Online platform hopes to increase access to property data in Pittsburgh region
Allegheny County and Pittsburgh want to increase access to property data in the region.
Now, a new online platform will do just that, and local leaders believe it will also play a role in fighting blight by holding property owners accountable.
Natalie Merola, director of operations for the Turtle Creek Valley Council of Governments, knows the cost blight has on communities.
"Every municipality in Allegheny County is impacted by blight to a certain degree," Merola said.
They create eyesores, reduce property values and can be a serious danger hazard. She said tackling the problem can take significant time and resources.
However, they and other agencies in Allegheny County and Pittsburgh have a new online platform at their disposal.
"It's a tool that will help developers, neighborhood leaders, community leaders, businesses," Mayor Ed Gainey said.
It's called Parcels N'at, created by the Western Pennsylvania Regional Data Center, an open data partnership between the county, city, and the University of Pittsburgh. It brings together a variety of data sets for properties in the region.
On one website, you can find county assessment data, foreclosure records, city permits, code violations and more.
Merola said they've already integrated the tool into their software, allowing code enforcement inspectors to instantly review owner and parcel data.
"It provides details to aid in action on blighted properties and hold problem property owners accountable," Merola said.
Code enforcement officer for the council, Alex Coyne, said that with the tool he can see previous code violations and guilty convictions.
"If I see that there are multiple blighted properties across multiple jurisdictions, it can make it easier for me to formulate an argument why the property should be demolished," Coyne said.
It's giving him and other municipalities leverage to deny permits and punish irresponsible property owners, reducing the blight in the community.
"It gives me leverage to get them into compliance. We've seen it with a lot of previously irresponsible property owners that now I don't have a problem with," Coyne said.
If you're interested in using the new tool, you can find it .
