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put_the_ux_in_sux t1_j89z3lj wrote

I’ve tried for over 3 years to buy an empty lot owned by the city. Never a single reply back.

Weird that people with connections to the city get massive prime lots for pennies on the dollar.

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pedantic_comments t1_j8aj5pe wrote

Buying my side lot took about ten years and I think I had to start the process over at least three times due to “lost” paperwork and staff turnover.

The city seems to be doing its best to rollback the side lot program, but won’t sell lots individually - only in groups to developers.

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Evorgleb t1_j8dllnl wrote

> the side lot program

I am not familiar with this program. How is it supposed to work?

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pedantic_comments t1_j8dnwkr wrote

I’d love to drop some knowledge bombs!

It’s a relic from when houses cost less than an used car. I’m pretty confident that the powers that be are trying to do as few of these sales as possible, because now it means selling a lot worth $25k+ for $400 to a neighbor.

I maintained the lot next to my house for a decade and filled out the paperwork. It takes about a year or two if you’re approved and you can’t have any major code violations or owe any tax or utilities. My neighbors got rejected for a week-overdue water bill, for example.

https://apps.pittsburghpa.gov/finance/sideyard_sale_program.pdf

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AlleghenyCityHolding t1_j8apc07 wrote

Just say fuck it and adverse possession it.

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the_real_xuth t1_j8b3rhb wrote

Just for clarity, there's a lot to be said for just acting as if you own the property and depending on the details, there's a good chance you'll never have an issue in your lifetime (when I was looking at homes recently, one that I was seriously considering had much of its fenced in yard and paved driveway on city property and it had been that way for at least several decades with no reason to believe that that the situation would change any time in coming decades). However PA state law doesn't allow actual adverse possession (with transfer of title at the end of the process) with municipally owned property.

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[deleted] t1_j8ati0o wrote

[deleted]

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put_the_ux_in_sux t1_j8axa29 wrote

5456 Black St Acquired in 1994. Sold to Module Development in 2019 for $1,500.

Subdivided into two additional lots (5454, 5452).

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verdesquared4533 t1_j8d66am wrote

>5456 Black St

Didn’t that go through the URA and the not the City?

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[deleted] t1_j8bm6x6 wrote

[deleted]

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bredthings t1_j8dbyj8 wrote

Yes it is, and especially for that price. The point you’re missing is that the city does not offer the same price on lots/buying opportunities to local families and small businesses (for the most part)

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