Sunday, September 8, 2013

Planning

Pittsburgh's Little Brooklyn (aka Lawrenceville) is attracting many new young families (new businesses on Butler include one that offers classes for expectant parents and a toddler clothing boutique).  Wouldn't it be great if there was a mechanism in place for PPS to note areas with the potential for attracting new families to the city and provide them with a solid plan for a public education through high school (including good options for students not enrolling in a magnet like CAPA or sci tech) that will maximize this potential?

5 comments:

Mark Rauterkus said...

Pittsburgh does not have much of a problem with attractiveness with young families.

Stumbles occur as the older child is 8 to 13, IMNSHO.

Questioner said...

The idea would be to attract and retain, and we don't know how many more families would be attracted if they could see there way clear through high school (especially families that know they would never want to move out to the suburbs).

Mark Rauterkus said...

Better to exit survey those that do move out.

And any person that would say that they never would move their family to benefit their child in a difficult spot at a difficult age may not have kids of their own,

Questioner said...

Of course, few people would say they would never leave, but in deciding whether to move to the city they will be weighing the odds that they won't have to move (and this is from experience).

Mark Rauterkus said...

The best thing to do, IMNSHO, about getting people to move here and stay here (in City of Pgh) is tied to the deed transfer tax.

One of the worst taxes we have is the deed transfer tax.

We should encourage a fluid marketplace that allows folks and families to upgrade, side-grade, down-grade. Perhaps a grandparent moves in? Perhaps kids out grow their rooms. Perhaps the old house is ready for re-sale. Whatever. The sting of the deed transfer tax is huge when you consider moving 2 or 4 times in a few decades.

The townhouse might be great for grad students and new couples. Then a starter home. Then a home with a yard. Then some extra rooms.

Each move has a hefty punishment with the deed transfer tax that nets NO EXTRA VALUE in terms of real assets.

Then to your point: A family that moves to the city could jump to different houses and settings to suit their short term situation.

In suburban Pgh it is easy to add a sun room. It is easy to build a 2 car garage. It is easy to put in a back yard pool or a shed for storage of extra toys, etc.

In the city, our spaces are more mature, more confined, more character too.

We have lots of value for those that pick a space and NEVER move. Wouldn't it be nice to have VALUE and FLEXIBILITY without the deed transfer tax?