Pittsburgh councilman seeks to restore in-person option to obtain permits

More than four years after the City of Pittsburgh moved all permitting services online because of the covid-19 pandemic, a councilman wants in-person services restored.

Pittsburgh has been without an in-person option for those who need permits since March 2020.

A new city office building Downtown called 412 Boulevard of the Allies is supposed to have a permitting counter, but the project has been plagued by delays.

“As we see more and more delays on 412 Boulevard of the Allies, the situation has become more pressing that we really need to get a physical location opened up for permitting through the city,” Councilman Bob Charland, D-South Side, said Tuesday.

Charland cited statistics showing 10% of Pittsburgh households do not have access to computers, which would hinder their ability to utilize the online One Stop PGH platform where all permitting now must be completed.

“The city must remain committed to providing equitable access to public services for all households,” Charland wrote to his fellow council members.

The councilman urged city officials to open a physical permitting counter at least one day per week.

City Council unanimously supported Charland’s request.

Also Tuesday, council voted to approve an additional $142,000 for the 412 Boulevard of the Allies site. The city co-owns the building with the Urban Redevelopment Authority and the Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh.

Pittsburgh’s portion of the project has already gone more than $3 million over budget — with its total cost at nearly $9 million — because of supply chain issues and increased construction costs.

A spokeswoman for Mayor Ed Gainey could not immediately provide an updated timeline for when the city may open its offices at the site. In November 2022, officials estimated the offices would open sometime the following year.

The offices that will be moving into the site — including the city’s permitting counter — were previously housed in the John P. Robin Civic Center at 200 Ross Street.