Chris Beam
@nerdkid93.bsky.social
Bike commuter, runner, #YIMBY, rock climber @ Ascend, active in Pro-Housing Pittsburgh, and North Way Christian Community member
@chrisbriem.bsky.social if this graph is true, wouldn't Pittsburgh's collected LST in 2024 for employees within the City of Pittsburgh be significantly higher in 2024 than 2018? Rachael Heisler's Annual Report states that we collected 12.4 million last year in LSTs compared to 15.5 million in 2018!
August 6, 2025 at 11:34 PM
@chrisbriem.bsky.social if this graph is true, wouldn't Pittsburgh's collected LST in 2024 for employees within the City of Pittsburgh be significantly higher in 2024 than 2018? Rachael Heisler's Annual Report states that we collected 12.4 million last year in LSTs compared to 15.5 million in 2018!
Reposted by Chris Beam
So-called “inclusionary zoning”—the requirement that landlords rent new units to poor tenants at a loss as a condition of building new homes—is a tax on new housing that worsens the housing affordability crisis it is ostensibly designed to address.
It’s bad policy and we should stop doing it.
It’s bad policy and we should stop doing it.
Sausalito is a perfect example of why so-called "inclusionary zoning" requirements often don't accomplish their goals.
In 14 years, the policy resulted in one(!) deed-restricted affordable unit!
In 14 years, the policy resulted in one(!) deed-restricted affordable unit!
July 7, 2025 at 4:55 PM
So-called “inclusionary zoning”—the requirement that landlords rent new units to poor tenants at a loss as a condition of building new homes—is a tax on new housing that worsens the housing affordability crisis it is ostensibly designed to address.
It’s bad policy and we should stop doing it.
It’s bad policy and we should stop doing it.
Reposted by Chris Beam
I can only dream and hope for a day when Pittsburgh PRT gets their act together and communicates with riders as much as WMATA does 😩
Bus customers: We’re noticing some navigation apps aren’t displaying new route information. Our Better Bus squad is out at various bus stops for assistance, and our new MetroPulse is up to date! 😎 Download the app today!
July 1, 2025 at 6:44 PM
I can only dream and hope for a day when Pittsburgh PRT gets their act together and communicates with riders as much as WMATA does 😩
I can't believe the dumb shipping container home is still happening! I'm all for wacky home designs and letting people do whatever they want, but I can't imagine this home will perform as well as something like what modulehousing.com builds. This won't even have a basement, it's slab-on-grade!
June 19, 2025 at 7:30 PM
I can't believe the dumb shipping container home is still happening! I'm all for wacky home designs and letting people do whatever they want, but I can't imagine this home will perform as well as something like what modulehousing.com builds. This won't even have a basement, it's slab-on-grade!
Reposted by Chris Beam
🚨 CITYNERD PITTSBURGH VIDEO ON YOUTUBE 🚨
Watch this video, but whatever you do, DON’T move to Pittsburgh. They’re full. Or the weather kind of sucks. Or something
youtu.be/n8k9NmjpW00
youtu.be/n8k9NmjpW00
Pittsburgh: the Affordable Urbanism Mecca?
YouTube video by Ray Delahanty | CityNerd
youtu.be
June 18, 2025 at 4:18 PM
🚨 CITYNERD PITTSBURGH VIDEO ON YOUTUBE 🚨
Reposted by Chris Beam
I welcome all City Nerd viewers to our city.
June 18, 2025 at 4:41 PM
I welcome all City Nerd viewers to our city.
People do genuinely move away from Pittsburgh due to the weather, but I love it here! Not too hot, not too cold, and my plants are very happy. We're definitely not full though. Please move here people and start walking, biking, and transiting around! Degrowth is the enemy. Make SWPA powerful again!
Watch this video, but whatever you do, DON’T move to Pittsburgh. They’re full. Or the weather kind of sucks. Or something
youtu.be/n8k9NmjpW00
youtu.be/n8k9NmjpW00
Pittsburgh: the Affordable Urbanism Mecca?
YouTube video by Ray Delahanty | CityNerd
youtu.be
June 18, 2025 at 4:59 PM
People do genuinely move away from Pittsburgh due to the weather, but I love it here! Not too hot, not too cold, and my plants are very happy. We're definitely not full though. Please move here people and start walking, biking, and transiting around! Degrowth is the enemy. Make SWPA powerful again!
I'm so sad to see this project die. It would have allowed over 250 households to live in walking distance to the East Liberty's business district and preserved over 50 low-income homes for decades. We cannot continue to allow new housing to die on the vine in the midst of a housing crisis!
We’re seeing the consequences of our outdated zoning code yet again.
This project would’ve brought 264 new housing units online, including new affordable units.
As Mayor, I’ll reform our zoning code so we can bring much-needed housing to our communities. bloomfield-garfield.org/wp-content/u...
This project would’ve brought 264 new housing units online, including new affordable units.
As Mayor, I’ll reform our zoning code so we can bring much-needed housing to our communities. bloomfield-garfield.org/wp-content/u...
June 17, 2025 at 3:02 AM
I'm so sad to see this project die. It would have allowed over 250 households to live in walking distance to the East Liberty's business district and preserved over 50 low-income homes for decades. We cannot continue to allow new housing to die on the vine in the midst of a housing crisis!
Reposted by Chris Beam
Reposted by Chris Beam
My source tells me this is a pilot program for the 2026 draft, it is gonna be lit!
Downtown. Liberty Ave. Caller says that there is a man in a wheelchair handing out crack cocaine to people.
June 4, 2025 at 10:24 PM
My source tells me this is a pilot program for the 2026 draft, it is gonna be lit!
Hopefully some updates on statewide public transit funding will be discussed here
Just a few days away! I'm hosting a Telephone Town Hall about some important budget updates both at the state and federal level. Have questions about what happens next? Join us at 6 PM on Monday, June 2.
May 30, 2025 at 5:19 PM
Hopefully some updates on statewide public transit funding will be discussed here
Reposted by Chris Beam
Some of us are starting a Pro-Housing Philly grassroots pro-housing advocacy group here, and we're having a kick-off event next week on 6/3 at the Pen & Pencil Club. If you have liked or retweeted 5 pro-housing tweets in the last year, you have to come! actionnetwork.org/events/pro-h...
Pro-Housing Philly Kick-Off Event!
Hi everyone! Thanks for staying up to date with our first event, coming up on Tuesday, June 3 at 6:30pm at the Pen and Pencil Club. Our goal from this first meeting is to give folks a chance to get to...
actionnetwork.org
May 27, 2025 at 2:55 PM
Some of us are starting a Pro-Housing Philly grassroots pro-housing advocacy group here, and we're having a kick-off event next week on 6/3 at the Pen & Pencil Club. If you have liked or retweeted 5 pro-housing tweets in the last year, you have to come! actionnetwork.org/events/pro-h...
My hope is that with these new fare cards for the Masabi QR Code readers, we also get tap-to-pay with cEMV cards as well! It would be so nice for our visiting friends to not need an app or cash to pay for rides if they have a credit/debit card instead! www.masabi.com/full-fare-co...
May 26, 2025 at 3:33 PM
My hope is that with these new fare cards for the Masabi QR Code readers, we also get tap-to-pay with cEMV cards as well! It would be so nice for our visiting friends to not need an app or cash to pay for rides if they have a credit/debit card instead! www.masabi.com/full-fare-co...
@governor.pa.gov @lgaustindavis.bsky.social
I hope Pennsylvania can show Illinois how much better we do multimodal transportation with a similar record breaking investment in bike lanes, sidewalks, and trails!
I hope Pennsylvania can show Illinois how much better we do multimodal transportation with a similar record breaking investment in bike lanes, sidewalks, and trails!
Gov. Pritzker, IDOT award $139 million to enhance local transportation options statewide
"Today, I’m proud to announce the largest investment in the program’s history, with more than $139 million going toward bike lanes, sidewalks, trails"
LFG 🚀
www.wandtv.com/news/illinoi...
"Today, I’m proud to announce the largest investment in the program’s history, with more than $139 million going toward bike lanes, sidewalks, trails"
LFG 🚀
www.wandtv.com/news/illinoi...
Gov. Pritzker, IDOT award $139.2 million to enhance local transportation options statewide
(WAND) - Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Transportation announced on Wednesday that $139.2 million will be allocated through the Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program.
www.wandtv.com
May 22, 2025 at 7:31 PM
@governor.pa.gov @lgaustindavis.bsky.social
I hope Pennsylvania can show Illinois how much better we do multimodal transportation with a similar record breaking investment in bike lanes, sidewalks, and trails!
I hope Pennsylvania can show Illinois how much better we do multimodal transportation with a similar record breaking investment in bike lanes, sidewalks, and trails!
My family was 2 of them! What a great time, even if we only tied!
So the Pittsburgh Riveters women's team drew 6,077 fans last night...
Soccer town.
Soccer town.
May 17, 2025 at 1:16 PM
My family was 2 of them! What a great time, even if we only tied!
Reposted by Chris Beam
Over 1,000 homes are on hold in Pittsburgh because of the Gainey administration’s flawed inclusionary zoning proposal. We warned this would happen. They denied it.
Now families are stuck waiting—and the city is pretending it’s not their fault.
Now families are stuck waiting—and the city is pretending it’s not their fault.
NEWS - PGH’s inclusionary zoning push is causing some developers/investors to pause housing builds even before law is passed. One developer I spoke to isn’t wholesale against IZ, but says it needs tax breaks, mayor doesn’t seem keen on adding tax breaks in www.axios.com/local/pittsb...
Pittsburgh fight over inclusionary zoning is stalling development
Developers say Pittsburgh's inclusionary zoning plan could push investment to other cities.
www.axios.com
May 14, 2025 at 2:35 PM
Over 1,000 homes are on hold in Pittsburgh because of the Gainey administration’s flawed inclusionary zoning proposal. We warned this would happen. They denied it.
Now families are stuck waiting—and the city is pretending it’s not their fault.
Now families are stuck waiting—and the city is pretending it’s not their fault.
Reposted by Chris Beam
Today, Pro-Housing Pittsburgh announced our endorsements for the May 20th Democratic primary.
These candidates best exemplify our pro-housing vision for Pittsburgh, and we encourage all of our members to vote for them in the upcoming primary!
These candidates best exemplify our pro-housing vision for Pittsburgh, and we encourage all of our members to vote for them in the upcoming primary!
May 6, 2025 at 3:04 PM
Today, Pro-Housing Pittsburgh announced our endorsements for the May 20th Democratic primary.
These candidates best exemplify our pro-housing vision for Pittsburgh, and we encourage all of our members to vote for them in the upcoming primary!
These candidates best exemplify our pro-housing vision for Pittsburgh, and we encourage all of our members to vote for them in the upcoming primary!
Thank you to Councilors @barb4pgh.bsky.social, Wilson, and @charlandbob.bsky.social for writing/sponsoring this legislation to reduce obstacles to housing here in Pittsburgh. Thank you to @prohousingpgh.org members and allies for testifying in support of this as well! Let's do parking minimums next!
Kudos to @prohousingpgh.org and their successful advocacy that’s led to Pittsburgh’s eliminating minimum lot sizes per units and eliminating and/or reducing minimum lot sizes citywide!
youtu.be/a80zoANs6JY?...
youtu.be/a80zoANs6JY?...
Pro-Housing Pittsburgh Members Support Min Lot Size Reform
YouTube video by Pro-Housing Pittsburgh
youtu.be
May 6, 2025 at 6:20 PM
Thank you to Councilors @barb4pgh.bsky.social, Wilson, and @charlandbob.bsky.social for writing/sponsoring this legislation to reduce obstacles to housing here in Pittsburgh. Thank you to @prohousingpgh.org members and allies for testifying in support of this as well! Let's do parking minimums next!
Reposted by Chris Beam
"Estimating the model using policy variation and microdata on development from 2003 to 2015, I find a citywide marginal fiscal cost of $1.6 million per low-income unit." Wow, funded affordability mandates are expensive. h/t @cselmendorf.bsky.social
direct.mit.edu/rest/article...
direct.mit.edu/rest/article...
The Price of Inclusion: Evidence from Housing Developer Behavior
Abstract. In many cities, incentives and regulations lead developers to integrate low-income housing into market-rate buildings. How cost-effective are these policies? I study take-up of a tax incenti...
direct.mit.edu
May 4, 2025 at 11:22 PM
"Estimating the model using policy variation and microdata on development from 2003 to 2015, I find a citywide marginal fiscal cost of $1.6 million per low-income unit." Wow, funded affordability mandates are expensive. h/t @cselmendorf.bsky.social
direct.mit.edu/rest/article...
direct.mit.edu/rest/article...
Great reporting from PublicSource! I always appreciate their dedication to transparency by reviewing our annual payroll expenses. I hope someday Pittsburgh is able to pay our city staff better wages so we aren't incentivizing people to move to Harrisburg/DC for better careers.
Curious what salaries city employees (and elected officials, and high-profile appointees) earn? Check out our annual report www.publicsource.org/city-pittsbu...
City of Pittsburgh employees' extra compensation surged in 2024
Extra pay for City of Pittsburgh employees grew to more than $12 million in 2024. City officials say it reflected reinstatements, retirements — not bonuses.
www.publicsource.org
April 24, 2025 at 6:47 PM
Great reporting from PublicSource! I always appreciate their dedication to transparency by reviewing our annual payroll expenses. I hope someday Pittsburgh is able to pay our city staff better wages so we aren't incentivizing people to move to Harrisburg/DC for better careers.
Reposted by Chris Beam
New housing doesn’t cause displacement, that’s what the NIMBYs don’t (or refuse to) understand. Not building housing causes displacement
April 23, 2025 at 8:16 PM
New housing doesn’t cause displacement, that’s what the NIMBYs don’t (or refuse to) understand. Not building housing causes displacement
This matches the data I've seen with the city's building permits that indicate that way less than 1600 affordable units have started construction.
The mayor turned his housing walk into a campaign rally. I won’t be there. This video breaks down why: his debate claim of 1,600 new completed affordable units simply isn’t backed by his own tracker.
April 22, 2025 at 11:48 PM
This matches the data I've seen with the city's building permits that indicate that way less than 1600 affordable units have started construction.
Reposted by Chris Beam
CALL TO ACTION: This Wednesday, April 23rd, join Pro-Housing Pittsburgh as we speak in favor of bill 2025-1579 that will reduce minimum lot sizes and make it easier to build starter homes and small apartment buildings in Pittsburgh!
April 21, 2025 at 11:53 AM
CALL TO ACTION: This Wednesday, April 23rd, join Pro-Housing Pittsburgh as we speak in favor of bill 2025-1579 that will reduce minimum lot sizes and make it easier to build starter homes and small apartment buildings in Pittsburgh!
Reposted by Chris Beam
Good to see Pittsburgh's Fatal Crash Response Team getting national attention:
Pittsburgh’s Leaders Made Streets Safer—Your Officials Can Too
For years, Pittsburgh struggled with rising traffic fatalities. Instead of accepting these tragedies as inevitable or waiting for outside funding, city leaders acted decisively with the resources they...
www.strongtowns.org
April 19, 2025 at 2:46 PM
Good to see Pittsburgh's Fatal Crash Response Team getting national attention:
Reposted by Chris Beam
Missed the candidate forum? Watch it on YouTube!
2025 Democratic Primary Candidate Housing Forum
Pro-Housing Pittsburgh and the Pitt Law Democrats are hosting a housing forum for 2025 primary candidates.
www.youtube.com
April 18, 2025 at 7:18 PM
Missed the candidate forum? Watch it on YouTube!