Mayor Ed Gainey submits legislation to Council creating Groundbreaking Longtime Owner Occupant Tax Exemption Program (LOOP)

If adopted by Council, the LOOP program would ensure that Pittsburgh residents who have contributed to the character and vibrancy of their neighborhoods will be able to continue living in the homes they’ve cherished, despite the pressures of development on property values. 

“I’m proud to submit this legislation that will help keep people in the houses they made into homes,” said Mayor Ed Gainey. “No resident should be forced out of their neighborhood due to development, and LOOP is an important step toward ensuring that Pittsburgh’s residents can continue to call their communities home.” 

The LOOP program offers tax relief to homeowners in rapidly gentrifying neighborhoods by exempting or deferring property tax increases for those who meet specific eligibility criteria. This includes homeowners who have lived in their property for at least ten continuous years, or five years if they’ve received assistance from a government or nonprofit housing program. Additional eligibility factors include the increase in property assessment value, household income level, and the timeliness of tax payments. 

Key Eligibility Requirements for LOOP: 

• Longtime Owner Occupant: Homeowners must have owned and lived in the same property for at least 10 years (or 5 years if they received housing assistance). 

• Property Assessment Increase: Homeowners must experience an assessment value increase of more than 25% from one year to the next, or a 50% increase over a 5-year period. 

• Income: Household income must be at or below 120% of the Area Median Income. 

• Tax Payments: All real estate taxes must be current, or a payment plan must be in place with the Department of Finance. 

Pittsburgh’s commitment to preserving affordable housing amidst growing gentrification pressures is stronger than ever. Mayor Gainey’s leadership ensures that LOOP will be implemented efficiently and equitably. The application period for the program would run annually from January 1st to June 30th, with exemptions applied retroactively to the current tax year. Participants would then automatically receive the exemption each year until they sell their home or no longer meet eligibility requirements. 

Mayor Gainey Announced the submission of LOOP authorizing legislation as part of the Keep Pittsburgh Home campaign, a multi-pronged effort to address the root causes of Pittsburgh’s housing affordability crisis by pursuing funding and legal reforms to increase funding for affordable housing development, change regulations to encourage more housing construction, and combat displacement caused by real estate speculation and gentrification. The event also highlighted the successes of other homeownership programs implemented or supported by the Gainey Administration, including OwnPGH, the Homeowner Assistance Program, and the Whole Home Repair Program. 

Through the OwnPGH program, the Gainey administration is breaking down historic barriers to homeownership. This program provides crucial down payment assistance for first-time buyers and has already helped 150 homeowners—88% of whom are women heads of household or from communities historically excluded from homeownership. OwnPGH is playing a critical role in closing Pittsburgh’s racial and gender homeownership gaps, addressing disparities where Black Pittsburghers are more than twice as likely to be denied a mortgage as white applicants, and women—especially women of color—face disproportionately higher financial and systemic barriers to homeownership. OwnPGH directly addresses these inequities, ensuring more families can own, stay, and build wealth in Pittsburgh. 

“Keeping people in their homes isn’t just about helping them buy; it’s about ensuring they can afford to stay,” said Mayor Gainey. “Too many longtime homeowners are forced to sell, not because they want to leave, but because they cannot afford necessary repairs or rising costs in their own neighborhoods.” 

Both the Homeowner Assistance Program (HAP) and the Whole-Home Repairs Program prioritize neighborhood stability by addressing critical repairs and avoiding financial burdens that could lead to displacement. 

These programs are part of a broader strategy to protect homeownership and prevent displacement in Pittsburgh. The City is also focused on: 

• Keeping Public Tools for the People: Strengthening the Land Bank and investing in public housing to ensure long-term affordability. 

• Stopping Housing from Becoming Hotels: Enforcing short-term rental regulations to curb speculation. 

• Preventing Displacement: Expanding affordable housing, leveraging housing bonds, and using public tools to keep residents in their neighborhoods. 

• Making Homeownership Possible: Creating more pathways for first-time buyers to own homes and build stability. 

• Protecting Renters: Stopping unfair evictions and rent hikes that push families out. 

• Fighting Predatory Investors: Limiting speculation to keep homes in the hands of Pittsburghers. 

Why These Programs Matter Expanding access to homeownership means creating stability, building generational wealth, and strengthening neighborhoods. Too many Pittsburghers are at risk of being pushed out due to speculation and rising costs, struggling to find stable housing. 

With these efforts, Pittsburgh is taking decisive action to ensure that its residents—regardless of their background or income—can continue to thrive and build a future in the neighborhoods they’ve made their own.