►
From YouTube: Pittsburgh City Council Interviews - 2/21/23
Description
Jake Wheatley to the Housing Authority Board of Directors
Paula Kellerman as the Director of the Department of Human Resources & Civil Services
A
B
Thank
you
and
we're
joined
by
councilwoman,
Erica,
strasberger
and
I.
Anticipate
others
will
join
us.
Are
there
any
others
online
I
can't
see
from
here?
No
others
online
at
this
moment,
but
they're,
probably
watching
in
the
back
of
their
offices
and
so
you're,
going
to
be
appointed
to
the
Housing
Authority
board
and
I'm
going
to
turn
it
over
to
councilwoman.
Do
you
want
to
say
a
few
words?
First,
oh.
D
Well,
first
of
all,
thank
you
for
having
me
here
and
I.
Think.
As
you
know,
the
mayor
is
very
committed
to
trying
to
make
sure
our
Housing
Authority
is
very
responsive
to
our
citizens,
especially
those
citizens
who
live
and
reside
in
those
communities,
and
so
hopefully,
if
you
all
would
so
be
it
put
me
on
that
board.
We
would
love
to
try
to
help
continue
that
process
to
make
sure
those
citizens
get
the
type
of
housing
that
they
deserve.
E
E
D
E
Real
big
priority
for
me
will
be
making
sure
that
we
have
Partnerships
in
well-resourced
and
when
I
say
well.
Resource
I
mean
like
access
to
public
transit
access
to
walkable
communities
which
exist
in
a
lot
of
our
communities,
but
in
District
8.
That's
like
Shadyside
that
Squirrel
Hill,
that's
Point.
D
F
Yeah
I
actually
had
some
of
the
same
concerns
as
councilwoman
strasberger
is
I
too,
would
also
like
to
see
essentially
when
it
comes
to
landlords
who
are
even
just
curious
right
about
about
entering
into
the
voucher
program.
The
Section
8
program
I
mean
it
would
be
really
great
if
there
was
even
some
type
of
a
hotline
where
it's
like
that
call
that
call
is
answered
right
away
and
someone
is
sent
out
to
that
property
right
away.
F
D
There's
a
responsibility,
there's
a
responsibility
that
the
city
has
that
the
Housing
Authority
has
and
then
that
the
property
owner
has
as
it
relates
to
servicing
our
residents
in
a
Humane,
Manner,
and
so
all
of
what
you
said,
I
think
are
things
that
we've
been
thinking
about
and
trying
to
figure
out
how
we
do
it.
I
know
the
mayor
has
been
having
several
conversations,
several
conversations
with
director
Binion
and
we
plan
to
really
try
to
investigate
some
of
these
properties
and
really
try
to
figure
out.
F
Yeah,
absolutely
because
I
I
think
too
and
I
mean
it's
a
shame
to
have
to
talk
about
housing
in
this
way,
but
I
think
it's
a
reality,
especially
for
smaller
landlords
is
when
you
have
things
like
Airbnb
and
all
these
that
are
so
easy
right.
It's
so
easy
to
get
it's
all
online
and
it's
like
in
and
out
whatever
you
know,
I
feel
like
as
as
the
city
as
the
housing
learner.
F
D
G
B
You
and
for
me
I
just
this,
is
actually
one
of
the
authorities
that
we
actually
have
somebody
from
the
West
End
on
so
I'm
happy
for
that
one
Alex
larocco
and
he's
a
immigrant,
a
veteran
gay.
His
husband
works
for
Domi,
so
I
just
want
to
say
he
hits
all
the
buttons
and
he's
really
really
great
to
have
on
there
from
our
area.
B
But
for
me,
I,
just
I
think
that
there's
a
lot
of
conversations
that
have
to
happen
with
housing
in
general
and
the
City
of
Pittsburgh
I
think
we
should
actually
have
a
housing
department.
Not
all
these
separate
efforts
and
separate
initiatives.
I
think
it
would
be
great
to
have
a
Department
of
Housing
to
address
all
the
sorts
of
issues,
because
in
our
area
we
have
an
overabundance
of
housing,
affordable
housing
and
a
lot
of
it's
uninhabitable.
So
it's.
G
D
I,
don't
know
the
number,
but
I
do
know
that
the
program
over
the
years-
it's
not
as
in
fact
an
advantage
for
a
landlord
to
become
a
part
of
the
process.
I
think
that's
why
the
county
has
that
new
initiative
to
try
to
incentivize
more
Property
Owners
to
sign
up
mainly
be
again
as
you,
some
of
it
is
you
get
caught
up
into
the
bureaucracy.
You
can't
get
people
to
come
out
to
inspect
this
place.
You
can't
get.
A
D
Know,
payments
processed
in
a
timely
manner.
So
all
these
things
need
to
be
a
part
of
what
we've
kind
of
figure
out
together
and
how
we
can
make
this,
because
it
will
help
us
with
our
affordable
housing
challenge,
because
once
we
get
the
housing
authority
and
this
it's
apparatus
optimizing
all
of
its
resources,
I
think
we'll
be
able
to
help
with
some
of
these.
These
other
problems.
G
And
challenges
cut
through
the
red
tape.
Basically,
I
mean
myself
am
I
as
a
contractor.
I
don't
do
work
for
the
city
just
because
just
you
know
all
the
Hoops
I
have
to
jump
through
and
everything
for
every
job,
job
or
the
county
for
that
matter.
But
it
sounds
like
that's
kind
of
what
you're
saying
about
housing
and
to
eliminate
whatever
at.
D
Least,
try
to
make
it
more
efficient
and
more
streamlined.
You
know
and
more
you
know,
I,
don't
know
how
much
of
it
again
I,
don't
want
to
say
what's
going
on
in
the
Housing
Authority,
with
their
Staffing
and
their
abilities
to
process
these
things,
but
I
do
know
there
are
some
lessons
we
can
learn
from
some
of
our
partners
who
have
done
it
in
a
more
efficient,
effective
manner.
H
First
of
all,
thank
you,
as
everyone
mentioned,
I'm
sure
we're
looking
forward
to
working
with
you
at
the
Housing
Authority
I
wanted
to
follow
up
on
a
question
that
I
asked
the
Housing
Authority
during
budget
season
when
they
were
doing
their
budget
hearing
in
front
of
city
council.
Last
December
I
asked
about
the
amount
of
housings
stock
right,
the
the
actual
buildings
that
housing
authority
owns.
D
Yeah,
so
we've
been
our
chief
economic
development
officer,
as
you
know,
has
really
been
trying
to
build
the
relationship
with
the
Housing
Authority
talking
about
how
ways
that
we
could
leverage
what
we
have
from
the
C
Ura
and
what
they
have
available
for
financing.
Some
of
these
things,
I
think,
there's
a
plan.
D
That's
been
discussed
with
you
all
about
potentially
going
to
Market
and
doing
more
bonding
and,
and
so
we
have
some
thoughts
but
I
think
there
are
some
continual
conversation
that
needs
to
happen
between
the
housing
authority
and
our
Ura
to
try
to
work
out
what
that
looks
like
how
that
comes
about,
but
I,
think
all
of
those
things
are
on
the
table
for
us
to
try
to
figure
out.
You
know
because
I
think
from
what
I've
known
and
have
heard
from
the
Housing
Authority.
They
are
open
to
this.
This
conversation
to
be
had.
H
I'm
glad
to
hear
it,
I
mean
for
just
looking
at
multi-list,
like
every
citizen
can
do.
If
you
look
at
you
know
small
to
medium-sized
multi-units
across
the
city.
You
know
buildings
that
maybe
have
40
units
50
units
in
them
they're
for
sale,
for
you
know,
250
000
a
unit
and
some
of
them
up
here.
You
know
I
haven't
done
walkthroughs
myself
as
a
buyer,
but
they
appear
to
be
in
decent
shape
so
compared
to
the
cost
of
building
new.
H
If
we
really
need
to
add
our
capacity
I
think
of
actually
publicly
owned
properties
to
make
a
dent
in
this
problem
so
and
it
be
fat,
it's
faster
too.
So
it's
like
not
only
cheaper,
but
you
know
these
will
be
units.
You
don't
have
to
wait
two
and
a
half
years
to
get
the
financing
together
to
get
the
you
know,
permitting
approvals
together
and
then
to
do
the
actual
construction,
they're
already
existing
buildings.
So
I
look
forward
to
continuing
that
conversation.
D
D
You
you
always
bring
up
a
nice
interesting
question
again
I'm
going
to
go
back
to
my
earlier
answer.
We
I'm
I'm
personally
open
to
exploring
all
types
of
conversations
around
ways
to
improve
access
to
quality,
affordable,
safe
spaces
for
people
and
tenant
ownership
is.
Is
that
something
that
Council
stole
Wills
us
to
explore?
I
know
as
an
Administration
will
be
open
to
a
willing
and
exploring
it.
D
A
B
G
Well,
at
first
I
want
to
say:
congratulations,
I
may
be
pre,
you
know
maybe
early
for
that.
But
you'll
have
my
support.
I
know
you
know
what
you're
doing
I
know
your
whole
cast
here.
They're
all
great,
so
I
have
complete
confidence
in
you
like
Jake
Wheatley.
You
know,
I
have
complete
confidence
in
your
appointment
and
I.
Don't
really
have
any
questions
beyond
that.
Thank.
I
E
Thank
you
I.
You
know
you
have
you
have
my
full
support
as
well.
I
know
that
you've
been
in
many
roles
that
have
prepared
you
for
this
role
and
it's
always
it's
always
I,
don't
want
to
say
convenient,
but
it's
always
helpful
to
us
to
know
that.
There's
someone
coming
from
this
department,
the
specific
department
where
you
know
how
it
you
know
it
might
differ
from
other
departments
or
other
cities,
Human
Resources
departments
right.
You
know
this
one
in
inside
and
out
and
that's
incredibly
gratifying
for
us
to.
E
I,
don't
know
if
there's
anything
that
you
see
that
you
would
like
to
you
know
if
the
answer
is
no,
that's
also
okay,
but
is
there
anything
in
the
department
that
you
would
like
to
change
go
in
a
slightly
different
direction
from
what
you've
seen
that
you
would
that,
would
you
would
shake
up
a
little
bit
in
in
this
new
role,
or
would
you
sort
of
stay
the
course
either
answer?
Is
okay
I'm
not
going
to
place
a
value
judgment
on
either
I'm,
just
honestly
curious
to
see
what
your
thoughts
are
here?
E
I
First,
thank
you
very
much
for
your
support
and
for
your
comments.
I
appreciate
that
there
are
many
things
I
have
in
the
back
of
my
mind
that
I
would
like
to
change
or
progress
forward
a
lot
of
them.
I,
probably
don't
want
to
reveal
yet.
To
be
honest,
however,
some
things
that
I
can
share
with
you
is,
you
know
a
lot
of
times.
I
We
talk
about
Recruitment
and
welcoming
people
in
the
door
and
making
it
a
safe
and
psychologically
safe,
comfortable
place
for
employees
to
work
and
for
to
welcome
people
and
and
I
think
that
personally,
we
can
do
a
lot
better
for
the
employees
that
we
currently
have
in
the
city
to
make
them
feel
more.
Welcome,
make
them
feel
valued
and
appreciated
and
know
their
worth,
and
with
that
some
items
that
I'm
looking
to
initiate
would
be
along
the
lines
of
employee
employment.
Excuse
me
Employee,
Engagement
and
mentorship
programs,
so
just
to
have
so.
F
I
F
Yeah,
congratulations
on
that
on
on
becoming
director
of
a
super
staff.
I
guess
I
do
have
one
question.
That
sort
of
I
mean
this
is
me
kind
of
plugging
my
own
thing,
but
it
is
an
HR
question
is
right
now,
when
it
comes
it's
about
benefits
right
now,
with
the
the
parking
benefit,
it's
actually
less
expensive,
we're
for
people.
F
You
know
for
folks
working
for
the
city
to
drive
to
work
and
park
than
it
is
for
them
to
take
the
bus,
and
so
my
office
and
I
know
others
are
interested
in
a
a
free
monthly
bus
pass
program
for
city
employees.
That's
something
I
would
love
to
see
to
incentivize,
you
know
taking
the
using
public
transit
and
it
would
also
help
public
transit.
I
A
C
B
B
Think
sometimes
we
send
a
message
when
we
treat
employees
when
we
fire
somebody
who's
or
try
to
push
them
out
when
they've
been
here
for
30
40
45
years
and
don't
value
their
their
knowledge
that
they
bring
to
the
table
and
I'd
like
to
know
how?
Not
only
are
you
attracting
new
younger
people
and
new
Talent,
which
I
hope
part
of
that
is
I
I'd
like
to
discuss
with
you?
B
Is
you
met
a
young
man
in
my
office
today
and
I
mean
he
has
a
long
history
and
he
but
he's
never
had
an
arrest,
even
though
you
know
he
could.
He
could
have
gotten
in
a
lot
of
gone
down
a
really
slippery
slope,
but
he
doesn't
have
a
resume.
You
know
things
like
that,
he's
26
years
old,
so
I
don't
know.
B
If
we're,
you
know
trying
to
remove
those
kinds
of
obstacles
driver's
license,
resumes
mentoring
program,
I
talked
to
the
public
safety
director
today,
I'm
encouraged
by
some
of
the
things
he
had
to
say
and
I
think
he's
doing
a
good
job,
but
I
just
want
to
know
what
your
thoughts
are
on
that
area.
How
are
you
going
to
first?
B
How
are
you
going
to
help
attract
a
new
younger
talent
to
Pittsburgh,
at
the
same
time,
valuing
and
holding
on
to
those
with
some
institutional
knowledge
in
your
in
your
role,
because
sometimes
it's
a
director
that
needs
to
know
you
know
how
serious
we
take.
Those
things
too
and
I
think
council's
ready
to
send
some
messages.
So
could
you
talk
to
us
a
little
bit
sure.
B
B
Think
it's
just
the
climate
to
be
honest
with
you
in
some
cases,
but
there's
some
reality
to
some
the
ways
some
people
are
being
treated
so
I
think
it's
something
we
have
to
all
review
ourselves
and
how
we're
treating
employees
and
realize
that
these
are
challenging
jobs
and
challenging
times,
and
we
just
need
to
do
a
little
bit
better
in
that
area.
I
think
across
the
board.
B
Every
one
of
us,
including
Council
I,
mean
there's
things
that
we
can
do
to
make
things
a
little
bit
different,
too
and
so
I
think
we're
gonna
have
to
start
exercising
some
of
those
those
those
options,
but
I
I
also
think
that
sometimes,
when
we're
trying
to
create
like
more
of
a
diverse
Workforce,
sometimes
we
swing
the
pendulum
too
far,
and
then
we
start
discriminating
in
another
way.
How
do
you
balance?
That
is
what
I
want
to
know?
How?
I
Well,
I
think
we,
how
do
you
balance
it?
That's
all
I
think
we
have
to
look
at
each
candidate
right,
so
each
position
we're
hiring
for
yes,
diversity.
Equity
inclusion
is
at
the
Forefront
as
I
feel
that
it
should
be
again
within
the
Departments
as
well
as
within
our
recruiting.
However,
we
are
also
looking
at
what
candidates
bring
to
the
table,
regardless
of
their
background,
their
ethnicity
and
everything
again,
keeping
that
at
the
Forefront,
but
we're
looking
at
the
whole
candidate
and
the
value
that
they
bring
for
that
specific
position.
B
And
I
think
I
think
I
actually
think
would
do
a
good
job
in
the
city.
I
think
we
we're
hiring
a
lot
of
talented
people,
a
lot
of
diversity
and
yet
still
holding
on
to
some
people
that
have
a
lot
of
institutional
knowledge
and
may
not
fit
the
description
of
a
diverse
Workforce,
but
I
think
we
I
think
we
do
I
think
we're
doing.
Okay,
it's
hard,
I,
think
I.
Think
it's
a
hard
time,
but
I
know
people
always
are
asking
us.
B
I
C
F
J
Well,
well,
a
good
question:
I
mean
I,
think
you
know,
just
as
I
stated
my
experience
over
the
last
20
years,
just
working
within
the
built
environment.
So
it
gives
me
a
little.
You
know,
I,
think
my
expertise
in
that
realm
lends
itself
to
sort
of
assisting
I.
Think
that's
that's
kind
of
my
position
on
it.
It's
not
necessarily
that
you
know
I'm
sort
of
bringing
a
different
point
of
view
to
the
commission
where
there
might
be
some
other
levels
of
experience
that
might
differ
from
mine.
E
A
E
Is
part
of
the
same
the
same
commission
and
you
know
the
the
difference
between
imposing
something
on
a
community
and
really
kind
of
approaching
and
appreciating
what's
already
in
the
community
and
working
from
that
ground
up
and
I.
Wonder
if
there's
anything
that
you'd
like
to
add
because
it
was
just
it
was
a
vibrant
conversation
with
about.
J
Yeah,
that's
interesting
yeah,
so
I
think
my
take
on
it.
Is
this
and
I've
been
in
that
position
where
I
had
to
present
and
and
sort
of
you
know
convince
a
group
you
know
to
as
to
what
I
was
doing
was
correct
or
was
appropriate
for
a
certain
situation.
A
certain
place,
so
I
do
have
some
sensitivity
around
that
and
I
would
say.
My
position
on
that
is
is
just
so
that
you
know
when,
when
projects
are
presented,
it's
more
the
commission's
role
to
help
that
individual
or
group.
J
You
know
you
know
better
the
project
and
make
it
such
that
it
is
appropriate
for
the
location
or
what
the
surroundings
are
or
what
the
context
is
that
it
will.
You
know,
live
within,
so
you
know
I
think.
Historically,
there
has
been
a
sense
that
some
some
of
those
approaches
were
more
forceful
than
necessary.
So
I
think
my
position
is
just
you
know,
listening
and
providing
input
to
hopefully
improve
and
make
whatever
project
is
being
reviewed.
E
C
G
E
C
J
No
I
think
also
I
mean,
given
you
know
the
you
know,
being
a
cookie
cutter
approach,
I
think
just
the
fact
that
we're
reviewing
the
sort
of
installation
or
the
integration
of
art
into
or
into
spaces
or
places
you
know,
lends
itself
to
naturally
not
making
it
cookie
cutter.
You
know
so
yeah
I
think
you
know
Case
by
case
basis
and
looking
at
things
you
know
subjectively
as
possible
is
just
you
know.
Naturally,
the
way
to
go
so.
G
G
Love
working
with
space
and
trying
to
get
the
most
out
of
space,
which
is
intriguing
to
me
and
I
practice
that
in
my
own
little
projects,
but
nobody
would
actually
hire
me
as
an
architect.
I
would
tell
you
so
so
I
think
it's
a
great
experience
to
bring
to
the
table
with
this,
and
are
you
originally
from
Pittsburgh?
No.
G
B
J
J
J
You
know
whether
it's
a
small
space
or
a
large
space
or
a
public
space
or
a
private
space.
It
still
should
be
aesthetically,
pleasing
and
beautiful
right
at
the
same
time,
functional
and
functional
for
as
many
people
as
possible,
so
I
think
it's
not
just
a
a
question
of
functionality
but
I
think
also
to
the
greatest
degree
possible
one
of
equity.