Pittsburgh Study Shows City’s Vibrancy Has Returned

Editor’s note:  We found this to be true during our visit there this summer. Pittsburgh has drastically changed over the last 10 years and the improvement is palpable.

Pittsburgh has transformed from an economically stagnant, transient city to “somewhere people want to come to and stay for a long time,” according to Doug Heuck, director of Pittsburgh Today.

A new report from the statistics-based project reflects this trend in increased home ownership, showing more residents are making the city their home.

The report shows the Pittsburgh region has the highest percentage of owner-occupied housing compared to 14 other metropolitan areas with comparable size and demographics, according to U.S. Census figures.

Factors like employment opportunities, education and housing have turned the city into “somewhere people want to come to and stay for a long time,” Mr. Heuck said.

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/local/city/2014/10/18/Study-shows-Pittsburgh-s-vibrancy-has-returned/stories/201410180017

Genesis Housing Corporation Homes For Sale In Pottstown

Now is the time to buy renovated single family homes.  Total monthly payments as low as $452 per month. [info/application].  Click here to see our available homes.

Pottstown homes are 610 Chestnut St., 612 Chestnut St., 405 Walnut St and 407 Walnut St. Coming soon is 433 Walnut St.

The Washington Street Neighborhood Project is revitalizing Washington Street in Pottstown, Pennsylvania.  The Washington Street Neighborhood Project emphasizes home ownership and encourages local renters to become homebuyers.

The Washington Street Neighborhood Project purchases, rehabs, and resells homes at affordable sale prices with an interest free soft second mortgage for the difference between the sale price and the appraised value of the home.

Read more:  http://genesishousing.org/projects_wash2.html

Census: Housing Bust Worst Since Great Depression

WASHINGTON—The American dream of homeownership has felt its biggest drop since the Great Depression, according to new 2010 census figures released Thursday.

The analysis by the Census Bureau found the homeownership rate fell to 65.1 percent last year. While that level remains the second highest decennial rate, analysts say the U.S. may never return to its mid-decade housing boom peak in which nearly 70 percent of occupied households were owned by their residents…

Read more: http://www.ydr.com/business/ci_19055810

The Weather Is Getting Warmer And Problems Are On The Rise In Pottstown’s Core Neighborhood

Now that the weather is warmer and people are involved in more outdoor activities, we are noticing that problems are starting to escalate in the Washington Street Corridor.  The Mercury reported two shootings, in the last week, in that general area as well as a self-inflicted gunshot wound to a third person. 

It appears that noise and loitering are on the rise.  Large groups of people hanging around with nothing in particular to do which is a recipe for disaster.  Idle hands….

It has come to my attention that there is a particular hot spot of activity which needs to be addressed.  If we are serious about cleaning up and stabilizing the core neighborhood through homeownership, we better start putting our money where our mouth is.  The few homeowners in that area are sick of this behavior and are prisoners in their homes.  You will never attract new homeowners with this sort of lawlessness being allowed to go on.  Confronting these people is dangerous and should be handled by law enforcement professionals.

This activity is a black eye for Pottstown and continues to reinforce the stereotype that our community is a ghetto and unsafe.  This is of course not true, but perception is hard to change.  This problem area of town needs immediate and swift attention. 

If we expect PAID to do their job, crime MUST be brought under control.  How is PAID supposed to attract business and industry to Pottstown if this Wild West behavior is tolerated??  Who the hell will invest in Pottstown if we cannot get a handle on criminal activity??  The answer is Section 8 slumlords!

We need to start enforcing the laws we have on the books and being a little more clever.  Again, I suggest cameras for problem areas and beefed up patrols.  If we cannot get the criminal element in this town under control PAID is DOA!