Jonathan Salmans
@salmansjonathan.bsky.social
Urbanist Blogger. Supports a more walkable, bike friendly Pittsburgh with better transit.
https://connect-pgh.com/
https://connect-pgh.com/
That is fantastic.
May 22, 2025 at 6:48 PM
That is fantastic.
They also fail to recognize the benefit of strengthening our tax base that results from development.
March 30, 2025 at 9:12 PM
They also fail to recognize the benefit of strengthening our tax base that results from development.
This bill would provide a massive tax exemption to millionaire homeowners and is a terrible idea given our city's current fiscal situation. connect-pgh.com/a-tax-loopho...
A Tax LOOPhole Allegheny County Could do Without
A proposal known as LOOP would give property tax breaks to many long-time homeowners. This would make property taxes less fair and less efficient.
connect-pgh.com
March 20, 2025 at 12:21 AM
This bill would provide a massive tax exemption to millionaire homeowners and is a terrible idea given our city's current fiscal situation. connect-pgh.com/a-tax-loopho...
Most of the benefit of market rate development flows to the community, not developers. Lot size reform legalizes beneficial development. An affordability mandate causes more harm than the benefit from lot size reform.
March 14, 2025 at 6:07 PM
Most of the benefit of market rate development flows to the community, not developers. Lot size reform legalizes beneficial development. An affordability mandate causes more harm than the benefit from lot size reform.
Under Gainey's proposal, a property reassessment would trigger a massive tax cut for wealthy long-time homeowners, which would need to be made up by higher taxes on renters and people who've become homeowners more recently. (1/2)
"The goal, the mayor said, is to ensure that people who own homes in neighborhoods where property values are skyrocketing don’t find themselves struggling to pay their taxes if their property is reassessed."
triblive.com/local/gainey...
triblive.com/local/gainey...
March 10, 2025 at 1:16 AM
I wrote a long form blog post about why the LOOP tax exemption is a bad idea here:
connect-pgh.com/a-tax-loopho...
connect-pgh.com/a-tax-loopho...
A Tax LOOPhole Allegheny County Could do Without
A proposal known as LOOP would give property tax breaks to many long-time homeowners. This would make property taxes less fair and less efficient.
connect-pgh.com
March 8, 2025 at 5:27 AM
I wrote a long form blog post about why the LOOP tax exemption is a bad idea here:
connect-pgh.com/a-tax-loopho...
connect-pgh.com/a-tax-loopho...
This is a fantastic explainer: youtu.be/bBC-nXj3Ng4?...
But how does bitcoin actually work?
YouTube video by 3Blue1Brown
youtu.be
March 4, 2025 at 3:24 AM
This is a fantastic explainer: youtu.be/bBC-nXj3Ng4?...
You say that as if it would have been a trivial thing for him to do. I don't think he would have been able, had he tried.
February 24, 2025 at 12:47 AM
You say that as if it would have been a trivial thing for him to do. I don't think he would have been able, had he tried.
You have to pay capital gains when you sell.
February 7, 2025 at 5:05 AM
You have to pay capital gains when you sell.
For more details, read my latest blog post on the topic. (10/10) connect-pgh.com/for-more-aff...
For More Affordable Housing, Fix the Housing Choice Voucher Program - Connect-PGH
An urban planning blog for the Pittsburgh area. Filled with insightful analysis of transportation and development issues.
connect-pgh.com
February 6, 2025 at 3:52 AM
For more details, read my latest blog post on the topic. (10/10) connect-pgh.com/for-more-aff...
Voucher recipients aren't allowed to rent much of the typical, well maintained housing because it fails to meet quality standards that are unrealistic considering the age of Pittsburgh's housing stock. (9/10)
February 6, 2025 at 3:52 AM
Voucher recipients aren't allowed to rent much of the typical, well maintained housing because it fails to meet quality standards that are unrealistic considering the age of Pittsburgh's housing stock. (9/10)
The meeting also didn't consider issues identified by HUD funded research. Issues with housing inspections are one of the most common reasons for landlord reluctance. (8/10)
February 6, 2025 at 3:52 AM
The meeting also didn't consider issues identified by HUD funded research. Issues with housing inspections are one of the most common reasons for landlord reluctance. (8/10)
Another major shortcoming of the council meeting was that no landlords who refuse to accept vouchers participated, leaving out important perspectives. (7/10)
February 6, 2025 at 3:52 AM
Another major shortcoming of the council meeting was that no landlords who refuse to accept vouchers participated, leaving out important perspectives. (7/10)
Unfortunately, HACP director Caster Binion did not have good answers to the problems. He went on a bizarre tangent about using AI that left the impression he didn't have serious solutions. (6/10)
February 6, 2025 at 3:52 AM
Unfortunately, HACP director Caster Binion did not have good answers to the problems. He went on a bizarre tangent about using AI that left the impression he didn't have serious solutions. (6/10)
Kendall Pelling, the Executive Director of another non-profit, described how it takes months to schedule the inspections the program requires. He said the Allegheny County Housing Authority is more prompt and organized. (5/10)
February 6, 2025 at 3:52 AM
Kendall Pelling, the Executive Director of another non-profit, described how it takes months to schedule the inspections the program requires. He said the Allegheny County Housing Authority is more prompt and organized. (5/10)
Glenn Williams, the Executive Director of one housing non-profit, described how vacancies caused by the Housing Authority cost thousands of dollars. (4/10)
February 6, 2025 at 3:52 AM
Glenn Williams, the Executive Director of one housing non-profit, described how vacancies caused by the Housing Authority cost thousands of dollars. (4/10)
At a recent city council meeting, Barb Warwick engaged landlords to try and find solutions. The meeting was a good first step, but it also made clear the scope of the problems. (3/10)
February 6, 2025 at 3:52 AM
At a recent city council meeting, Barb Warwick engaged landlords to try and find solutions. The meeting was a good first step, but it also made clear the scope of the problems. (3/10)
The HCV program is administered by the Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh (HACP). Suffering from high staff-turnover, HACP has struggled to make timely rent payments and is a bureaucratic challenge for landlords to work with. (2/10)
February 6, 2025 at 3:52 AM
The HCV program is administered by the Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh (HACP). Suffering from high staff-turnover, HACP has struggled to make timely rent payments and is a bureaucratic challenge for landlords to work with. (2/10)
PHP's paper, while constrained by the limitations of available data, is the most accurate assessment of the Lawrenceville IZ program that has been developed to date. (4/4)
February 5, 2025 at 3:15 AM
PHP's paper, while constrained by the limitations of available data, is the most accurate assessment of the Lawrenceville IZ program that has been developed to date. (4/4)
But it's a strength that PHP's paper acknowledges these limitations, whereas PCRG's report is full of false or overstated claims. PCRG's report contains no analysis to estimate the amount IZ reduces market rate construction or increases affordable units new construction. (3/4)
February 5, 2025 at 3:15 AM
But it's a strength that PHP's paper acknowledges these limitations, whereas PCRG's report is full of false or overstated claims. PCRG's report contains no analysis to estimate the amount IZ reduces market rate construction or increases affordable units new construction. (3/4)
In your next tweet you mention that PHP's paper acknowledges their results are not statistically significant. And it's true that the timeframe and number of developments in Lawrenceville is too small to evaluate IZ's impact with a high level of precision. (2/4)
February 5, 2025 at 3:15 AM
In your next tweet you mention that PHP's paper acknowledges their results are not statistically significant. And it's true that the timeframe and number of developments in Lawrenceville is too small to evaluate IZ's impact with a high level of precision. (2/4)