Peduto was right to fight evictions
Mayor Bill Peduto recently took a stand with a developer who was displacing hundreds of residents of the Penn Plaza Apartments in East Liberty, continuing the example set by the Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh years ago with the relocation of residents of East Mall, Penn Circle and Liberty Park apartments prior to demolition (“Penn Plaza Landlord Pauses Eviction Process After Outcry,” July 19). The vast majority of residents of Penn Plaza are poor, elderly and/or disabled, similar to those residents previously displaced. Many live in that neighborhood to meet their needs for medical services, transportation or close proximity to churches and family. They are not poor by choice; they are poor due to life circumstances that are out of their control.
The owner of Penn Plaza Apartments has been considering a reuse of this site for at least 10 years. A 90-day notice to residents is insufficient, given that many have special needs.
Of course, there may be residents living at Penn Plaza who are not upstanding citizens, and they will likely move on to other neighborhoods where their lifestyles will blend in. Again, this was the experience at the three highrises.
Assuring availability of affordable housing resources does not mean that residents are relocated to swanky, upscale, expensive apartments. It just means that those residents being displaced need to have knowledge of apartments that are available to them that meet federal housing quality standards, which are very basic. It takes time to identify what is available for lease, with information on wheelchair accessibility or other necessary accommodations, and then to match available affordable housing to those individuals being displaced.
Mr. Peduto is doing the right thing, putting people first. Any developer with integrity will respect the mayor’s position.
DIANA GRAY North Huntingdon
A callous landlord
The recent news reports about the Penn Plaza Apartments in East Liberty were frightening, shocking and sad. The owners of the complex, which is home for more than 500 residents, initially issued a letter demanding that they all vacate the property within 90 days. Public and local government outcry has caused the owner to temporarily rescind that devastating edict.
I take the position that the outrageously arrogant and inhumane action by the owners demonstrates that they do not value the community spirit and public interest of Pittsburghers. This thoughtless action could be used to formulate a college business course case study exploring bad corporate behavior. These folks ignored two of their principal constituents: their current residents and the local government, all key stakeholders in their future development plans. Were the MBAs out to lunch when this “strategy” was conceived?
I conclude that the owners of this property are insensitive to the plight of the poor, the handicapped, the elderly and the African-American citizens of Pittsburgh. Furthermore, the forced removal of the residents would have a devastating impact on the racial balance and diversity of East Liberty and ultimately Pittsburgh.
Therefore, I suggest for the public good that our city government declare and employ the principle of eminent domain to protect this community from neighborhood “cleansing.” Gentrification should never be so boldly callous and cold-hearted. The owners of this property do not deserve to be involved in the future of Pittsburgh. HARRY JAMES FORD
Swissvale
Legal activities
Planned Parenthood provides health services to low-income women and fetal tissue for needed medical research, according to federal law. If you don’t like what they are doing, change the law instead of decreasing funding to Planned Parenthood. JACQUELINE RICHEY
Squirrel Hill
Trump forgets
Donald Trump has a memory problem. He touts over and over again how rich he is but forgets that his father left him hundreds of millions of dollars and a thriving real estate development company. He calls people coming over our southern border criminals and rapists and forgets that his company has employed many illegal immigrants. He points to all the buildings with his name on them and forgets that he does not own or run many of them.
He claims if he is elected president of the United States he will reverse the flow of manufacturing jobs to China and bring them home, forgetting that, before Macy’s threw his endorsed line of products out of their stores, that many of them were made in China. He is proud of his business successes but forgets all the bankruptcies he has declared resulting in huge losses for his creditors.
He says John McCain is not a war hero because he was captured and imprisoned by the North Vietnamese for more than five years yet forgets that he, due to deferments and a bone spur in his foot, never served his country in the military.
Donald says he is for traditional marriage until reminded that he has been married three times and divorced twice. Imagine that on Nov. 9, 2016, our country awakens to find we have elected Donald Trump president and Ann Coulter vice president. Imagine that and be afraid, be very afraid. AL ANDREWS
Mt. Lebanon
Who’s fired?
Donald Trump says, “People are tired of these incompetent politicians in Washington that can’t get anything done.”
So what’s he gonna do? Fire Congress? ROBERT L. WOLKE
Mount Washington