwise barred from the workforce with employment while providing Allegheny County with highly in-demand skilled workers.

The project has a Federal nexus because the funding provided is for purposes authorized by 42 U.S.C. 5305(a)(1).

 

Project Sponsor: Jubilee Association, Inc. – Facility Expansion and Renovation Project

Recipient Address: 2005 Wyandotte Street Pittsburgh, PA 15219

Project Address: 2005 Wyandotte Street Pittsburgh, PA 15219

Requested amount: $461,197

Disclosure letter: HERE

Project Description: Jubilee Association, Inc. would like to renovate a homeless prevention program in a low-income community by expanding and renovating their current facility to address significant safety, accessibility, and space issues. This project will give the facility greater space to meet food, clothing, and counseling needs and improve facility safety to continue providing necessary services preventing homelessness and offering high-quality, affordable childcare for low-income families providing their children pathways to a brighter future. The entity to receive funding for this project is Jubilee Association, Inc., located at 2005 Wyandotte Street Pittsburgh, PA 15219.

The funding would be used to renovate and expand the current Jubilee facility to address significant safety, accessibility, and space issues. The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because it will allow the organization to more effectively and efficiently provide a holistic array of services to help individuals achieve economic mobility and self-sufficiency.

The project has a Federal nexus because the funding provided is for purposes authorized by 42 U.S.C. 5305(a)(4) and U.S.C. 5305(a)(5).

 

Project Sponsor: Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, District 11 – McKeesport Duquesne Bridge Preservation

Recipient Address: 45 Thoms Run Road, Bridgeville, PA 15017

Project Address: McKeesport, PA 15132

Requested amount: $2,000,000.00

Disclosure letter: HERE

Project Description: Pennsylvania Department of Transportation wishes to perform bridge preservation and maintenance activities on the McKeesport-Duquesne Bridge that will extend service life and maintain a safe and reliable crossing over the Monongahela River and multiple railroads. The McKeesport-Duquesne Bridge connects several low-income and minority environmental justice communities on either side of the Monongahela River. On the Southern side of the bridge, more than 50% of the households are low-income. On both sides of the river are communities that are made up of 38.8% – up to 75% minority populations. PennDOT will cover the required match, which will be App. 581 State highway funds. Other federal and non-federal funding are currently unavailable for this project due to limited amount of allocated Federal/State funds. The entity to receive funding for this project is PennDOT District 11, located at 45 Thoms Run Road, Bridgeville, PA 15017.The funding would be used for providing a sustainable crossing of the Monongahela River between McKeesport and Duquesne. The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because it preserves and maintains a reliable crossing over the Monongahela River and multiple railroads between two low-income communities on either side of the Monongahela River.The project has a Federal nexus because the funding provided is for purposes authorized by 23 USC 133(b).

Project Sponsor: Pennsylvania Department of Transportation – State Road 2406, Streets Run Road Resurfacing

Recipient Address: 45 Thoms Run Road, Bridgeville, PA 15017

Project Address: McKeesport, PA 15132

Requested amount: $5,000,000.00

Disclosure letter: HERE

Project Description: Pennsylvania Department of Transportation would like to rehabilitate the entire length of S.R. 2046 to combat deteriorating, poor pavement quality that is at an increasing risk of landslide. This road connects commercial, industrial, and residential properties. The ongoing Curry Hollow Road expansion will put further demand on this crucial corridor that links the Baldwin Borough to the City of Pittsburgh, as well as Jefferson Hospital and the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC). The entity to receive funding for this project is Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, located at 45 Thoms Run Road, Bridgeville, PA 15017. The funding would be used for repairing the entire length of SR 2046 from Brownsville Road to the ramp to SR 885 (Mifflin Road), which is in deteriorating condition, with poor pavement quality and increasing risk of landslide. The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because SR 2046 is a main artery in and through Baldwin Borough with commercial, industrial, and residential properties generating high-traffic volume, links communities to UPMC Outpatient Center and Jefferson Hospital, and is under dire need of repair, having gone many years since replacement. The project has a Federal nexus because the funding provided is for purposes authorized by 23 USC 133(b).

Project Sponsor: Westmoreland County – 4th Street Bridge Improvement

Recipient Address: 2 N. Main St. Greensburg PA 15601

Project Address: 56 4th Street Irwin PA 15642

Requested amount: $1,100,000.00

Disclosure letter: HERE

Project Description: Westmoreland County wishes to replace a roadway bridge that runs over the Norfolk Southern Railway. This project will reconnect the town with the main road that has been divided by the railroad for over 100 years and closed to traffic since 2014. Funding through this request will expedited project execution by adding to funds previously secured through the Southwest Pennsylvania Commission (SPC) Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP). The entity to receive funding for this project is Westmoreland County, located at 2 N. Main St. Greensburg PA 15601.The funding would be used to replace a roadway bridge over Norfolk Southern Railway. The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because it will reconnect a missing link between the town and a main road that was divided by the railroad over 100 years ago, and has been closed to traffic since 2014.The project has a Federal nexus because the funding provided is for purposes authorized by 23 USC 133(b).

Project Sponsor: Tri-COG Land Bank Modular Houses on Blighted Land in McKeesport

Recipient Address: 1705 Maple St, Homestead, PA 15120

Project Address: Union Ave, McKeesport, PA 15132; 306 Sherman Ave, Dravosburg, PA 15034

Requested amount: $1,700,000.00

Disclosure letter: HERE

Project description: This project will recover plots of abandoned, blighted and demolition land in the McKeesport Area School District and transform them into sustainable and permanently affordable homeownership opportunities. This funding request will improve the McKeesport Area School District community, a distressed community, by remediating seven blighted properties, creating permanently affordable homeownership opportunities, help stabilize property values, and help spur neighborhood revitalization.The entity to receive funding for this project is Tri-COG Land Bank, located at 1705 Maple St, Homestead, PA 15120. The funding would be used to install four modular houses on currently vacant blighted lots and demolition sites in the McKeesport Area School District. The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because it will remediate blighted properties, create now affordable housing, and improve the overall community. The project has a Federal nexus because the funding provided is for purposes authorized by 42 U.S.C. 5305(a)(1) and U.S.C. 5305(a)(5).

 

Project Sponsor: Urban Redevelopment Authority – Ground Floor Commercial Activation in Affordable Housing

Recipient Address: 412 Boulevard of the Allies Suite 901, Pittsburgh, PA 15219

Project Address: Homewood Gateway – Intersection of N. Homewood Ave. and Hamilton Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15208; 4800 Block of 2nd Avenue – 4800 Second Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15207; Bedford Phase IV – Intersection of Herron Ave and Wiley Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15219; 5th and Dinwiddie West – 1749 5th Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15219

Requested amount: $3,000,000.00

Disclosure letter: HERE

Project description: The Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh would like to build ground floor or street-level commercial developments in mixed-use Low Income Housing Tax Credits-financed projects across the City of Pittsburgh. These units will be both affordable commercial space as well as living spaces. This project will address housing affordability, support entrepreneurship and small business, as well as attract and retain businesses. This project would also provide critical funding towards mixed-use developments with affordable housing and neighborhood-serving commercial components that will otherwise experience significant funding gaps. The entity to receive funding for this project is Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh, located at 412 Boulevard of the Allies Suite 901, Pittsburgh, PA 15219.

The funding would be used to build ground floor or street-level commercial developments in mixed-use Low Income Housing Tax Credits-financed projects across the City of Pittsburgh. The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because it will address housing affordability, support entrepreneurship and small business, as well as attract and retain businesses.

The project has a Federal nexus because the funding provided is for purposes authorized by 42 U.S.C. 5305(a)(1).

 

Project Sponsor: Urban Redevelopment Authority – Larimer Food Incubator & Community Kitchen

Recipient Address: 412 Boulevard of the Allies Suite 901, Pittsburgh, PA 15219

Project Address: 135 Winslow St, Pittsburgh, PA 15206

Requested amount: $1,300,000.00

Disclosure letter: HERE

Project Description: The Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh wishes to repurpose the vacant and former Larimer School building to build a full-service community kitchen, event space and small business food incubator. This would support commercial development of the neighborhood by transforming 9800 square feet of the former school auditorium. This project will bring the Larimer community up to par with neighboring communities that have seen rapid development in recent years. This will be an economic catalyst for the community through job creation, support for small local businesses, food preparation and safety classes, training programs, and health and wellness programs. The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because it will provide a significant economic catalyst and community asset for the Larimer community. The project has a Federal nexus because the funding provided is for purposes authorized by 42 U.S.C. 5305(a)(1) and U.S.C. 5305(a)(4).

 

Project Sponsor: Allegheny County Sanitary Authority

Recipient Address: 3300 Preble Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15233

Project Address: 222 East 12th Avenue Homestead, PA 15120

Requested amount: $1,652,920.00

Disclosure letter: HERE

Project Description: ALCOSAN and Homestead Borough are addressing several important issues with this project.  First, the local elementary school does not have a standard play area for their young students to enjoy recess.  The current play area is asphalt surrounded by a chain-link fence. This project will renovate the grounds to a landscaped, green space that can be used by the children. Second, the teacher parking lot will be re-configured and built with permeable pavers to capture rainfall.  Third, under the parking lot, a stormwater storage unit will be constructed to capture stormwater and slowly releasing the water to the combined sewer system thereby reducing combined sewer overflows to the Monongahela River. Finally, this project will help Homestead Borough achieve its regulatory compliance related to combined sewer overflow abatement.

 

Project Sponsor: 10.27 Healing Partnership – Young Men & Women’s Hebrew Association & Irene Kaufmann Centers, d.b.a. Jewish Community Center of Greater Pittsburgh

Recipient Address: 5738 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh PA 15217

Project Address: 5738 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh PA 15217

Requested amount: $547,212.00

Disclosure letter: HERE

Project Description: This funding will allow the initial investment from the federal government to have the intended impact of providing solid ground to the community in the aftermath of such a destabilizing event in the face of the upcoming trial.

As Pittsburgh stood united in responding to the trauma from the October 27, 2018th synagogue attack, the community began working with the US Department of Justice’s Office of the Victims of Crime (OVC). Six months after the shooting, the 10.27 Healing Partnership (10.27HP) was born, based on an initial needs assessment conducted by experts in the field and designed to support short-term healing and long-term resiliency in communities impacted by such acts.

The goal over this next period is for 10.27HP to deepen its community-based work and support defined and emerging needs for individual, organizational and community resilience while focusing on core partners to help integrate pieces of the work and legacy of this event. While the original phase of work focused primarily on healing and victim support, this next phase of work for 10.27 HP looks to build on this core service with an additional emphasis on partnership and increasing the capacity of community partners to navigate trauma and resiliency. We are confident that, if designed and implemented thoughtfully, the horrific mass casualty event of 10/27/18 can have a lasting positive regional impact as multiple organizations have learned and grown together to better serve our community before 10.27HP concludes its work.

 

Project Sponsor: City of Pittsburgh – Diversion Program

Recipient Address: 414 Grant Street, Pittsburgh PA 15219

Project Address: 414 Grant Street, Pittsburgh PA 15219

Requested amount: $966,000.00

Disclosure letter: HERE

Project Description: The City of Pittsburgh seeks funding to support its Criminal Justice Diversion Program, also known as Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD), which is a program situated within the Office of Community Health and Safety.

The LEAD initiative for the City of Pittsburgh will provide people with substance use disorder and mental and behavioral health challenges with person-centered social services and intense case management. In doing so, we win for all stakeholders, by relieving police of a role they feel unsuited for and permit them to focus on violent crime, by preventing unnecessary, and harmful criminal-legal system engagement and instead promoting and supporting individual agency, particularly in communities of color, and finally by reducing the burden on taxpayers.