Pittsburgh City Council heard four hours of public of testimony Wednesday as residents and developers clashed over Mayor Ed Gainey’s proposal to require affordable units in new apartment buildings citywide, a plan aimed to address a shortage of 8,000 affordable housing units that has divided the city.
The hearing drew 70 speakers — 97 had signed up to testify — who debated Gainey’s proposal to extend inclusionary zoning [IZ] from four pilot neighborhoods to all of Pittsburgh.
Council Chambers reached near standing-room capacity, with tensions high between housing advocates and development interests. The hearing saw 40 speakers testifying in favor of Gainey’s proposal and 30 in opposition…