PITTSBURGH — After filing criminal charges against the owners of a government-funded housing project in West Mifflin, the Allegheny County District Attorney is now turning his attention to what he says are similar housing issues in the City of Pittsburgh.
Chief Investigator Rick Earle questioned DA Stephen Zappala about this after a news conference Thursday morning in Ross Township.
Zappala told Earle he wants information about Section 8 housing in Pittsburgh and the private landlords who get government funding.
Zappala told Earle he plans to get a court order to get the information from the City of Pittsburgh.
“The city is going to get warrants. We are done talking about this stuff,” said Zappala.
Zappala said the Mon View Heights investigation, which revealed deplorable living conditions, led him to the City of Pittsburgh where he contends some of the same owners who have been charged with theft by unlawful taking and receiving stolen property for alleged mismanagement at Mon View, are linked to approximately nine other “nuisance” properties.
Zappala said a handful of them are in the City of Pittsburgh and he indicated that those privately owned properties are likely headed for a similar fate, unless something is done and soon.
“They don’t run right. They are all going to fail for the same reason Mon View failed, so we have to do some things quickly. I may need the help of a grand jury but we are going to fix this,” said Zappala.
Zappala said he’s uncovered allegations of price fixing and unreasonable fees by private owners who run Section 8 housing and receive government funding.
Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey, who is campaigning on expanding affordable housing in Pittsburgh, said he was unaware of the problem raised by the DA, but he will look into it.
“If it is you know, we need to make sure we address that, but I haven’t seen that so I can’t comment on it,” said Gainey.
The DA’s investigation targeting private owners who receive government funds through section 8 housing.
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