Dear Mayor Gainey, Hill District Elected Officials, City of Pittsburgh Planning Commission, the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), Pittsburgh Penguins, Sports and Exhibition Authority (SEA), Buccini Pollin Group (BPG), LeBron James, Fenway Sports Group, and all others interested in this matter whose names we do not know:

1. We, the citizens of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, residing in the community known as the Hill District, are deeply troubled by the lack of transparency and engagement regarding the development projects being proposed for the Lower Hill. As residents of this community, and as members of the Elder’s Council, we have the right to know how these projects will affect our daily lives and to have a meaningful say in the planning and implementation of these projects.
2. We call upon you to convene a timely community meeting with proper notification in a space that is accessible to all, with accommodations such as transportation for our seniors. This land was taken from the hands of many working Black people and, for that reason, this land has special rules that must be respected. The community must be informed and engaged in the development process.
3. We are particularly concerned about the potential impact of the proposed new office building, the FNB tower, and the music venue on traffic patterns, and we question whether the city or the developer has made any effort to reach out to the citizens in this community. Furthermore, we ask that you publicly disclose any efforts that have been made to inform and engage the community, including mailing notices to registered voters. 
4. The BUCCINI/POLLIN GROUP, the developers, have a history of causing discord in the community and should be closely monitored for their actions. Their past actions have had a negative impact on the Hill District community, including the formation of a RCO to circumvent the community benefits agreement that is in place. Additionally, they have employed people from neighborhood who have not followed the established community process, and they are currently attempting to tear down one of our beloved institutions, the Hill CDC, which is designed to safeguard our rights.
5. We call upon all parties involved to meet with Hill District residents and to take steps to address these concerns. The Planning Commission is scheduled to vote on January 24th which is only days away, leaving little time for community groups to inform and engage the community, and to make sound decisions on these matters. The Elder’s Council is currently in discussions with the URA, and has agreed that a longer time frame is needed for community engagement, as they previously agreed upon following the grocery store community process. We ask that all parties follow this model and work together to make this meeting happen in our city. The poorly planned and last minute “Community Conversation” that the BUCCINI/POLLIN GROUP and PENS is trying to slide in, does not suffice!
6. After all, Mayor Gainey's platform is a city for us all, and we ask that our basic human rights be informed, engaged and respected.             Sincerely, Renee Wilson