In November of 2015, the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh (URA) put out a request for proposal to improve the vacant lot maintenance process to enable new opportunities for community benefit. Using national best practices, soliciting input from community members and local contractors, and examining current barriers to the process, the “LandCare Program” was developed.
Grounded partnered with the URA to establish a new 2-tiered program that separates the URA portfolio into 8 bundles of properties. Seven of the bundles are of roughly equal size and condition located in Homewood, Larimer, Manchester, Hazelwood, and the Hill District. The remaining bundle included the rest of the URA portfolio. The LandCare Program represents the opportunity for 7 new small businesses and nonprofits to participate in localized vacant lot maintenance.
For more information about the LandCare program, please visit Grounded’s website.
Using the Map
The map uses a color system to indicate which contractors are maintaining vacant lots in your neighborhood. Each contractor is assigned a color and their color is displayed on the lots they visit each month. The color assignment guide is at the bottom of the map.
After work has been completed on a lot, the assigned color will turn a shade darker. Zoom in on the map to get a closer look and find out which contractor is maintaining lots near you. You can click on the dark lots (indicating they’ve already been maintained) to see when service occurred, who provided the services, what was addressed, and view a picture of the completed work.