Buhl Foundation One Northside VISTA

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Help the One Northside initiative form community-based solutions to preserve socioeconomic diversity and prevent displacement in Pittsburgh’s Northside neighborhoods.

As Pittsburgh’s Northside begins to see housing demand rapidly increase, the Buhl Foundation’s "One Northside" initiative is working with residents and experts to deliver strategies, policies, and funding solutions to low-income and working families in 18 neighborhoods before gentrification and displacement occurs. Working with national experts like The Reinvestment Fund to build upon their market value analysis study produced for Pittsburgh’s Urban Redevelopment Authority, Buhl hopes to gather an in-depth understanding of the housing markets in the Northside. Buhl will then draw upon this up-to-date, data-driven analysis to develop strategies for increasing public and private investment for low and mixed-income housing development in the Northside. The medium and long-term goals will be to craft and implement a strategy to preserve and build quality, sustainable "workforce" housing for residents of the 18 Northside neighborhoods.

The Buhl Foundation and Pittsburgh Community Reinvestment Group are currently seeking a talented and motivated individual to lend a year of AmeriCorps VISTA service (americorps.gov/vista) as the point-person and project lead on this initiative, reporting directly to Buhl’s Program Officer and President. Activities may include research and development, community engagement, project design, project evaluation, project management, and storytelling. We are especially eager to engage candidates with educational backgrounds in public policy, urban planning, or architecture. Applicants should express why they are interested in applying their professional energies to improving the livability and viability of communities with specific focus on housing, density, displacement, sustainability and equity.

Application Instructions
To be considered for the position, you must create an application on the My AmeriCorps Portal and apply to the PCRG - Buhl FoundationOne Northside VISTA listing(my.americorps.gov/mp/listing/viewListing.do?id=82804) by August 3, 2018. For instructions on how to create an application, go to www.nationalservice.gov/programs/americorps/americorpsvista/start-your-application. We also encourage applicants to send a resume and cover letter to barrett@buhlfoundation.org.

Assignment Responsibilities

• Research and develop methods to support asset and housing development
• Provide data collection and analysis of existing housing stock to support community programs
• Research and develop vacant lot design and implementation with local residents
• Facilitate community charrettes and dialogues regarding redevelopment of priority physical projects
• Manage project design phase and advising community and project partners
• Develop project evaluation tools and scorecard for partners
• Support project communication and storytelling.

Benefits of AmeriCorps VISTA

• Living Allowance: Receive a modest bi-weekly living allowance of $472.22 to cover basic living expenses.
• Relocation Allowance: If you move 50+ miles from your home to a new community, you receive relocation travel assistance up to $1,000 (based on the federal mileage rate) and a settling-in allowance of $550.
• End of Service Award: Choose between a $6,095 Segal Education Award to pay for a range of education expenses or a $1,800 cash stipend.
• Health Care: Enroll in either out-of-pocket reimbursement ($7,150 medical, $1,000 for dental, $200 for vision) for healthcare or a healthcare plan. Dental and vision are also included, as are telehealth services.
• Non-Competitive Eligibility: Qualify for Non-Competitive Eligibility, a unique hiring path that makes it easier for federal agencies to hire you.
• Professional Development: Attend in-person and virtual professional development sponsored by AmeriCorps VISTA and Pittsburgh Community Reinvestment Group.
• Child Care: You may be eligible to receive up to $400/month for child care if you have children under the age of 13.

More on the Buhl Foundation and the "One Northside" Initiative

The Buhl Foundation is often the first funder of a new idea, willing to venture when the possible benefits outweigh the attendant risks. We look for opportunities where a small amount of money wisely invested can lead to strategic action and improvements, especially when investment in Northside-based projects or polices has the potential to produce catalytic change in the lives of the Northside’s neediest residents.

The "One Northside" initiative is a community-driven plan to improve the quality of life in all 18 neighborhoods of the Northside. Residents and community members have been working together to define what’s working, what’s needed, and to develop shared strategies that will make a difference now and for years to come. Following an extensive resident-driven process, One Northside is moving into the implementation phase with work that is focused on the quality of Education, Employment, Place, Public Health, and Safety. The One Northside Consensus Plan is a comprehensive approach to community revitalization that builds on existing assets and supports residents in creating the positive outcomes that they want in their lives and communities. You can learn more about the Buhl Foundation and One Northside at buhlfoundation.org and onenorthsidepgh.org, respectively.

About Pittsburgh Community Reinvestment Group VISTA

This project is part of Pittsburgh Community Reinvestment Group’s (PCRG) VISTA program, which sponsors seven VISTA members working at six sites for a more prosperous and equitable region. As the area’s foremost convener of grassroots organizations, PCRG aims to prepare Greater Pittsburgh’s next generation of community leaders. The proximity of these groups to the people they serve enables VISTAs to tackle poverty head on as they confront the rapidly changing landscape of Pittsburgh-area neighborhoods and municipalities.

In some areas, rapid growth threatens to displace low to moderate income residents, while other neighborhoods suffer from long-standing decay and under-investment. PCRG VISTAs placed with PCRG and its community partners aim to build the programming, resources, and organizational capacity necessary to capitalize on these changes. Not surprisingly, their assignments reflect the remarkable diversity of Greater Pittsburgh, concerning issues as varied as urban blight, affordable housing, and entrepreneur development. To support these goals, PCRG VISTAs formulate policy recommendations, implement community engagement strategies, write grants, manage volunteers, and much more. For more information on PCRG VISTA, visit www.pcrg.org/programs/americorps-vista-overview or contact Aaron Salituro (asalituro@pcrg.org, 412-391-6732).