Larimer Housing Development: URA Targets 250+ Vacant Lots

What happens when a city offers builders more than 250 empty lots at once? That is the question facing Larimer, a small neighborhood in Pittsburgh’s East End. The city and its Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) want new homes on land that sat empty for years. This Larimer housing development push could change what nearby owners see out their windows.

Homeowners nearby want to know what this means for property values. Some also wonder whether new construction will change daily life on their blocks. Therefore, this guide covers the plan first and the risks last. It relies on named public sources, so you can check every number.

What the URA Put on the Table

The story started on June 10, 2026. That day, the O’Connor administration and the URA announced a request for interest covering Larimer’s vacant lots. Then the URA released the full document on June 22.

A request for interest works like an open invitation. Builders share their ideas, and the city learns who wants to take part. Specifically, the city asked for new homes or buildings that mix housing with other uses.

Many of these lots once held houses, the city said. Mayor Corey O’Connor told WPXI he wants to invest fast and in bulk. Moreover, he does not want builders filling lots one or two at a time.

The launch brought together the mayor’s office and the URA. The Larimer Consensus Group joined them, along with the local city councilman. Additionally, the group’s chairman, K. Chase Patterson, spoke about who should live there.

Patterson wants families with children and single people seeking starter apartments to find room in Larimer, WPXI reported. In other words, he pictures a neighborhood open to many kinds of households.

Vacant lots change how a street feels. Weeds grow, and litter piles up. Neighbors also lose the porch lights and watchful windows of the homes that once stood there. Even a well-kept house can look worse beside an empty lot.

Inside the 254 Parcels

Numbers give this Larimer housing development plan its shape. URA executive director Susheela Nemani-Stanger told CBS Pittsburgh the request covers two scattered sites. The first holds 153 parcels across 9.2 acres.

Meanwhile, the second site adds 101 parcels across 6.9 acres. Together, the two sites total 254 parcels and 16.1 acres. The city and the URA own all of them.

Scattered sites mean the lots sit here and there instead of in one clean block. Some may touch each other, while others stand alone. Therefore, builders will likely plan many small projects.

Small lots can suit single homes, duplexes, or short townhouse rows. Additionally, those building types match the scale of the blocks already there. However, the URA asked builders for their own project concepts.

Councilman Khari Mosley said the effort follows the Larimer vision plan, CBS Pittsburgh reported. That report did not spell out the plan’s details. So neighbors can ask the Larimer Consensus Group how each lot fits into it.

Why the City Wants Builders Now

Pittsburgh builds few new houses. Yarone Zober, the city’s redevelopment director, said last year brought only about 50 new-house permits. WPXI and the Pittsburgh Business Times reported his remarks from the June URA board meeting.

That number looks small beside the city’s size. The same report puts Pittsburgh at over 300,000 people across 90 neighborhoods and 55 square miles. Therefore, the pace looks slow for a city that big.

Old houses add another problem. Lena Andrews, who leads ACTION-Housing, told lawmakers that Pittsburgh has some of the oldest homes in America. She said repairs can cost more per square foot than new construction, the Pennsylvania Capital-Star reported.

City hall also admits the permit process needs work. Matt Singer, a deputy chief of staff for Mayor O’Connor, said the system has lagged behind demand. Meanwhile, the city is testing a fast-track pilot and virtual inspections for smaller projects.

Pittsburgh City Paper reported that O’Connor plans permit and zoning reform. Additionally, he wants more downtown office conversions and more kinds of homes. Overall, the Larimer request fits that wider push.

Advocates describe the same gap. Habitat for Humanity of Greater Pittsburgh says the city has a severe shortage of both rentals and homes to buy. Shortages like that can put pressure on prices.

Who Pays to Clean Up the Lots?

Empty lots need work before anyone can build on them. Cost sits at the center of every builder’s math. Therefore, cleanup can decide whether a Larimer housing development makes financial sense.

Cleanup can include hauling trash and clearing brush. It can also mean checking the ground before any foundation goes in. Those steps add both cost and time. Mayor O’Connor told CBS Pittsburgh that city cleanup saves builders a lot of money. So the city wants to clear the lots itself. That plan needs cash.

The city asked for $15 million in capital funds, CBS Pittsburgh reported. The Post-Gazette described the request as money to prepare vacant city-owned lots for development. However, the city had no promise of that money yet.

Officials tied the request to Governor Josh Shapiro’s state budget, which came due June 30. WPXI described it as a state grant that could lower cleanup costs for some lots. Therefore, the final answer sat with lawmakers in Harrisburg.

Later budget news gives no clear answer. The Altoona Mirror said the 2026-27 state budget created a public housing database. That report also noted that no major affordable housing initiatives passed with the budget.

Readers can find the original plan in the city’s official announcement. However, that release says nothing about the funding request. Still, watch for follow-up news on the state money.

How Larimer Housing Development Reached This Point

Larimer’s past explains why so many lots sit empty. German settlers arrived in the late 1800s, Wikipedia says. By the early 1900s, Italian families formed the largest group.

Those families built detached brick homes with small yards. They also ran concrete foundries and bakeries along Lincoln Avenue. Larimer served as Pittsburgh’s Little Italy for decades.

Then the 1960s brought change. Some residents moved to the suburbs early in the decade. Urban renewal in East Liberty sped the shift, and a 320-unit housing project rose near the neighborhood’s entrance.

Decades later, a federal grant offered a reset. In 2014, Larimer won $30 million from the U.S. housing department, according to Wikipedia. The URA calls it the Choice Neighborhoods Initiative for Larimer and East Liberty.

That effort planned 334 new housing units and a neighborhood park, the URA says. Liberty Green, a 3.25-acre park, sits where East Liberty and Larimer meet. The URA also says it acquired city-owned and private land for the work. McCormack Baron Salazar and Allies at Ross served as the housing developers.

Nearby East Liberty offers a useful comparison. Our East Liberty transformation story traces how that neighbor changed. Even so, many Larimer parcels still sit empty. Therefore, the new Larimer housing development request targets those leftover lots.

The Walnut Capital Money and Build 100 Homes

Private money entered the story before the city’s request. In 2023, developer Walnut Capital offered $6 million for a program called Build 100 Homes, NEXTpittsburgh reported. The developer also promised to help raise another $19 million.

That pledge belongs to a community benefits agreement for a 14-acre Bakery Square expansion. The site now holds the Village of Eastside strip mall and a Trader Joe’s. Our Bakery Square AI expansion post covers the research and tech jobs heading to the area.

Those jobs could add demand for housing on nearby streets. Separately, Chase Patterson said a new Pittsburgh home costs about $500,000 to build. The agreement also splits the new homes into three price groups.

One third would sell at market rate. Another third would target workforce buyers. The last third would serve people earning half the median income of the seven-county region.

Donna Jackson, who directs the Larimer Consensus Group, said the neighborhood has enough vacant parcels for 200 homes. Meanwhile, Walnut Capital’s Todd Reidbord said buyers’ mortgage payments would flow back into the fund. He argued that payback would help the money go further.

What Larimer Home Values Show Today

Home prices in Larimer look strong on paper. Redfin reports a $138,000 median sale price for the three months ending June 2026. That figure rose 55.6 percent from the same stretch a year earlier.

However, one median can mislead. Redfin’s July 2025 figure told the opposite story, down 34.1 percent at an $89,000 median. Its latest snapshot also counts just one home sold.

Redfin’s recent sold list shows how wide the range runs. A four-bedroom house sold for $38,000 on August 6, 2026. Another fetched $87,000 in June, and a third sold for $190,000 in May.

Other sources add more spread. Coldwell Banker lists a $95,000 median for its combined Lincoln-Larimer area. Therefore, treat any single Larimer price as a snapshot.

Condition, size, and repair needs all move the number. Local sold comparisons matter more than any headline figure.

How New Homes Could Change Nearby Values

A Larimer housing development can change how buyers view a block. Fresh homes give appraisers newer sales to compare. Additionally, they signal that someone chose to invest there.

Builders face a math problem here. Their build costs sit far above recent Larimer sale prices. As a result, projects may need low-cost land or cleanup help.

Patterson also argued that new construction pushes other owners to renovate, NEXTpittsburgh reported. That effect could lift nearby values over time. However, no one can promise that result.

Buyers also compare one block against the next. Still, only time will show how they react to the new homes.

What Owners Near the Lots Can Do

Nobody can predict what one request will do for your street. Still, preparation costs little. Start with the URA’s Larimer page, which lists site maps, parcel numbers, and a summary sheet. Then sign up for the URA’s email updates.

Next, look at your own house honestly. Walk through each room and list what needs repair. Then collect two or three contractor quotes to learn the real cost.

The Build 100 Homes plan also set aside money to help owners fix code problems, NEXTpittsburgh reported. Therefore, ask the Larimer Consensus Group whether that help still exists.

Owners with vacant or inherited houses face a different choice. Holding an empty house costs money every month, and repairs take time. So compare repairing, renting, and an as-is sale.

Finally, keep your paperwork tidy. Deeds, tax bills, and repair receipts speed up any future sale. Also, take dated photos of your block as new activity starts.

Talk with neighbors, too. Block groups often hear about meetings first. As a result, you can join the conversation before plans harden.

Risks and Open Questions for Neighbors

Every Larimer housing development carries tradeoffs. County Executive Sara Innamorato told lawmakers that starter homes are becoming scarce across Allegheny County. The county lost thousands of $1,000 apartments and gained thousands of $2,000 ones, the Altoona Mirror reported.

That trend matters here because new homes cost so much to build. Consequently, some new homes may price out today’s renters.

Maura Jacob of The Pittsburgh Foundation raised a related warning. She said adding supply without a plan for the poorest residents would be unwise, the Capital-Star reported. Therefore, neighbors should ask direct questions at community meetings.

Three questions deserve answers early. Who will build? Which buyers can afford the homes? What will those homes cost?

On the other hand, the plan has real upside. Empty lots could become homes, and quiet blocks could gain neighbors. That change could matter most to long-time residents.

FAQs

Who could respond to the Larimer lot request?

The URA asked for developers or development teams with proven skill at raising private money. Teams had to upload one bookmarked PDF through the URA’s Ion Wave bidding system. The URA said it would disregard late or paper responses. Site visits were available by request.

Has the deadline passed?

Yes, responses were due August 24, 2026, and the URA page now labels the request closed. CBS Pittsburgh reported a goal of finishing the process by October. Officials gave no firm construction date. We also found no public list of chosen builders as of September 24, 2026.

Is Larimer still seen as a high-crime area?

NEXTpittsburgh cited Allegheny County medical examiner reports in 2023 showing two homicides in 2021. Those reports showed one in 2022 and none in 2023. A community engagement officer said robberies, burglaries, and car thefts fell to their lowest levels in years. Those counts end in 2023, so check the city’s police data portal for newer numbers.

Will the new homes be for sale or for rent?

The announcements did not settle that question. In 2023, Jackson said she wants more homes built for people to buy. She noted that the Housing Authority and East Liberty Development Inc. have been building rentals. So the final mix depends on which proposals the city picks.

Do most Larimer residents rent or own?

Sources paint different pictures. NEXTpittsburgh reported in 2023 that most homes are occupied, and many occupants own them. Niche says most residents rent and lists a median rent of $725. Check current Census data before relying on either claim.

Does the URA run other programs for East End housing?

The URA lists an East End Housing Development Program for East Liberty, Larimer, and Shadyside. It funds new or preserved affordable housing inside a set boundary. The URA describes it as flexible funding for nonprofit and for-profit development partners. Program details may have changed, so check the URA site.

Conclusion

Larimer has waited a long time for a plan this big. The Larimer housing development push will work only if builders show up and buyers can afford the homes. Meanwhile, neighbors can ask questions early. If you own an East End house and want a clear exit plan, talk with Buys Houses. The team at Buys Houses Pittsburgh can review your property as-is and explain every option in plain words.