Abney: more than $2.8 million in tax credits awarded for community support

Allegheny County Delegation    November 21, 2023 | 3:57 PM

PITTSBURGH, Nov. 21 – State Rep. Aerion A. Abney, D-Allegheny, announced today that $2.84 million in tax credits through the state’s Neighborhood Assistance Program has been awarded to several community organizations.

“These tax credits are essential to the preservation and improvement of communities that need urgent assistance,” Abney said. “Whether putting more roofs over the heads of individuals, providing food resources, or helping local businesses expand, I applaud all the great work these tax credits will do by encouraging private investment.”

Two organizations were approved for general NAP tax credits. They are:

  • Amani Christian Community Development Corp.: $55,000 for the Centre Avenue project, which includes the eventual completion of a 700 square foot affordable commercial space builder.
  • Boys & Girls Clubs of Western Pennsylvania: $55,000 for a project to replace the roof of their main building for safer program access.

Six organizations were awarded Neighborhood Partnership Program tax credits. Those recipients are:

  • Hilltop Alliance: $200,000 for a projects involving home repairs and food assistance.
  • Hazelwood Initiative Inc.: $240,000 for a project to renovate rental units.
  • Northside Leadership Conference Inc.: $400,000 for a project to support affordable housing development, commercial real estate, small business support, parks and greenspace planning, and restoration, infrastructure investments, and public health initiatives.
  • Hilltop Economic Development Corp.: $320,000 for projects involving business and housing assistance.
  • Hill Community Development Corp.: $540,000 for home preservation projects and projects to deliver resources for business owners and entrepreneurs.
  • Uptown Partners of Pittsburgh: $120,000 for a project to revitalize Uptown Pittsburg through property redevelopment and mitigation of blight and vacancy conservatorship.

Five organizations were awarded Special Program Priorities tax credits. SPP recipients are:

  • Neighborhood Resilience Project: $37,500 on a project to increase the number of clinical resources at its Free Health Center.
  • Pittsburgh Community Reinvestment Group: $127,500 for a project to help develop and implement home repair and financial education programs and acquire blighted, vacant and tax delinquent properties for development.
  • Urban Impact Foundation: $243,750 for a project to renovate previously unused commercial space on the North Side, which will be occupied by youth services.
  • Perry Hilltop Citizens Council: $15,000 for a project to stimulate economic activity by restoring a key storefront in Perrysville.
  • ACTION-Housing Inc.: $56,250 for the MyPlace program to support a project which focuses on progressing homeless individuals to self-sufficiency.

Two organizations were awarded Enterprise Zone Program tax credits. EZP recipients are:

  • Hazel Grove Brewing Co.: $183,714 for a project to redevelop a blighted building into a traditional micro-brewery and taproom, including installing new lighting, HVAC and plumbing systems.
  • New Granada Development LLC: $250,000 for a project to redevelop New Granada Square.

Abney has introduced legislation (H.B. 1429) that would raise the cap on tax credits available through the NAP from $36 million to $72 million. Businesses would also see an increase on the tax credits they could claim, dependent on the kind of project they bring to a community.